How agreeable are you?
I’m a fairly certain type of person, overall. I wouldn’t think that I’m swayed too much when I have a certain way of thinking. I’m quite laid-back, as well, and I don’t take anything too seriously. Why? It’s probably the job I do, but I just don’t think life should be taken too seriously; I think you should enjoy your life.
What’s your middle name and what do you think of it?
My name is David Stephen McCready. For my Confirmation name, however, I picked Gerard, so my full name is David Stephen Gerard McCready. As a kid, it was, like, I had to do it because Steven Gerrard was my favourite footballer. In retrospect, it’s pretty funny. It was a bit of a gimmick back then, so it’s not something I carry around any more.
Where is your favourite place in Ireland?
I went to college in Galway for three years. Two of those were during Covid, so I didn’t get the full college experience, but there isn’t a nicer place in Ireland than Galway on a sunny day. The people there are pretty laid-back as well, which suits me.
Describe yourself in three words
Chill, optimistic, driven.
When did you last get angry?
I don’t think I get angry. From what I said already, I’m pretty laid-back, even when it comes to people. I’m never going to let someone’s actions change my emotions. The way I see it is if people are acting odd or strange, it’s not in my control. There’s only so much I can control in my life, and I’m not going to let someone else change the way I live.
What have you lost that you would like to have back?
Some things I miss are having interactions that are completely anonymous. I’d never call myself famous. I would say I’m probably on an E-list of being well-known, but I’ve noticed that people can have preconceived ideas of you, if they meet you and they know who you are. When people pop up from my past, they now know me as a different person, which sometimes is difficult to navigate. Do people tap me on the shoulder and ask for selfies? It happens, but it’s not something I have control over, and it’s not something that bothers me too much. I’m not playing a character when I go out into the real world. I always show up as myself. As I said, I’m E-List. I’m not Brad Pitt!
What’s your strongest childhood memory?
It was probably picking up my pug, from Kenturk, Co Cork, when I was 12 years old. Clara was the size of a potato when we collected her, waddling along the footpath outside SuperValu. I got her before I started secondary school, and even during times when I didn’t have a whole lot of friends, she was always there.
Where do you come in your family’s birth order and has this defined you in any way?
I’m the youngest, which I don’t think has changed my life too much. I don’t expect to get given anything. I always believe in working hard for what you have. I have one sister, who is four years older than me. I think we’ve gotten closer over the past few years, especially since finishing school. We both went to college in Galway, and if I was between classes, I would have gone to her house to chill out. She’s one of my best friends at this point.
What do you expect to happen when you die?
Short answer? Nothing. It might sound uninformed, but I don’t think that far ahead because all I have is right now.
[ Jerry Fish: ‘I’m a London-born Dub but I discovered most of my DNA is from exactly where I now live’Opens in new window ]
When were you happiest?
The fact that I get to wake up every day and do something I love doing and live a life I want to live is more like fulfilment than happiness, but I really like my life, so I’d say I’m happy every day.
Which actor would play you in a biopic about your life?
I almost can’t think of anyone young enough. I’ll go with Michael B Jordan for a laugh. I like him. I watched Sinners recently; it’s a good film.
What’s your biggest career/personal regret?
I wouldn’t say I have any. I get to live my life how I want to live it, and I get to work for myself and a job I love doing. One of my biggest goals in life, when it’s all said and done, is that I don’t want to ever look back and have any regrets. I don’t want to look back and say that I should have worked harder, which is why I’m working particularly hard right now. But as of right now, I don’t have any.
Have you any psychological quirks?
If I find something funny, it’ll be a joke to me, and even if other people don’t find it funny, I’ll run the joke to death just because I enjoy it. Yeah, I’ll keep going.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea