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CONTENTS ON THE COVER Online... womansway.ie Subscribe... 01 4569872 Email... [email protected] Facebook... facebook.com/womansway TikTok... @womansway1 Instagram... Womans_way MUM OF THE YEAR AWARDS WIN WIN WIN HOME & GARDEN FOOD & DRINK FASHION & BEAUTY Cover image Jill O'Meara Photography 54 Air Fryer Revolution: Easy cheffy dishes. 58 Palestinian Cuisine: Mediterranean meets Arabic. 46 Get Organised: Decluttering tips. 48 Colour Combos: From blue and white to greens. 62 5 Easy Terrarium Plants: Miniature gardens. 64 Get Cleaning: Freshen up your outdoors. 66 Summer Calendar: Gardening tasks. 16 Unsung Hero: Meet fi nalist Gráinne Uí Chaomhánaigh, fundraiser for St Francis Hospice. 12 Museum of Literature Ireland: 10 family memberships. 22 Remington: 12 Cordless Lady Shavers. 28 Tenderstem: Two €250 supermarket vouchers. 70 Incredible Socks: A year’s supply of socks for you and your dad. 4 Mary Byrne: The singer talks love, sex, life and her new stage show. 14 Healthier Times: Sex in society. 20 Love After Loss: Grief and sex. Mary Byrne Page 4 23 Beauty Faves: What the WW crew use on repeat. 24 Vitamin E: Why it’s trending. 26 Finding Beauty: Makeup without sight. 29 Self-Care Tips: Because a little indulgence goes a long way. 30 Modern Florals: Modern fl owery prints. 24 Vitamin E: trending. 26 Finding Beauty: Tips: little indulgence goes a long way. 30 Modern Florals: HAPPY HEALTHY SEX SPECIAL ISSUE Get Organised Page 46 Palestinian Cuisine Page 58 Remington competition Page 22 Finding Beauty Page 26 24 Vitamin Why it’s 26 Finding without sight. 29 Self-Care Because a little indulgence goes a long way. 30 Modern Modern fl owery prints.
Contact us: Subscriptions, email [email protected]; telephone hotline, 01 465 9872. Woman’s Way queries, email [email protected]; website womansway.ie. Published by Harmonia Limited, printed by Boylan Print Group, distributed by Newspread. Woman’s Way is now a fortnightly magazine. Subscription rates for the Island of Ireland are: Annual €91.00,; Six Months: €45.50; Monthly Payments: €7.58. Woman’s Way Subscriptions Dept, Units 2&3 M50 Business Park, Ballymount Avenue, D12 HP11. © 2024 Harmonia Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the publishers. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in advertisements, articles, photographs or illustrations. All information is correct at time of going to press. SUBSCRIBE TO WOMAN’S WAY & DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE To subscribe online log on to womansway.ie or call the Subscription Hotline on 01 465 9872 FEATURES TRAVEL REGULARS THE WW TEAM HEALTH & WELLBEING Carifi a xx 38 Putting on the Glitz at Cannes: Norah Casey uncovers the beauty of the French city made famous through fi lm. 44 Magical Majorca: The joys of a group travel tour. 18 Family Business: Rosy Temple of Magee 1866. 32 Music Man: U.M.A.N AKA Brian Flanagan's new album. 84 Mobile Safety: Protecting yourself from scams. 86 Slow Fashion Passion: Saying no to fast fashion. 88 Less than Perfect: Rio Ferdinand’s parenting tips. 74 Happy Holidays: Tips for couples travelling together. 76 Gone Fishing: Harry Clark opens up about mental health. 78 Cutting Diabetes Risk: Prevention among young people. 80 Holidays with Allergies: How to travel safely. 82 Living with BPD: Joe Tracini on Borderline Personality Disorder. 9 We Love: The WW team shares what they’re loving - and what they’re not. 34 Entertainment: Check out our top picks. 50 You Said It: Readers' letters and pictures. 52 Timeout: Take a break, try our quiz and Prize Crossword. 68 Knitting: Lace cable top. 71 Horoscopes: What’s in the stars for you? 73 Ask Fiona: Our columnist answers reader dilemmas. 91 Lend a Hand: Ways to give back. 92 Quick Fire: Author Claire Coughlan. 93 Hacks: Spider control. 94 Why Is This a Thing: Disappearing tradespeople. Welcome to our Happy Healthy Sex issue. I’d like to believe that there is widespread acceptance that women’s sexuality is every bit as important to them as their male counterparts. And that stays true even as we get older. Our feelings about sex, what we want, what we don’t want, may change as the years go by. But it is still important to us. I think women in mid-life and beyond are often badly let down, specifi cally by the healthcare system. From physical damage during childbirth left untreated to often debilitating menopausal symptoms, the Irish health system has traditionally taken the view that women should shut up and put up with whatever comes their way in terms of reproductive health and sexual comfort. I once wrote a piece about the plentiful resources and range of supports available to men experiencing erectile dysfunction following prostate cancer treatment. However, women like me, who have had breast cancer and are put on hormone-blocking drugs, are given absolutely no information about the repercussions for their sexual health and wellbeing. It beggars belief that no one has seen fi t to produce so much as a leafl et providing basic information, never mind support for and adequate resourcing of treatment options. I’m aware, at least anecdotally, that there are many women in different situations suffering in silence. I think it’s high time we made our voices heard. Irish women are as entitled to a full and active sex life as Irish men. Le grá, Publisher: Norah Casey Editor: Carissa Casey Deputy Editor: Andrea Smith Contributing Editor: Astrid Madsen Contributors: Áine O'Connor, Chrissie Russell, Domhnall O'Donoghue Art Director: Karl O’Toole Designers: Áine Duffy and Susan Conley Subscriptions: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Woman’s Way, June 17, 2024 Vol.62 Issue 12 Putting on the Glitz at Cannes Page 38 Knitting Page 68 Cutting Diabetes Risk Page 78
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IN PERSON WOMANSWAY.IE 5 Mary continues overleaf >> Mary says that her dad was a very hardworking man who worked as a scaffolder on building sites. He idolised her mother and Mary realises now that she was always looking for some of his qualities in the men that she dated. “He was my hero,” she admits. “I don't think anyone would ever have my heart the way my dad did. He was so good and he cycled to work six days per week in the hail, rain and snow.” Mary’s mum was diagnosed with dementia and died aged 69, while her dad lived to be 84. "My mam smoked a lot and her lung collapsed and when she came out of hospital, she was talking gibberish and didn't know who half of us were," she says. "She was diagnosed with dementia and died after two years." When she was 27, Mary had her daughter Deborah (37), who is the great love of her life. She raised her as a single mum after the relationship with Deborah’s dad didn’t work out. “My mother was there to help me through it,” she says. “There was still a lot of stigma about having a baby outside marriage in Ireland, so I did feel a bit guilty about it.” Mary’s mother reassured her that she could live at home and told her just to tune all the rest out and just concentrate on her baby. She remains very grateful for her parents’ support. “Becoming a mammy was a bizarre form of therapy for me,” she admits. “People come up to me afterwards and they're saying, ‘Look, I did this’ or ‘Your parents would be very proud of you,’ and that kind of gives you another look at your life again. It’s great to meet people who are like you and know you're not on your own. We obviously all have that same emotion - that same longing for something." CHILDHOOD Mary was the youngest of fi ve children, and she grew up in a “party house” in Ballyfermot. “It was a happy home though and we had a great childhood and lots of fun," she says. "One thing I didn't realise then is that my mam, Elizabeth, was a very lonely woman inside - she had her own little demons too.” Mary’s grandparents were from a rural background and moved to Dublin to raise their seven children. Sadly her grandmother