My life at home is super simple. My local bar with my mates, cooking for my mother, making tables, planting vegetables: It's the classic idea of the artistic existence.

Sadness is a very interesting idea, this idea of sadness being some kind of default setting that artists will go into. And then I started thinking about this idea of sadness and happiness, and the idea that sadness is very loud, and happiness is quiet.

Sometimes you give birth to something or you're part of a team that gives birth to an idea, and it grows and has a whole life of its own, and you feel grateful. It's just so humbling.

The moment of drifting into thought has been so clipped by modern technology. Our lives are filled with distraction with smartphones and all the rest. People are so locked into not being present.

The muse holds no appointments. You can never call on it. I don't understand people who get up at 9 o'clock in the morning, put on the coffee and sit down to write.

This weird thing that musicians have... it's got something to do with approval, and not feeling good enough, and therefore going out and being great somehow makes your life valid.

Well, playing a guy who writes songs and busks on Grafton Street in Dublin and falls in love with Marketa Irglova wasn't very difficult for me. There was very little acting going on.

You know, when I was a kid waiting on the bus, I remember that was when I imagined my life. I imagined everything that I was gonna be when I grew up and I imagined all of these amazing journeys and amazing people I'd meet. Of course, all of it has kind of come to fruition.

If you don't mark your successes, the day your ship comes in could be just another day at the office, and there's no poetry in that.

As a busker, one thing that does not work is self-consciousness. A busker needs to be working. A busker needs to shed all ego and get down to work. Play your songs, play them well, earn your money, and don't get in people's way.

Our imagination just needs space. It's all it needs, that moment where you just sort of stare into the distance where your brain gets to sort of somehow rise up.

A song is like a saddle: you ride it for a while, and if it's the right kind of song you can sing it for the rest of your life.

And I've always loved playing solo.

Do I create conflicts for myself? Sure I do.

I busked from the age of 13 until I was 18.

I guess in a way I just feel blessed to be able to make music.

I only ever really take out my guitar when I'm miserable, which isn't necessarily a very good time to do it.

I won't say I've closed the door on acting.

I've always felt that if I ever got cynical, I would have to stop making music because I'd just be poisoning the air.

I've realized, you know, having turned 40, that rest is just as important as work. In fact, it's equally as important.