Under the Microscope

Bill O'Dwyer

Job Title:
Manager, ESB Training, Portlaoise.

Who are those closest to you?
Mary, my wife and our family (in alphabetic order): Alva, Aoifa, Daire, Dawn, Ross, Sean and Sinead.

How do you relax?
We have a mobile at Silver Strand, and all cares are left outside the barrier whenever we visit.

Where do you consider your most idyllic holiday location?
Mauritius; we spent our honeymoon there a few years ago, and will definitely return.

What is your greatest fear?
Anything that would affect the health or well-being of the family.

What person has influenced you most?
Apart from Mary, the people who have influenced me most have been the many excellent managers, mentors and colleagues I have had the privilege of working with in ESB; starting with Jim Fitzgerald in Waterford.

What upsets you most?
Anything that puts the lives of people at risk; in particular, unsafe driving.

What are the values you look for in people?
It has to be integrity, above all else. After that I like to be with people who don't take themselves, or what they do, too seriously.

If your house was on fire and everyone was safe, what 3 items would you bring with you?
Easy: the 250GB back-up Hard Disk. All family photos, documents, etc. are stored there. Then the mobile phone – I'll need to find somewhere to stay for a while and finally the cash and cards to ease the pain of the first few homeless days.

What person would you most like to meet?
I read Thomas Merton's Elected Silence at a time when religious thinking in Ireland was very one dimensional. I would like to ask him about the bits not included in the book.

What is your ‘secret’ ambition?
To visit Australia for the Formula 1 GP and while there experience the 'Grange Tour' at Penfolds Magill Estate Winery.