went into hospital to have her gallbladder removed and died on the table, leaving her grandfather to raise the children. “He had a hard life and he was searching for that love too,” she concludes. “My mam came from a working class background where there was a lot of alcohol in the home and she was a lonely young girl. We just saw the happy side to my mam growing up, and when I look back now, I realise that she must have been hurting a lot and I never knew.” When Woman’s Way talks to singer Mary Byrne, she’s still on a high from the initial run of her stage show, Mary Byrne – Check Me Out, and is looking forward to touring it around the country this summer. The deeply moving and honest portrayal of Mary's life takes the audience on a journey from her humble beginnings working on the checkout counter in Tesco to her unforgettable rise to fame on The X Factor, where she came fi fth in 2010. Mary’s story was put together for the stage by Rob Murphy and she couldn't believe how deeply it has resonated with audiences. The performance includes some of the classic songs associated with Mary's career to date, such as This Is My Life, This Is A Man’s World and Always On My Mind. “There were people laughing with me and crying with me,” says Mary (64). “I played to full houses and got three standing ovations every night in the Civic Theatre. I couldn't believe it.” Mary says that while it can be hard talking about very personal subjects on stage, such as her experience of depression and losing her virginity, she fi nds it very therapeutic as well. “I never realised that I still have guilt about running away from home when I was 17 and stuff like that, and to be able to get it out is a Singer Mary Byrne talks love, sex, life and her new stage show with Andrea Smith. Hail
6 WOMANSWAY.IE feeling at fi rst because I never saw myself as a mother,” she admits. “Then this little baby was put into my arms in the hospital and now I had this responsibility. My mam was always there to help and I remember her walking the fl oor with Deborah when she had colic. Deborah is the most super thing in my life and she has my back 24/7. She cooks for me and cleans for me and I am so lucky that I have such a good kid. She’s my best friend.” It was hard at times being a single parent, and, at one point, Mary had four jobs including cleaning jobs and doing a bit of singing with her brother to help make ends meet. “It was hard but would I change it? No!” she says. “Deborah would sometimes come home and give me a hug and say, ‘I love you Mammy - and Daddy.’ She is very different to me - she’s a real homebird. She’s shy but she's a very funny young one. She loves music and she runs a lot - she does a lot of 10ks and keeps herself fi t and she doesn't eat meat any more.” When we last spoke, Mary had become romantically involved with a man from Cork that she met during Covid, but alas the distance proved too much for them. “We’re still friends but he’s living away in Spain at the moment and had the hip and knee done,” she explains. “We still talk but it’s not romantic. There is too much going on in my life to have a man right now, to be honest.” VIRGINITY Mary has always been very open about sex and she tells her personal story in her show. This includes explaining how she lost her virginity in an old graveyard when she was 18 and was dating a nice guy who was six years older. They waited a year before they had sex. “I was scared and unsure of what I was doing and it was a surreal sensation for me, mentally and physically,” she recalls. “It was quite painful, and although I enjoyed the kissing and cuddling afterwards, I didn’t feel anything during the act itself. We stayed together for four years, and I’m glad to say that the sex got better after that.” Mary feels that being open about the ups and downs of her life is a healthy thing and she has always worn her heart on her sleeve. “I'm not embarrassed to talk about sex or anything else,” she says. “I speak openly about my mental health because it needs to be talked about. I’m on antidepressants and I have good people to talk to and I’m trying CBD oil at the moment from focusbyrhonax.com. I’m only on it three weeks but it’s already making a big difference to my way of thinking. I’m very busy so I have to keep my mental health strong. I get down days, of course, but I talk to the walls then as that's what I was told to do.” When it comes to further talking, Mary is a big believer in both prayer and talking to mental health professionals. “People have asked if I believe there is a God up there, and while I don't know, I pray to one and talk my problems out with them and it seems to work for me,” she says. “I also believe there's some fabulous counsellors out there that you can go to if you need to talk as I don't think you should sit back and allow yourself to rot the way I was doing in the past. Get out there and get help if you need it.” Mary says that while menopause can be hard and challenging, it can also be a great time in a woman’s life. “You’re about to go into a new chapter,” she says. She feels that women today are more fortunate than those of previous generations, because there is a greater knowledge of the impacts of menopause and better medical care and advice is available. “Women never talked about menopause before and when I started talking about it, my mother looked at me like I had ten heads,” she recalls. She has friends who reported losing their interest in sex during menopause, which made them feel guilty because their partners were still keen. She is grateful that she didn't lose her libido and her advice to women in that position is to seek help from the GP. “Women doctors, in particular, will know what’s happening and there are lots of things that can help,” she says. The biggest challenge in Mary’s life at the moment is her knees, and while she had one replaced, she is waiting to have the second one done. This causes her diffi culty as she has to be physical on stage white trying to get used to one new knee and dealing with pain in the other. “The other challenge is keeping myself young in my head because I’m 64 now and I don't want to let the old woman in,” she jokes. The highlights of her life are her trips to Tenerife with good friends, or spending evenings with Deborah, watching a good movie with popcorn. “That's what we do every weekend,” she says. “I don't go to pubs at home and don’t drink a lot in the house and Deborah makes sure I have healthy dinners every day. My porridge is left there with bananas and blueberries every day, so I stick to that and try to eat healthily. There is the odd time when I go, ‘Ah here, I’m going to the shop for a bar of chocolate and packet of Tayto’, but most of the time I try not to overeat at home. I try to get out to do a bit of walking and I'm going back to swimming as well, which I think is a huge help.” Putting together the show has helped Mary to take an objective look at herself as a person. The rest of us know her as a funny, entertaining and warm person with a fabulous voice, but when asked how she would describe herself, she sums herself up in her characteristically open manner. “Well, fi rst and foremost, I know I have my weaknesses and faults, but I also know that I'm a very strong girl,” she says. “I'm very proud of that woman and proud of what I've done and what I've come through. I think I'm okay. I'm a good person and I've had great people behind me and a beautiful family. So I would say that Mary Byrne is a good person and you would like her if you got to know her.” WW Catch Mary Byrne – Check Me Out on dates from June to August at Cavan Town Hall, Siamsa Tire, Tralee; GB Shaw Theatre, Carlow; Wexford Opera House; Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny; UCH Limerick; Everyman, Cork; Backstage Theatre, Longford; The Lark, Balbriggan; Dunamaise Theatre, Portlaoise; Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray; Moat Theatre, Naas and 3Olympia, Dublin.
