http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/Business/Money/article386267.ece#page-2
Fame & Fortune:
Fionnuala SherryI’ve busked for the bus fare home and my dog has helped pay the bills, says the violinist and former Eurovision winner as she looks back on lean times
Fame & Fortune:
Fionnuala SherryI’ve busked for the bus fare home and my dog has helped pay the bills, says the violinist and former Eurovision winner as she looks back on lean times
Not many Irish violinists can boast that their image has adorned a Norwegian postage stamp — but Fionnuala Sherry can. The musician stepped into the world spotlight on winning the Eurovision for Norway in 1995 as half of Secret Garden with Rolf Lovland.
The two had met a year earlier while she was working on her music series for children on Irish television. Sherry had been a member of the RTE Concert Orchestra before that. Over the years, she has worked with artists including The Chieftains, Sinéad O’Connor, Van Morrison, Chris de Burgh, Bono and Wet Wet Wet.
On her debut solo album, Songs from Before, she reinterprets traditional Irish airs such as An Cuilfhionn, My Lagan Love and Our Wedding Day.
Sherry is married to businessman Bernard Doyle.
How much money do you normally have in your wallet?
Generally very little as I always forget to go to an ATM when I run low, so I heavily rely on credit and Laser cards.
How many credit/debit cards do you have and do you pay them off each month?
I carry three and plan to pay them off each month — but plans are always made to be broken.
What was your first job and how much were you paid?
It was as a waitress in a cool little pizza and salad restaurant in a basement on Suffolk Street. One of my tasks was to make pizzas but the oven was in a very narrow galley-style kitchen and, every time one was cooked, I managed either to let it fall while removing it from the oven or stick it to the roof of the oven, where it promptly burnt.
Each time this occurred I had to report to the duty manager and my pay was docked. So, after paying for my return bus fare from Naas and burning countless pizzas, I think I was the only person ever to have a summer job in which I owed more than I earned. So I have stuck with the violin ever since.
Have you ever been really hard up or broke?
Yes, numerous times, especially as a student at Trinity College Dublin and at the College of Music. The only way to get my fare home was to busk on Grafton Street. A few hours there usually yielded enough to pay the bus fare to Naas and cover some living expenses also. That’s if it all didn’t go on hot ports in Peter’s Pub to de-ice after playing out in the freezing cold.
Are you a saver or a spender?
A little of both, but mostly a spender as I always believe that, if I overspend, a gig will come along somehow.
What is the most extravagant thing you have ever bought?
Apart from my violin and bows, a painting I saw in an art gallery in Sydney the day I was due to perform in Sydney Opera House.
I loved it and decided there and then that, if the concert went well, it was mine.
So, thankfully, the next day I maxed out my cards and had it shipped home. To this day I love it as it always reminds me of that wonderful night at the opera house, and now the gallery owners are friends of mine and we keep in touch regularly.
Have you ever seen somebody else really splash out?
Yes, in a casino in London I watched a woman play blackjack with £1,000 (€1,215) chips and during a 15-minute period I saw her lose £20,000. The strange thing was she looked so utterly bored and uninterested; the money was of no value or enjoyment to her.
What would you never spend money on?
A designer handbag. I just don’t get why one would be prepared to spend thousands on a bag which is then going to give you arm and neck strain while fulfilling the same role as a cheaper version.
Are you better off than your parents?
I think all our generation have more cash flow than our parents but they had more time to spend. I think more time to spend means a wealthier life.
What is the worst thing that has happened to you financially?
When I first began driving, I had a series of cars which can be best described as rust buckets.
Eventually, I saved enough to buy my first reasonably reliable car — only to discover that it had been in a crash and was not as roadworthy as I had been told, so its value plummeted. To this day, cars are my worst investment.
What is the most lucrative work you have done and how did you use the fee?
The morning after I won the Eurovision in 1995 with Secret Garden, I received a call requesting my dog, Benny, to launch an anti-flea product for cats and dogs. To my surprise, after playing the night before to almost 500m viewers, it was Benny who got the first gig after only being seen for five seconds!
As his minder, I got paid handsomely, which we splashed out on a fabulous night out.
Do you own property and would you consider buying some now?
Yes, I own the property where I live, and have rented and owned in the past.
I think it’s a great time to buy now and only wish I had a big enough nest-egg to go and invest.
Do you buy shares and what has been your worst investment?
I dipped once into shares and bought Bank of Ireland just as they reached an all-time high, only to watch in disbelief as they hit the floor the following week.
Thankfully, my timing is better when it comes to music.
How are you going to fund your retirement and do you think pensions are worthwhile?
For people who have permanent employment, I guess pensions are a good option, but like other musicians I mostly live from gig to gig and hope that those royalty cheques keep on flowing, so fingers crossed with the new CD.
What is your financial priority at the moment?
To recoup the heavy personal investment I made on my new CD.
Do you manage your financial affairs personally?
No, I have a wonderful accountant who takes me by the hand each year and guides me through the maze of tax and returns.
He knows well that I have an attention span of zero when it comes to numbers and so, over the years, it’s been necessary for us to take many breaks in favourite restaurants and establishments to ease the pain.
How has the recession affected you?
The music industry had tightened up long before the recession, so the impact was less obvious, but it’s been heart-breaking to see family and friends deeply affected.
We now need to lift each others’ spirits and muddle on — maybe music can act as a great healer.
Have you ever won or surprisingly come into a sum of money?
Never won a thing, not even a box of chocolates at a local raffle.
Do you donate to charity?
Yes. The two main charities I donate to are Concern and Trocaire. My cousin works for Concern and I am impressed by its long-term strategy of working to rebuild communities rather than taking a quick-fix approach.
What is the most important lesson you have learnt about money?
I am a work in progress, so no exams passed on that one yet.
