I met Jason last year when he made an impressionable entrance into one of my best friends and former flatmates lives, Mr. Ross Scanlon. Having heard how wonderful he was prior to meeting him, as the best friend I was delighted to meet such a friendly, smiley and warm person.

I knew that Jason had been the lead dancer of Riverdance for quite some time, however, it wasn’t until I went to see him last June in the Gaiety Theatre that I was met full force with his astounding talent and exuberant stage presence. This friendly, smiley guy was a beast on stage, and captivated me along with the lively audience, which he has done for years in this role worldwide.

Since then, I’ve been a fan on the sidelines as Jason proves his skills as a dancer are limitless. Getting to know Jason over the last year has been such a pleasure. He always has such a vibrant energy and is a joy to be around. Over this time, I’ve also learnt that not only is he an exceptional dancer, but his gifts extend as a graphic designer, which he had studied in college.

The personal and expressive artwork he puts up on social media portrays some important messages that are obviously close to his heart. In particular the word love takes on different and unique designs that light up a mindless feed scroll.

Having grilled him on a personal level on our couch in our former flat, I’m delighted to get to grill him in the studio and find out how it felt to be living a life long dream and getting it cut short by a world pandemic.

Settle in and get insirped by a man who balances a superstar quality with a kind and warm nature, Jason O'Neill.