IN PERSON WOMANSWAY.IE 7 “I don't go to pubs and don’t drink a lot in the house and Deborah makes sure I have healthy dinners every day”
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WOMANSWAY.IE 9 Carifi a Loves... Clonakilty Vibes West Cork is a food lover’s paradise and if you’re in the area on Saturday, June 15, be sure to take a trip into Clonakilty for the Irish Yoghurts Street Carnival. This is a food festival at its best with seating for up to 600 people and gourmet delights from producers and chefs alike. Celebrity chef Kevin Dundon will kick off proceedings, which will also include live music and street entertainers. Country Life So now I’m a fully fl edged culchie (have been half one since birth), I’ve discovered all sorts of lovely aspects of not living in the sprawling mass of Dublin and its immediate environs. Traffi c is generally light, drivers are so much more pleasant (none of the don’tyou-dare-cut-in-front-of me narkiness) and parking is rarely an issue. Then there’s the food produce. It’s Wexford so yup, I’ve been living off strawberries and potatoes. We’ve also discovered a crackin’ butcher not too far from us; Christy Byrne’s in Camolin. If you’re passing nearby, it’s worth visiting and stocking up the freezer. Take me to Church I doubt I’ll ever quite give up on Dublin. It’s where I grew up and even if the town I remember from the 1980s is now a barely recognisable European metropolis, it’s still a great place to visit. I recently went along to the summer launch on the outdoor terrace at The Church, on the corner of Mary St and Jervis St. It’s a fabulous venue with a great range of cocktails. Birds of a Feather I’ve always wanted to live surrounded by bird song and now I’ve gotten my dream. Turns out, there’s a few downsides I hadn’t expected. There are copious amounts of bird droppings, some of which land on my lovely line-drying laundry and brand new garden furniture. We’ve moved the feeders and that’s helped a bit. Then there’s the pair of blue tits who are currently nesting in the fl ue for our oil boiler, meaning we can’t turn the heating on. The chicks haven’t hatched yet, or at least we haven’t heard them. The human residents have survived the chilly evenings thanks to a radiator, and our family of guests will be gone by the end of June when we can get the boiler serviced properly. WW
10 WOMANSWAY.IE Pickleball Nope, it’s got nothing to do with gherkins. In fact there’s no food in sight. It’s a new(ish) sport that’s fast growing in popularity, especially among retirees. A cross between tennis and ping pong, pickleball is especially well suited to someone like me who is allergic to gyms. Hopefully this new good habit sticks. Astrid Loves... Soul sister Now that I’m in my mid-40s, my skin is starting to show its age. Not in a wiser and older kind of way. I’m sporting more of a dull and tired look. Enter Irish brand Seoulista Beauty and its Instant Wonder range that includes a cleanser, night and day moisturiser, plus undereye cream. There’s a metallic pad (Cryo Cool Skin Tool) aimed at awakening your skin cells, and boy does it jolt me into action. Very refreshing. After about a week, my phone’s Face ID stopped working – it could have been a coincidence but regardless, I’m really enjoying the self-care and brighter skin. Highly recommend. Family-run I recently bought oversized footballs for my son’s birthday party and got this lovely card from the Irish supplier. It’s not always easy to fi nd what you want from independent online retailers, and I’m always conscious of scams. But I think it’s worth the effort to shop as local as I can, even when I do it online. WW Kaleidoscope If you want to introduce your children or grand-children to the festival experience in a safe environment, check out Kaleidoscope. There will be loads of activities for the kids, from baby raves to laughter yoga, and plenty of music from the likes of the The Kooks, Lyra and The Waterboys. It’s on Friday June 28 to Sunday June 30 at Russborough House in Blessington, Co Wicklow, visit kaleidoscopefestival.ie.
WOMANSWAY.IE 11 Lovely Lanzarote I’m just back from a week in Costa Teguise in Lanzarote with my besties, Betty and Mary. We’ve been friends since we were at school and although we’re in touch very regularly, it was great to spend a week properly catching up. We stayed at TUI’s El Trébol all-inclusive resort, and we all agreed that the food and drink at this place was outstanding and really varied so we never got bored. We had a great time and it was lovely to hang out with the gals for the week. Rush to the RHA The 194th RHA Annual Exhibition has opened and I’m really looking forward to seeing it as it’s always spectacular. It has over 500 works this year, many of which are for sale and it runs until August 4. I’m dying to see my talented friend Andrea Kavanagh’s beautiful hanging sculpture, Luminous Seeds, in particular. Back in 2022, her sculpture, Inner Sphere, won The ESB Moran Award for Outstanding Sculpture at the exhibition. AndreaLoves... Mary and Betty in Lanzarote Ceol Aoine with Vladimir Jablokov Curvy chic As a bigger gal, I’m always delighted to see a brand that is more inclusive in its sizing. Irish brand Ora runs from size 14-24 and I love its designs, which include some really funky pieces. I love wearing dresses and think this one with its brush stroke print, pockets and drawstring tie hem is fab (€189.95, fi ftyseven.ie). WW Violin Virtuoso I went to see violinist Vladimir Jablokov’s The Four Seasons - Explained concert at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre recently with some of my choir, Ceol Aoine. He performed with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and it was such an uplifting show. It made us really excited for Vladimir’s Viennese Concert at the 3Arena on December 15, as ourselves and Kerry Concert Choir are going to form the 100-strong choir. Katherine Jenkins is the special guest and we can’t believe we get to share the stage with her.
