Declan O'Donnell

Architect, Author, Judge on RTE Television show Home of the Year

Declan O'Donnell
  1. What is your favourite word(s)?

If I had to select my favourite it is probably the word FILM – the only reason being that most people sneak a vowel in between the L and the M (FIL-u-M) thereby pronouncing it wrong. When pronounced correctly, I think how the L runs into the M is quite beautiful. Also, I love films!!

 

  1. If you could have only one meal every day forever, what would it be?

Tough one this, but it has to be a fresh bag of chips – lots of salt and vinegar. Technically not a meal, but just so hard to beat.

 

  1. What are you most afraid of?

Big Spiders – I know it’s an obvious one but have you seen the size of some of them?! I lived in Australia for a while so this freaked me out on a regular basis. Thank God Ireland only has mini spiders…

 

  1. What was your favourite book when you were in primary school?

I was a massive Roald Dahl fan at school – I loved the stories and the Quentin Blake drawings. The BFG was probably my favourite as it really set my imagination alight thinking of a big friendly giant sneaking around at night time making good dreams for kids. Great one to read before you went to bed and started dreaming!!

 

  1. If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which show would it be?

Grand Designs – Obviously!! I’m an architect, and I design buildings so I could spend day after day stuck in a program like this and never get bored. Design is all around us, everyday, so I also think it’s actually something very important to our happiness.