Gerard Devine is an award-winning Irish poet who lives a life less ordinary. The former carpenter is a full-time firefighter in Dublin City. We discuss his early life, building houses in Ireland and America, hurling, dispatch, mental health, fitness, his poetry and much more.

Prior to joining the fire brigade, Gerard spent many years working on the building sites of Dublin, Boston and San Francisco. He still plies his building skills by volunteering to work in third-world countries such as Africa. An animal and nature lover Gerard recently moved up into the inspiring Wicklow mountains where he lives in harmony with nature with wife Stephanie and their rescue dog Saoirse.

While his favourite poet is the wonderful WB Yeats much of Gerard’s poetry is inspired by Irish ballads and singers like Shane McGowan and Christy Moore.

Gerard was recently invited back to his old school O Connell’s where ex-pupils include Thomas Kinsella, James Joyce, and Luke Kelly.

Gerard’s poetry is now being studied there which is a great honour to the Dublin native.