COMPETITION 12 WOMANSWAY.IE 10 lucky readers will each win a Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) family membership worth €60. Nestled in the heart of Dublin city centre, on the iconic St Stephen’s Green, MoLI offers an enriching experience for visitors of all ages. From interactive exhibitions to historic buildings and serene gardens, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Families can even indulge in a delightful picnic box from the Commons Café before venturing through the secret gate into the tranquil Iveagh Gardens, where endless adventures await. The annual family membership includes unlimited free entry for two adults and up to four children year-round, a 10 per cent discount at the Commons Café and MoLI shop, Director’s Online Book Club, access to the Members Reading Room/Dedalus Library, exclusive members’ museum tours and events, 50 per cent off guided tours and see it fi rst with behind-the-scenes exhibition previews. Book your tickets now at moli.ie. Win a MoLI Membership To enter, please answer the following: MOLI IS NESTLED IN THE HEART OF WHICH CITY CENTRE? A. DUBLIN B. GALWAY C. LIMERICK HOW TO ENTER Email your answer by June 17 to: [email protected] including your name, address and telephone number and labelling your mail ‘The MoLI Competition’ This Woman's Way competition is open to anyone resident in NI and the Republic of Ireland, aged 18 and over, except employees and their families of Harmonia Publishing, its printers and anyone else connected with the competition. No purchase is necessary. We will only accept one competition entry per reader. Prizes are awarded by drawing entries after the closing date. Winners will be notifi ed by email. The editor’s decision is fi nal. This Woman's Way competition is open to anyone resident in NI and the Republic of Ireland, aged 18 and over, except employees and their families of Harmonia Publishing, its printers and anyone else connected with the competition. drawing entries after the closing date. Winners will be
WOMANSWAY.IE 13 Befi er than nothing I have fi nally cracked the no makeup look. Admittedly with a new makeup I discovered… But this is no ordinary (nude) foundation. I have long been a fan of the Chanel Les Beiges range and was browsing through Sephora when I discovered this magical newcomer, Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint (€65). It’s the brand’s fi rst water-based tint and it is like wearing nothing on your skin but somehow better. The trick is to use very little and brush it on lightly, choose as close to your own shade as possible and marvel at that healthy glow. I am wearing nothing else at the moment (well, clothes too obviously!). Green Bee Did I mention I like green? So of course I fell for this little crafty bee with a hint of sparkle. Sometimes, unbelievably, I wear white and recently have sported the odd black number. So my little trusty rhinestone bee brings me a little green comfort and everyone notices it! If you want a little buzz around your outfi t then it’s the Essentiel Antwerp Flamon Rhinestone Bee Brooch (€85), try kimono.ie. Norah Loves... Blue Blue I am shifting a little towards summery blue but don’t want to commit too much in case it’s just a phase. I spotted these bargain striped cotton espadrilles (just €15.99) for sauntering around the pool (in my dreams). They’re made of cotton, really comfy and from H&M. Crystal Drops Whenever I venture towards a new colour to wear, the accessories I always add into the mix are statement earrings. They do more than anything to bring together an outfi t. So in honour of my new phase I spotted these fab Baby Blue Double Drop Earrings (€75) from Irish brand crystalsandco.com. And the Swarovski crystals add a little shimmer (on trend), but most important of all, the earrings are super light and don’t challenge my ear lobes. WW
14 WOMANSWAY.IE Healthier TIMES Áine O’ Connor on how sex has been used to control society - and women in particular - for millenia.
SEX SPECIAL WOMANSWAY.IE 15 T here’s a socio-political theory that if you control sex, you control people. The basic principle is straightforward; where there are a lot of rules and the punishment for breaking them is harsh, people spend their lives living on edge, too scared to kick up, even when those lives are miserable. One of the quickest ways to do that is through sex. Warp people’s attitude to one of their most basic instincts and Bob’s your angry, frustrated, scared into submission uncle. And one of the quickest ways to control sex is to control women. Since Adam bit that bloody apple, women have been getting the blame for men succumbing to temptation. Basically, unless I’m really misreading the snake metaphor, women are to blame for men obeying their own desires. The message was ‘Don’t be Eve’ and we were duly appointed sexual gatekeepers. From Greek and Roman goddesses onwards, the gold standard for women was virgin motherhood. With a standard no mortal woman could attain, we were set up to fail and plain old virginity would have to do. Failing that, more failing; we had to remain virgins until marriage when we had to submit, bravely but not enthusiastically, to a man’s desire. In short, a man’s job was to pester, a woman’s was to say no. From which grew the dangerous belief that no didn’t necessarily mean no. MONITORING WOMEN In 1988 there was a movie called The Accused. Jodie Foster played a woman who was gangraped in a bar. She was drunk and had been fl irting. Viewers were surveyed outside an Irish cinema - the overwhelming majority thought she deserved it. The overwhelming majority saw a woman screaming no, crying, begging, being hurt and humiliated and they thought she deserved that. This was what we had been taught. Religion did not have a monopoly on sexual control. All repressive regimes use it, even offi cially religion-free ideologies like communism. In Romania, in 1966, Nicolae Ceausescu’s government passed Decree 770. Their aim was to increase the population by a third, so contraception and abortion (which was their main contraception) were made illegal, except in cases of rape and incest, for women over 45 or those who had borne more than fi ve children. Women were monitored monthly by a gynaecologist, pregnancies were monitored until birth, the secret police patrolled hospitals and the only sex education was about how heroic it was to give your country lots of children. Within years, Romania had the highest rate of death in pregnancy in Europe and death in childbirth was 10 times the normal rate. The population did boom, but neither the parents nor Romania could afford those children. Never mind schooling them, there wasn’t enough food or healthcare, so many children were malnourished and some became physically and intellectually disabled. Thousands upon thousands of children were abandoned in those infamous Romanian orphanages and the vast majority were not orphans at all, but the forced births of families who could not cope. Another result was that the only way to avoid pregnancy was to avoid sex. Again, women had to repress their own desires and police men’s. If they could. Sexual assault was commonplace, prepubescent girls were not even safe on public transport, but it was not discussed or punished. Sexual violence against women was an accepted side-effect of the state-sponsored warping of sexuality. But who needs secret police when people will turn on each other? In a repressed society, some will report rule-breakers, partially to curry favour with the powers that be, and, partially out of anger at anyone who dares to break the rules that they themselves feel so compelled to live by. And who needs gulags or secret police when a society will collude through opprobrium and exclusion? There is nothing more unnatural than