BETTER KNOW A STABLEMATE—DARREN O’CONNOR

Darren O’Connor is the creative force behind the Stazza’s Stable logo.

What is your name?

Darren O’Connor

What is your favourite colour?

I love a good grey.

What is your favourite word?

Perspective.

Who is your favourite musician?

Yannis Philippakis or Brandon Flowers. Recently, I’ve been on a Stevie Nicks binge. If I were fifty years older …

What is your most marked characteristic?

Observation and diligence.

What talent would you like to have?

Be a top guitar player. Fiddled around with three chords for years and just started proper lessons this January!

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Turning around my mental health into something bulletproof. A few years back, I struggled a bit with anxiety—very mild compared to some people, but I set about putting a strategy in place to bolster myself and turned it into something I’m very proud of. When COVID hit last year it really kicked in, and I feel like I’ve thrived over the past 12 months.

Who are your heroes in history?

Erling Kagge—a Norwegian explorer who was the first person to reach the Three Poles—North, South, and Everest. He has also written amazing books on philosophy: Walking: One Step at a Time and (my favourite) Silence: In the Age of Noise.

What is your idea of happiness?

On a hike/run/cycle in the middle of nowhere on a sunny day somewhere in west Cork.

Where would you most like to live?

As above—planning a move to Kinsale this summer!

What profession would you like to attempt?

Be the CEO of my own start-up. I’m very lucky to essentially be doing that currently, leading an innovation team exploring new products within a multinational company. But I’d love to have a business of my own someday!

What is your greatest extravagance?

I bought a vintage VW camper van a few years back; the dream was better than the reality of having to maintain something of that age! I sold it on last year, but no regrets; it was a great thing to have and experience for a couple of years.

Why did you start running?

To challenge myself and get fit again after finishing playing team sports.

What does running mean to you now?

Silence—freedom from intrusion from other people’s thoughts.

What do you like about Stazza’s Stable?

It’s a community of passionate people.

What is your motto?

You are your own secret weapon (a line from the song “Pull Your Jocks Up” by the Scratch)—warning: obscenities contained within, should anyone look it up!