Mary from Dungloe's Gavin Boyle reveals his Seven Deadly Sins

Living in Portadown with his husband, Jay Holingsworth, Gavin is the Director at Orchard Lettings, an Armagh-based property management company.

He reveals his seven deadly sins ahead of the festival, which will run from Saturday, July 25 until Monday, August 3.

LUST: Who or what do you find yourself lusting after today and why?

Travel: I fall in love with places very easily. Something is intoxicating about arriving somewhere unfamiliar and imagining a whole different version of yourself there. It helps that I am married to a travel agent, as we experience different parts of the world as often as we can.

GLUTTONY: What could you happily eat or drink until you burst?

I was going to say something else here, but anyone who knows me properly will say that I am a glutton when it comes to drinking white wine. It’s my favourite tipple and thankfully, it never gives me a hangover.

GREED: What are your favourite indulgences?

I’m greedy for time more than anything else. Time with family, time to relax, time to think. If I could hoard anything, it wouldn’t be money; it would be unhurried evenings in front of the fire with a good programme on TV.

SLOTH: What is your perfect downtime?

People assume I’m endlessly energetic because I normally don’t miss any event that is going on (or, as Jay calls it, “every envelope opening event”). Truly, there is nothing I love more than chilling out with Jay, be it at home or on holiday. Although some people may not agree, I loved the lockdown, not having to be somewhere or go somewhere; it was a much slower-paced time.

WRATH: What makes you stamp your foot?

Very little truly angers me. Tardiness, though, does irritate me. If you say you’re going to be somewhere at a certain time, please be there. Don’t rock up 20 minutes later and think it is all okay!

ENVY: What do you not have but would really like?

I envy people who appear effortlessly calm. The ones who say, “Sure, it’ll be grand,” and actually mean it.

During festival season, I’m outwardly serene, but inwardly I’m tracking 47

moving parts and wondering if everything is set up for the Crowning Cabaret.

PRIDE: What are you most proud of and why?

I’m very proud that I can switch accents seamlessly between “professional property manager,” “festival director with a clipboard,” and “man who has been in a long-term relationship for 23 years and therefore knows everything.”

Directing the Mary From Dungloe Festival has taught me many things, mainly that you can run an international event on adrenaline, coffee, and blind optimism. Setting up and having my own successful property management company is also very important to me.

After 23 years with Jay, I’m especially proud that he’s still here, which suggests I’m not completely impossible to live with, although I do test those limitations.