parents turning on their children, yet in Ireland it was commonplace to banish daughters and sons for what were considered sexual misdemeanours like pregnancy outside marriage or “I was 10 when a random man exposed his penis and asked me to touch it, 11 when a man dropped his towel in front of me” homosexuality. We also locked children up. We kidnapped, enslaved and stole the babies of young, vulnerable women. Control sex and you control people. Control women and you control sex. Right up to the 1970s, a priest could ask a woman in confession why she hadn’t been pregnant for what he deemed too long. He could refuse her absolution if she confessed to having actively tried to avoid pregnancy even if she was too poor or too ill to have another baby. He could castigate her for refusing her husband’s advances because if single women had no right to have sex, married ones had no right to refuse it. Marital rape only became a crime in Ireland in 1990. FLASHERS AND PERVERTS I was 10 when a random man exposed his penis and asked me to touch it, 11 when a man dropped his towel in front of me and maybe 12 when another man started masturbating beside me on the bus on a Sunday morning. This was suburban Dublin in the 1970s and '80s, fl ashers and perverts were rife but it wasn't really talked about so I assumed I was alone, and possibly at fault. I was, and very much looked like, a child. Men were told they couldn’t help themselves, we were told they couldn’t help themselves, so it was our job, even as children, to fi ght them off. It does such a disservice to all of us. The vast majority of men are neither pervert nor rapist. The vast majority of women enjoy sex. When women can admit that, and men know it, there is no place for pestering and no absolutely means no. In the last 50 years we have made such remarkable strides away from the milleniaold trap of fetishising female virginity. There will always be people who believe that a woman’s intrinsic value is related to sex. Cultural and religious differences play a big part in that. But I genuinely believe that today, if a cinema audience was interviewed after seeing The Accused, only incels would say she deserved it. Attitudes have changed. Consent is enshrined in law, if not always in life. Women are allowed to be sexual without being worthless. Male sexuality is viewed with more nuance and they can be victims too. Our view of gender and sexuality is more fl uid. Children know that sexual predators are to blame, not them. All of this is important because taking back control of sex, is taking back control of life. WW
16 WOMANSWAY.IE The mum-of-three’s own experience with hospice care came in 2002, when her dad sadly passed away from cancer. Following diagnosis he was left with just four weeks to live, the fi nal of which was spent in Limerick’s Milford Hospice. “He loved it,” smiles Gráinne. “And we loved that he loved it. He was cared for, his pain managed, he was looked after and everyone was so lovely to us. It’s an incredible thing to be describing the worst experience of your life and being able to describe it using the word ‘lovely’ a lot.” Gráinne was living in Dublin and working as príomhoide (principal) of Scoil Oilibhéir, the Gaelschoil in Coolmine. “The only thing I could do to support the hospice in Limerick was buy their Christmas cards,” she explains. But when a need was identifi ed for a hospice in the northwest of Dublin, Gráinne was quick to join a dynamic group of like-minded people, set on making it happen. At school concerts and performances, the buckets would be at the door to collect for the hospice. “There was a lot of blind faith there,” says Gráinne. “I kept fundraising for something that didn’t exist and wasn’t going to exist for the longest number of years.” Until, in April 2011, it did. “Then we had the building and no funding for nurses,” laughs Gráinne. The remark is very typical of her attitude - there’s no time to sit back and rest on your laurels, there’s always something else that needs done. “I like to be busy, but more importantly, I like to be useful,” she says smiling. “I haven’t learned the word ‘no’ yet, but then lots of the things I’ve said ‘yes’ to, like the hospice, are not only important and valuable, but fulfi lling too, it gives back and grounds you, and there’s a great sense of satisfaction,” she pauses, “not that you’ve a great amount of time to be thinking about that and patting yourself on the back, I’d rather be getting on to the next job than ruminating on that.” SUNFLOWER DAY The next job, is the annual Together For Hospice Sunfl ower Day, hosted across Ireland on June 7 and 8. It’s an initiative Gráinne describes as “one that ties in with my skillset” (which is about as close as she gets to self-praise) and sees her coordinate a host of volunteers in various time slots raising money across the two days. Since getting involved with the event and other fundraisers in 2016, Gráinne, through her team infl uence and coordination, has raised more than €90,000 for St Francis Hospice and received an award for Hospice Volunteer of the Year in 2018. Manning the merchandise table in her traditional spot in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, she’s frequently faced with people’s own stories of grief, and the vital role the hospice has played in those dark times. “All of them talk about the blanket of love that they feel they and their loved one were wrapped in,” reveals Gráinne. Often there are tears. “Sometimes volunteers worry ‘what if someone starts crying?’ and I say, just let them talk and listen and say whatever your heart tells you to say. You won’t get it wrong, because you’re listening.” She considers these confi dences a humbling experience and huge responsibility. And, in all the years, even with the current cost of living crisis, Our second Mum of the Year nominee is a volunteer fundraiser for St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown. Gráinne Uí Chaomhánaigh scoffs at the word ‘inspirational’ being used to describe her, and she’s having absolutely none of it when people try to call her an ‘angel’, which they often do when they see her and her fellow volunteers out and about raising money for their local hospice in Dublin. “They tell us we’re wonderful and they tell us we’re angels and we say ‘No, we’re only here selling stuff to make money to support the angels’,” says Gráinne emphatically. “The real angels are in the hospice doing the work.” But it’s also a fact that without people like Gráinne dedicating themselves to fundraising, there would have been no St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown to begin with. Unsung Hero
