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Her debut novel, The Daisy Picker, won a ‘write a bestseller’ competition in 2002, launching a writing career that would spawn 20 more books, all of which have featured in the Irish bestsellers list.
In 2022, she was shortlisted for the Library Association’s ‘author of the year’ category at the An Post Irish Book Awards. The Kerry-born writer is currently working on her 22nd novel, Moving On, which is due for publication in February. Meaney lives in Co Clare.
How did your upbringing influence your relationship with money?
Mam was a miracle worker. Thanks to the marriage ban, she had to give up her teaching job when she became a wife.
Roisin Meaney
But she managed, with only her share of Dad’s very modest salary as a school inspector, to feed and clothe seven of us – without us ever feeling hard done by.
She definitely taught me how to look for the bargains and spend wisely.
When were you most broke?
After I qualified as a teacher, I was put on emergency tax for the first few months, which was par for the course at the time.
I paid a huge percentage of tax, which was duly paid back in time, but those first months were lean ones. Pot noodle came into its own.
What was your biggest ever extravagance?
Without a doubt the Mini Cooper I splashed out on in 2022. It cost €30,000 and was easily the most expensive car I’d ever bought – but I was in a post-pandemic shopping mood and said ‘to hell with it’.
It’s an automatic – not out of choice, but because it was the only one they had on the forecourt when I turned up at the garage.
Patience wouldn’t be my strongest suit, so I took it. It’s like driving a pricey bumper car. I love it.
What’s the most expensive place you’ve ever been to?
That would probably be the Sheraton Grand Doha in Qatar.
I spent Christmas there in 1983, at the home of the ex-pat parents of my then-boyfriend. Christmas in an Arab country was interesting – as in it didn’t really happen – but we had a good time with his Scottish mum and Kiwi dad.
On New Year’s Eve, we went out to dinner at the Sheraton. Thankfully I wasn’t paying the bill, but I’d say the poor parents are still paying off the loan.
Opulence doesn’t even come into it. I can’t say for sure, but I suspect our plates were real gold.
Do you still carry cash?
I do. I’m an old fashioned girl.
In my defence, I tried to install Revolut on my phone, and failing that, I tried Google Wallet, but I kept running into a dead end – a combination of my spectacular ignorance of all things technological and a not-so-smart smartphone.
So now I do cash or debit card when I go shopping, and the credit card comes out for the bigger buys, and it’s grand thanks.
What was your biggest ever financial mistake?
A singles holiday to Turkey. Seriously, I could write a book – but I don’t do misery lit.
What was your worst-ever job?
Waitressing. I lasted a week. It was a disaster – I kept getting orders wrong.
Are you a spender or a saver?
I’m an excellent saver and a canny spender. Not mean, just shrewd.
Do you have a pension?
No. Luckily the books keep me afloat. As long as I can keep thinking, I’ll keep eating.
What three things would you not be able to do without if you had to tighten your belt?
The Mini Cooper, the internet, and Netflix.
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