I was born in Tralee, County Kerry. My dad was a journalist, then working for the Kerryman newspaper. He got a job with the (National) Irish Independent when I was 4, so we moved to Dublin.

2. Before coming to the U.S., you spent 10 years in Crete. What were you up to in Crete, and what possessed you to trade the wild fennel-scented air of Crete for the diesel exhaust-tinged atmosphere of Philadelphia?

I left the BBC World Service Radio in 1992 to start a radio station in Crete as the Greek Government had deregulated radio. To fund this, my business parttner and I started a bar/restaurant to fund the project, which

eventually eneded up being a large food and beverages/retail/tourist services/radio production company. I met my wife Claire Holland (then my girlfriend), an immunologist, in 2000 in Crete when she was working for the Euopean Union on a Marie Curie Fellowship. When she was offered a job at the University of Pennsylvania Medical school I came with her. WRTI was looking for an arts Reporter and hired me shortly after I arrived.

3. You end all your sentences on an up note. Is that the BBC Radio Wales and BBC World Service training? How long were you with the Beeb?

I wasn't aware of the "up note," but, yes, it's probably a Beeb thing. I was trained by BBC guys working in Ireland when I was in my teens. I moved to London in 1987 and worked for the BBC until I left in 1992.

4. What draws you to the arts? Your interests seem truly diverse.

I've always had a broad range of arts interests, but I'm probably not quite the 'maven' you suggest! I do very thorough research before I approach any subject and this—combined with a good broad knowledge of, and passion for, the arts—is what helps.

5. Who have been your favorite guests on WRTI's Creatively Speaking?

(Conductor) Daniel Barenboim 'cause he is probably the smartest and most charismatic person you could hope to meet. (Opera singer) Renee Fleming because she applies all of her (great) artistic skills to everything she does—including interviews! I really got an understanding from her of what it means to be "in the moment."