MUM OF THE YEAR FINALIST WOMANSWAY.IE 17 • If you’d like to nominate someone for Woman’s Way and Beko Mum of the Year Awards please email us on [email protected] and tell us why. Please include photographs and any supporting material. Gráinne's dad in Woman's Way she’s been unfailingly bowled over by the generosity of the Irish people. “Once we put on the blue bib and people see the yellow sunfl ower, it might be two euro, it might be a tenner, it might be €50, but people will give what they have.” Money raised locally for hospices stays in that local area. “That’s important to people,” explains Gráinne. “They want to say thanks where they got the help and, of course, we’re all future-proofi ng ourselves as well. We don’t know the day or hour when we might need the services ourselves.” Gráinne laughs describing how one friend’s nickname for her is ‘Relentless’. It certainly seems like there are more hours in her day than the average person, with her time also taken up with other community groups; the music society, dancing, hosting a show on the local radio, Phoenix FM, and also being a hands-on granny to her three grandsons, Cillian (8), Senan (6) and Finn (soon to turn four). “They’re the joy of my life,” smiles Gráinne or ‘Mamó’ as she is to them. When she retired from the school where she’d spent her career, becoming principal at just 25, Gráinne felt a little anxious about the future. “I was kind of excited about it but also fearful of this big chasm of nothingness.” But the success with which she’s fi lled that ‘nothingness’ is something she’d love to see inspire other people to try volunteering. “Sure we’re put on this earth of be helpful to each other,” she says simply. “There’s a word in Irish - meitheal - you’re on the team, looking out for each other, minding each other. We’re not islands.” It’s an ethos she hopes to pass on to her own family and one that was honed in her by her own parents and grandparents. “We’re all future-proofing ourselves as well. We don’t know the day or hour when we might need the services ourselves” When her mum passed away in the early '90s, Gráinne says they found 14 cheque books in her mum’s belongings, all relating to various organisations that she was treasurer or secretary for. Interestingly, her dad also appeared in this very magazine, rebuilding a grotto in memory of Gráinne’s mum. “Community is important to me and it was important to my mam,” says Gráinne. “That’s what drives me.” She gives another of her mischievous self-deprecating chuckles, steadfastly refusing to sound like she’s doing anything special. “Well, that and my hatred of housework!” she adds, laughing. WW Donate via sunfl owerdays.ie Receiving an award from Mary Kennedy By Chrissie Russell
18 WOMANSWAY.IE FINDING YOUR PASSION We chat to inspiring women from all walks of life. Chrissie Russell chats to Rosy Temple of Magee 1866. When a family business has been on the go for over 150 years, it would be easy to assume that the next generation will automatically jump on board. But that wasn’t the case for Rosy Temple. From studying art history in the UK and working in one of London’s top auction houses, to solo cycling in South America and working on an organic merino wool sheep farm in Patagonia, Rosy took a uniquely circuitous route on her way to her current role as CEO of Magee Clothing and Retail, the fi fth generation in her family to work for the award-winning Donegal luxury slow fashion brand. Not that she has any regrets about forging her own path, or that it eventually led her home. “There’s no right or wrong way,” says Rosy. “Some people go directly into a family business after leaving school and are fully immersed from the start. For me, I think working in London for a couple of years at Christie’s and a couple of other companies, really gave me a breadth of experience, as well as the time and distance to then realise what was going on at home, what an exciting brand there was. I realised, in my late 20s, that I really did want to get involved and bring some of those experiences back, but it was a positive thing for me to go elsewhere fi rst.” Having the belief in herself to do so came from the fact that she never felt any weighty sense of expectation in career path. “Dad (Lynn Temple) was always very open, there was never any pressure to join the family business,” Rosy reveals. Indeed Family Business Lynn Temple, Chairman of Magee 1866 Rosy Temple, CEO of Magee Clothing and Retail
WOMANSWAY.IE 19 LIFE INSPO all the siblings, sister Charlotte is design director and brother Patrick is CEO of Magee Weaving, went off and did their own thing before feeling the pull of the family fi rm. It’s perhaps why the company has managed such an impressive feat, remaining in business for fi ve generations, when most fashion brands would consider themselves fortunate to last for three. Not only that, but under the stewardship of Rosy and her siblings, the brand – one of the oldest in Ireland – has been going from strength to strength, with reports last year revealing that pretax profi ts at Magee 1866 had more than doubled in 2022. As CEO of Magee Clothing, responsible for the development and direction of retail, Rosy has been integral to navigating the challenging balancing act between driving the brand forward while retaining its sense of history. “We’ve got this really wonderful heritage, that sense of place, being rooted in Donegal, the weaving and the skill, and it’s about making sure that’s always at our core but bringing that heritage into the future,” she explains. She’s passionate about sustainability, with Magee only working with quality products, fabrics that are biodegradable and made only from natural fi bres, an ethos that not only benefi ts the planet but also resonates with today’s consumers. “There’s more of an awareness around ‘Who is this brand? What is its provenance? Where has this piece of clothing come from and what is it made from?’” explains Rosy. “We would see that a bit more in the slightly younger age profi les, but it’s starting to stretch across all age groups. There’s a shift towards a greater understanding and responsibility for how we buy, making sure it’s made to last and I think Magee 1866 fi ts in well with that desire.” A rake of high-profi le celebrity customers has also helped boost the brand’s profi le. While fi lming Land of Saints and Sinners, Liam Neeson was a customer in the Donegal store and, when An Irish Goodbye won its 2023 Oscar for Best Live Action Short, its star, Seamus O’Hara, was wearing a three-piece Glencheck Donegal Tweed suit from Magee when he stepped on stage to accept the award. Just last year a Magee 1866 €575 pink tweed jacket sold out after it was spotted on Sarah Jessica Parker, who bought it on a shopping trip while holidaying in Donegal. “It’s exciting when you get a global star walking into the shop,” laughs Rosy (who unfortunately wasn’t in store when SJP made her appearance, but instantly heard about it via phone call from her excited retail team). “It helps with brand awareness, bringing the brand alive and, yes, it does help with sales.” Is there anyone she’d love to see wearing Magee 1866 in future? “We wouldn’t say no to Cillian Murphy,” Rosy admits. But alongside the star power, there’s a timelessness to the collections. “My dad still has some great pieces from the '70s he can walk out the door in,” Rosy says. While many would baulk at the idea of working alongside their siblings, Rosy feels the dynamic works. “We’re all quite different characters but we’re always very open and honest with each other and there’s a great sense of trust.” She does take a fi rm line on out-of-offi ce work-chat. “For me it’s never productive to talk about the business outside the offi ce – I’m very strict on that,” she explains. “It may feel good at the time but never leads to anything sensible.” ‘Be fair, be open-minded and be driven’ is the best career advice the business woman has ever been given, and a career high has been seeing the brand develop over the last couple of years and “seeing us move from being very focused on the men’s collection to seeing the strength of the women’s collection coming though.” A career low: covid, although even in those testing times of prolonged retail closure, Rosy never felt it would be the end of Magee 1866, and indeed it brought about the opportunity to expand the online markets in Ireland, the UK and US. “I think there is always a place for bricks and mortar, but it’s exciting to consider the website really is a window to the world and there is great opportunity there,” she says looking to the future. The desire to join the family business may have been part of what lured Rosy home, but it was also the call of Donegal itself. A keen cyclist, runner and seaswimmer, she loves nothing more than switching off from work mode to take a dip in the Atlantic or hit the trails of the Bluestack mountains. “I love being back in Donegal,” says Rosy. “It’s a privilege to work in a family business that’s rooted to the county and the community.” WW Visit magee1866.com “We’ve got this really wonderful heritage, that sense of place, being rooted in Donegal, the weaving and the skill, and it’s about making sure that’s always at our core but bringing that heritage into the future”
