Life in Lockdown, Denise McCormack’s Love/Hate

Denise McCormack talks about her new full time role, learning Dirty Old Town on the tin whistle and the new sense of community spirit right now…

I have known Denise McCormack for many years and each time I meet her, I come away with a smile on my face, because of the positivity and fun that she exudes!

Even as she talks about her experience with this Lockdown, she is so real about her experience and honest about how hard it has been to home school her own kids.

When I spoke to her for this piece, she told me that she originally though that this would be great – time with the children, home schooling. Wonderful. But it slowly dawned on her, that this was by no means an easy job!

Her attitude towards it though, is inspiring and as I listen to her talking about it, I realised that so many parents must be having this exact experience. Because, we are not school teachers! We should be able to accept that we cannot do the same job as them and just do the best we can.

About Denise McCormack:

Most of us will know Denise from her role in RTE’s hit drama series Love Hate, where she played the part of Linda, the wife of Fran Cooney. She has also graced our screens on Fair City and scooped no less than 3 IFTA awards for her performances in the drama series Red Rock.

She has even appeared on Eastenders as Ciara McGuire and played a blinder in that role too! Denise has been in the acting world since she was 10 years old. She tells me that she never really had the interest in, or attention for, school work and she was always sure about what she really wanted to do.

Denise has often been vocal about the pressure on women in this industry and tells me that men just do have the same amount of pressure about their physical appearance. We always have to work that little bit harder in this industry, she says.

Like myself, she also took on Dancing with the Stars and back in 2017 and her dance performances with Ryan McShane saw her securing third place in the competition.

Denise was midway through filming Codgers – a Channel 4 pilot, and due to start rehearsals last week, for Sean O’Caseys play ‘Shadow of a Gunman,’ in The Gate, directed by Louise Lowe.

She currently lives in Wicklow with her husband and her two young sons. You can connect with her on Insta @deniseactor

Tune in for my “Life in Lockdown’ vlog series, when I’ll be talking to more friends on their survival & wellbeing techniques!  #LifeinLockdown

Sinead Xx