A very Shortt Christmas
Pat Shortt tells us about his plans for a very chilled out Christmas – including a few ‘shnakey’ pints while everyone else is at Mass
Will you be taking a break from rehearsals for your new show over Christmas?
It’s a busy time for us into the New Year because we sell out a lot of shows as Christmas presents. Years ago when I was touring, we’d work Christmas Eve, but I always said if I can manage my life at all, I’ll never work Christmas Day. It’s just family time and I normally take a week off. When you’re on the road, you miss birthdays and family things throughout the year.
Do you do any of the present shopping or do you delegate?
My wife Caroline does it because I’m away a lot. But I would be involved in picking stuff out and wrapping. I haven’t really gotten into online shopping. I did a couple of times when I had a few drinks on me. I’ve been known to open the door to a fella with a parcel and say, ‘What’s that?’ And he’ll be like, ‘Those tent poles you ordered!’
Who cooks Christmas dinner in your house?
Me, actually! I love making Christmas dinner, so I prep the night before. I really enjoy getting up in the morning and getting the turkey in the oven. I like having an early dinner on Christmas Day, so I do a huge amount of the work the day before.
Have you any special recipes?
I do a nice glazed ham. I learned it from my good friend Mike Hanrahan who is the lead singer with Stockton’s Wing. He is actually a great chef, trained in Ballymaloe and when I had the pub in Cork, he was a chef there for four years for me. It’s a very simple glaze, which is just honey and soya sauce. It wouldn’t be the Christmas ingredient that you would think of but it’s gorgeous.
Do you have any Christmas family traditions?
Traditionally, my wife goes to Mass with the kids on Christmas Eve but I avoid that one. I know everyone in our local pub and I always head there. I go down on my own for that hour and they pick me up on the way home.
What’s your favourite Christmas memory?
I grew up in a family of 11 kids, so there was a lot of toys around Christmas and it was just the best craic all playing together. The other problem is my birthday is on the 12th December. I don’t ever remember a birthday party – it was too close to Christmas. I have a new movie out on 7th December called The Belly of the Whale so my birthday is totally going to be forgotten about this year.
How will you ring in the New Year?
The funny thing is when you have kids you don’t really do New Year’s. We haven’t been out for New Year’s in years – maybe this will be the year. But I don’t’ know if I’d be bothered. When you’re on the road all the time being at home is a treat. Pat Shortt’s new stage show Hey! is at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin from January 10-12. See patshortt. com for details. His new movie, The Belly of the Whale is in cinemas on December 7