20 WOMANSWAY.IE several experts have revealed that publicly discussing the painful convergence of sex and trauma, even with their friends or doctors, remains taboo. DEEPER CONNECTIONS Simply put, grief impacts sex and vice versa. Because they are both physical, emotional and cognitive experiences, when merged, things become complicated. And seeing as everybody has different circumstances, experiences are rarely linear. For some, having sex when bereaved — whether with their partners or strangers — is healing and empowering and, most LOVE AFTER LOSS Discussing the impact of grief on people’s sex lives is a complex but important conversation to have, writes Domhnall O’Donoghue. importantly, a means of achieving some semblance of control during vulnerable times. No matter how briefl y, it affords them a reprieve from the sadness and a connection to feelings of comfort, love and joy. Scientifi cally, we’re told that sex offers our brain a boost of oxytocin, something we desperately crave during dark times when everything appears heavy and hopeless. In healthy relationships, the bedroom is also a safe space where partners can be vulnerable and tender. As such, sex during periods clouded in grief can provide couples with deeper connections than ever before. When chatting to a friend recently, I mentioned working on this article about how people’s sex lives are affected by grief. She looked at me, her mouth agape as if I’d just revealed the coordinates for Cleopatra’s long-lost tomb. “Gosh, I’ve never thought about that,” she eventually replied. “People don’t really talk about it, do they?” As I researched the subject, I realised the accuracy of this statement. While the world has now become more open to acknowledging the many facets of sex,
WOMANSWAY.IE 21 SEX Domhnall O’Donoghue “If sex is off the table, alternative forms of intimacy, like holding, snuggling or back massages, can play a helpful role” WITHDRAWING FROM INTIMACY However, a large number of people in mourning can’t fathom being sexually active at all, unable or ill-prepared to detach themselves from their profound depression and surrender to the pleasures that come with sex. The primary focus for many bereaved people is simply to get through the day. This withdrawal may be brief or longlasting. “Sex is tiring and requires energy, something someone who’s emotionally exhausted from dealing with trauma may not have,” Dublin-based life coach and relationship expert Carmel Wynne tells me. This view is especially evident when the person the bereaved is mourning is their partner, and, understandably, they can’t even contemplate being with someone else, seeing it as a betrayal of their loved one’s memory. Across many websites and forums, I read stories about women who had suffered miscarriages at various stages of their pregnancies. Some suddenly began seeing their bodies as failures, leading them to disconnect from their sexual urges. “A miscarriage isn’t only the death of a loved one, but it also brings with it the shattering of one’s hopes and dreams for making a family,” Carmel adds. Ironically, this absence of sex becomes an additional loss for many. Those who have encountered grief know how isolating it can be, made even lonelier when the sexual intimacy that they are used to enjoying is no longer an outlet. GUILT One consistent theme that emerges from this vast conservation is that many people feel it’s a case of ‘dammed if I do; damned if I don’t’ because guilt emerges no matter which way they choose to pursue — or not pursue — sexual activity. Some grapple with feeling good, even momentarily, while consumed with grief. And then others feel dreadful for avoiding sex with their partners. Of course, that’s when communication becomes an essential tool: to reassure loved ones that they aren’t being ‘deprived’, as many view it. While it’s often challenging to have this conversation during grief, silence results in assumptions, many of which can be incorrect. “A man may assume that his partner has lost interest in sex because of her grief, and he could be right,” Carmel explains. “He could also be wrong, especially if she feels isolated in her grief and their problem is that she doesn’t feel understood, comforted or supported by him.” ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF INTIMACY Interestingly, many of the expert opinions I studied say that if sex is off the table, alternative forms of intimacy, like holding, snuggling or back massages, can play a helpful role in the healing process. And this might be a stepping stone to reengaging in sexual activity when the person is ready. Throughout any healing process, I feel it’s critical never to play the blame game. Of course, the bereaved will miss the connection, intimacy and touch, but it’s important they listen to their bodies and never rush anything or indeed feel pressured into doing something that makes them uncomfortable. As the cliché goes, time is a great healer — and that certainly applies to people’s sex lives during trauma as well. WW
COMPETITION 22 WOMANSWAY.IE Win a Cordless Shaver To enter, please answer the following: THE REMINGTON CORDLESS LADY SHAVER IS SHOWERPROOF. TRUE OR FALSE? HOW TO ENTER Email your answer by June 17 to: [email protected] including your name, address and telephone number and labelling your mail ‘The Remington Competition’ This Woman's Way competition is open to anyone resident in NI and the Republic of Ireland, aged 18 and over, except employees and their families of Harmonia Publishing, its printers and anyone else connected with the competition. No purchase is necessary. We will only accept one competition entry per reader. Prizes are awarded by drawing entries after the closing date. Winners will be notifi ed by email. The editor’s decision is fi nal. SHAVER IS SHOWERPROOF. Email your answer by June 17 to: [email protected] including your name, address and telephone number and labelling your mail ‘The Remington This Woman's Way competition is open to anyone resident in NI and the Republic of Ireland, aged 18 and over, except employees and their families of Harmonia Publishing, its printers and anyone else connected with the competition. No purchase is necessary. We will only accept one competition entry per reader. Prizes are awarded by drawing entries after the closing date. Winners will be notifi ed by email. The editor’s decision is fi nal. Cordless Shaver To enter, please answer the following: THE REMINGTON CORDLESS LADY SHAVER IS SHOWERPROOF. 12 lucky readers will each win a showerproof Remington Cordless Lady Shaver (€42.99), designed to revolutionise your shaving experience. This state-of-the-art device with intercept trimmer combines cuttingedge features for unparalleled comfort and performance. Featuring a double foil shaver, the Remington Cordless Lady Shaver ensures swift and comfortable shaving results, providing an effortless solution for your grooming needs. The inclusion of an aloe vera strip guarantees a smooth and silky fi nish, leaving your skin feeling soft and rejuvenated with every stroke. The Remington Cordless Lady Shaver comes complete with a bikini trimming attachment comb, catering to all your grooming preferences with precision and ease. With up to 30 minutes of cordless usage on a single charge, it caters to precise grooming needs, ensuring every detail is impeccably attended to. Available from independent Irish electrical retailers and pharmacies nationwide.
