Aoibhín: acting is tough and you must look after yourself

SHE garnered fame as Neasa Dillon on Fair City but since leaving the long-running soap she has branched out into other areas.

And Aoibhín Garrihy, left, is pursuing other career avenues due to the tough nature of the acting industry, which she insists can weigh on your mental health.

The 30-year-old splits her time between Dublin and Co. Clare, where her hotelier husband John Burke is based.

The blonde beauty, who was a finalist on Dancing With The Stars and is now concentrating on philanthropic ventures, admitted: ‘My career is so unstable and uncertain. If you’re not looking after yourself you can fall into a real rut.

‘Acting can be tough – it’s not great for your mental health. So you need to find coping mechanisms.

‘Saying, “Look, this isn’t making me happy. I need to find other outlets and put my attention elsewhere. And put life first”.

‘It didn’t make career sense for me to move to Clare where [John is based].’

Aoibhín also said: ‘Luckily, I’ve kind of had the best of both worlds, in the sense that city life and work can be full-on, but then I have that outlet of running away to the country.’

Aoibhín and her husband are focusing much of their time on a new charity, Elevate, which will offer wellness workshops to young people.

‘I’m really making a conscious decision to do what keeps me happy,’ she said, speaking in Life magazine.

‘Self-care is becoming more of a priority. I’ve just turned 30, and I think we need to mind ourselves a little bit more.’