Maria Moynihan, St Patrick's Festival chief executive
Main causes of stress
I get stressed by things outside my control so this has obviously been a very stressful time with the postponement of our festival.
It's a funny paradox because, just before the foot-and-mouth situation blew up, my stress levels had gone down. It was my first Patrick's Festival and I had only six months to organise things but everything was in place and I was beginning to say, "gosh, this is going to be great fun". Then things happened so fast. On Thursday morning (March 1st), it was unthinkable to postpone it, but by 5 p.m. that evening, the alternative was unthinkable.
Now everything is on hold while we come up with a new date. It could be as early as June, but it's impossible to say.
Coping with stress
Exercise always works for me. I go to the gym before work so I find myself getting into the gym before I fully wake up. It gives me time to think and sometimes a solution to a problem presents itself to me. It also gives me time to catch up on the news as I prop the newspaper up on the stepper.
Baking is another way of "destressing" myself. If I am under pressure, you might find me in the kitchen at midnight, making dough.
Retail therapy used to be a way of coping with stress but my credit card objected.
Frustrated with traffic
My previous job (chief executive of Macra na Feirme) involved a lot of travel so I certainly don't miss that now. I think traffic and travel stress so many people.
When we were planning this festival, so many people told us they loved the idea of the city being closed to traffic, even for a short while. There is so much congestion and hustle and bustle now that people cannot enjoy their city.
In conversation with Alison Healy
