‘I wear the same shoes and clothes all the time, which means I don't shop often'
Paddy Power Comedy Festival
, which runs from Thursday, July 24th until Sunday, July 27th, at Iveagh Gardens, Dublin.
Are you a saver or a spender?
I
spend money
, but I spend it on good stuff – things like travel or fancy appliances. I'm at a stage of my life where a double-stack air fryer is the party.
What was the first job you received money for, and how much were you paid?
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My first job was in a popcorn van at the 'merries', which was what Piper's Funfair in Crosshaven used to be known as because of all the merry-go-rounds.
I was paid a tenner for the whole day. That doesn't sound like a good deal but you get to go on all the rides and have unlimited popcorn, so it was definitely a win.
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Niamh Kavanagh: 'Thanks to my mum, I learned how to pay my bills before I spent money on myself'
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]
Do you shop around for better value?
Not really, to be honest. I should, but I'm wrecked the majority of the time. I will shop around for better fruit and vegetables, and if I can, I always get organic.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
I went on a safari last year and it cost about €2,000. I got to see a baby elephant, so I have no regrets. I would have spent double for the experience.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
The double-stack Ninja Air Fryer. I can't explain the handiness.
Is there anything you regret spending money on?
I bought a pair of trendy green runners to wear for my appearance on the Tommy Tiernan Show a few months ago. I have, literally, never worn them again. Notions.
Do you haggle over prices?
No, I would be mortified.
Do you invest in shares and/or cryptocurrency?
I don't invest in crypto, I'd rather just play a scratch card. I wouldn't mind investing in shares if it were something I believed in, like sustainable energy, but I wouldn't have a clue where to begin.
Do you have a retirement or pension plan?
No, I don't. You only live once.
What was the last thing you bought, and was it good value for money?
I spent €2.50 going into Dingle's Fairy Fort, which also has an animal pet farm. I got to pet some lambs, and it was worth every cent. Fairies and lambs – what more do you want?
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'Behavioural economists would have a field day with me'
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]
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
Yes, I can save well if I have a goal. I love travelling and last year I saved up for a road trip to South Africa. Took about eight months to save up for the flights and all of the experiences, but it was beyond worth it.
Have you ever lost money?
Nah, sure it's all on my phone now and, touch wood, I haven't lost my phone yet.
Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win?
I love scratch cards, but that's as far as it goes. I have won a few quid on the horses, but nothing worth chatting about.
What is your best habit when it comes to money? And your worst?
My best habit is that I wear the same shoes and clothes all the time, which means I don't shop too often. My worst habit is either ordering takeaway food or eating out. Literally, thousands, I'd say.
How much money do you have on you now?
I don't carry cash. Coins are manky and smelly. Everything is on the phone now.
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So that 1980s connection is so interesting. There's half of us who are like, 'F**k it, I'm going to take this opportunity to thrive beyond the economic.' Because, no word of a lie, black Irish people my age? Disgustingly equipped and educated. They have masters degrees for no reason, bruv! What, to work in a Centra? Relax!' The Centra line is obviously a joke. 'They're taking over Google! What's going on?! Educated to s**t. Lawyers, medical doctors. We're not playing it small, because we're not allowed to. We're not allowed to play it small, because survival involves going all the way up here,' Olusanya raises their hand. 'But that's economic survival.' The social and spiritual aspect, they say, is another thing. Felicia Olusanya describes Octopus Children as a 'choreopoem', in which multiple artistic disciplines combine. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill I wonder whether the reaction Olusanya experienced to them being queer was also about a fear of another layer of oppression to contend with in a racist society. The conversations Olusanya had with family and others, they say, were 'not about hate, it's about fear. They were terrified, because they've built these communities and structures that incubate them safely. When you pop out of it for work, to socialise, you can still come back home. Even if I get racist experiences at work, there's a whole community that have my back I can come back to, so that is a temporary experience. That's how I think the older generation view it. Whereas if you're then gay, it's not the thing that's going to break you out 'there' in the white Irish world, but it will,' - or may - 'in the home that we've all built that's supposed to support you no matter what.' 'I want us to be able to have our communities, grow our communities, and not be caged by our communities, because that's also what's happening when people come from a space of survival, psychologically. I can't wait for a couple of generations where our people feel completely safe, that there isn't a demarcation. Sociologically and psychologically we all do this: you're drawn to people who are more like you, that's normal, so you'll always have those type of communities anyway. I'm not saying we need to dismantle our safety in our community in order to integrate. That's not what I'm asking for. But what I am saying, is to free ourselves from the limitations that the survival of our communities has brought. And one of those limitations,' Olusanya says, is a feeling 'that you can't be queer. Especially not out loud.' 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With this show, I want to show my community – black Irish people – and the white Irish community, that this weird layered person-being can be visible, and it's completely okay. Visible and celebrated. I want black Irish girls, or non-binary people, or gays, to be like, 'Ahh! That's a bit of me!' and not feel like there's no representation. I hate the word representation, but it's so f***ing important. But I don't want to be the only one. I want to be able to make Octopus Children so octopus children can find it, so there can be a community of us, so we're very visible, very loud.'
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