'I never worked for the money -- but now I'm very aware I need it'

March 03 2010 04:46 AM

"When I was a nipper, I did stuff because I wanted to do stuff. In the '80s we were living in one big long recession but sometimes I left jobs I was making good money in because I hated them.

"Now I'm not that fussy -- I can't afford to be. I've never, ever worked for money but now I'm very aware I need money. There is a minimum basic amount that people need and it varies from person to person. I have a young lad now in college and this is not a good time to be broke.

"I sometimes wonder: Does having money make me happy -- or does lack of it make me unhappy?

"I'm nearly 49 and for the first time, I'm thinking, 'Come back that money I used to earn!' I left Head2Toe (the RTE fashion show Pat presented) after five years because it was time to do something else.

"I know people who are extremely money-driven and I still don't understand that attitude of 'I need loads of cash and I need you all to know that I have loads of it'. But I will say I'm no longer the footloose and fancy-free kid I was. It's very easy to be a middle-class hippie when you're young."