BEAUTY HotPicks In this issue, Andrea Smith shares some of the beauty bits she’s loving at the moment. WOMANSWAY.IE 23 Kash Beauty’s Duofl ex Liquid Liner €21.95 I love the look of liquid eyeliner but am so bad at applying it that I’ve given it a swerve - mine always goes on looking wobbly. I was intrigued when makeup wiz Keilidh Cashell brought out this doubleended piece of magic that has an eraser pen on one end. So when I mess up the winged eye, I can just run it over the messy bit to leave a razorsharp line. It’s available in matte black and brown. Trinny London Bounce Back Moisturiser €62 The dryness of my skin has been one of my biggest bugbears since menopause hit, but I tended to go for inexpensive moisturisers thinking they all did the same job. When Trinny London arrived at Brown Thomas, I decided to try out the intense peptide moisturiser and OMG, my skin has been transformed. It’s reduced fi ne lines and made my skin plump and fi rm and my makeup looks so much better. I love it so much that I am going to repurchase, and happily refi lls (€48) are available to reduce the cost. AyuGlo Self-Tanning Mousse €19.95 When I went away on holidays recently, my two sun-worshipping pals achieved great tans, but as I fi nd sitting out in the sun boring, I looked ghostly beside them. I brought the AyuGlo self-tanning mousse with me and it turned out great as it has a guide colour so you can't go wrong. It’s enriched with vitamin E and truffl e extract and feels lovely on the skin and it gave me a great colour that rivalled that of my bronzed goddess pals. Rosalique 3 in 1 Balm Cleanser €34.95 I recently chatted with Rosalique founder Claudia Talsma and was impressed by her commitment to helping skin that’s prone to redness. That is an issue that has affected me in recent years as I have psoriasis and already use the brand’s 3 in 1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula SPF50 (€33.95). I was so interested in the new balm cleanser, which has anti-infl ammatory and antioxidant ingredients like kernel extract and sweet almond oil and melts away eye and face makeup, it’s now part of my daily routine.WW Stila Cosmetics Blush & Bronze Hydro Cheek Stick €34 I tend to look a bit Barbara Cartland when I put powder blusher on, so I have been trying out cream blush and bronze as that is more forgiving on mature skin. This Stila stick is fab as it has a creamy-gel formula and gives me a dewy, glassy skin look and even the hint of some cheekbones. Picks
24 WOMANSWAY.IE
By Claire Spreadbury, PA WOMANSWAY.IE 25 BEAUTY Vitamin E skincare is nothing new, but there’s been a recent surge in popularity thanks to the ‘glass skin’ trend. TikTok-ers are posting videos on how to get the look, by using Nivea Creme and a vitamin E oil capsule. Simply mix it together, smother all over your face and glass skin can be yours. But not all experts believe it’s a good idea, and if you’re worried you may end up looking sweaty rather than dewy, you can reap the benefi ts simply by investing in products that already contain vitamin E. After all, it’s gorgeously good for all skin types. “Vitamin E is an important fat-soluble antioxidant and has been used in dermatology for more than 50 years,” says Molly Arnold, a registered associate nutritionist at Holland & Barrett. “It can help protect from negative effects of oxidative stress caused by UV exposure and pollution.” Sounds great. But perhaps more importantly, she notes vitamin E may also help to reduce blemishes and the appearance of fi ne lines and wrinkles when incorporated into a skincare routine. Vitamin E is frequently praised for its moisturising, soothing and anti-ageing properties. “Vitamin E is often found in a cream or oil format that can be used topically, either on the face or on the body,” says Dr Eleanor Bradley, No7 Beauty science credentialing manager. “You can fi nd vitamin E infused in face moisturisers or serums, or in more concentrated ampules often in combination with other antioxidant vitamins, like vitamin C. “My suggestion would be to incorporate a moisturiser or serum containing vitamin E into your morning skincare routine, to enjoy the full benefi ts of this ingredient, including protection against free radicals and the environment.” When it comes to pollution, living in an urban environment can lead to dryness, irritation, sensitivity and even hyperpigmentation, notes Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme, medical consultant skin expert and founder of Adonia Medical Clinic. “In a study from Westfi eld’s How We Shop platform, 54 per cent of those interviewed experienced dryness and 82 per cent of those interviewed were concerned about how pollution adds to this. Vitamin E is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also an effective moisturiser.” You can fi nd vitamin E in a wide range of skincare and makeup products, including moisturisers, serums, eye creams, lip balms, foundations, and even lipsticks. Ejikeme suggests looking for it listed as tocopherol or tocopheryl acetate in the ingredients. WW Vitamin E Anti-ageing, pollution fi ghting and blemish calming, vitamin E beauty is trending. By Claire Spreadbury, PA 7 of the best vitamin E beauty products 1>> Boots Skin Formula Vitamin E €8.39 for 90 capsules If you’d rather ingest your vitamin E, take one of these capsules a day with plenty of liquid. 2>>Holland & Barrett Pro Vitamin E Day Cream €8.99 For daily hydration, this moisturiser contains a combination of vitamin E, wheat germ oil and rice bran oil, to keep skin feeling soft and radiant. 3>> Institut Esthederm Into Repair SPF 50 €76, Space NK This wonder fl uid helps to diminish pigmentation and sun spots, whilst giving you high UVA and UVB protection. Active ingredients include vitamin E to help smooth skin and protect from damage. 4>> Emma Lewisham Supernatural Vitale Elixir €56 plus €15 delivery Brand new to the market, this elixir has been scientifi cally proven to reduce muscle contraction responsible for wrinkles in just 24 hours. Also enriched with vitamin E. 5>> Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Serum €191.45 A powerful antioxidant that delivers environmental protection, helps prevent free radical damage and improves the appearance of fi ne lines, wrinkles and loss of fi rmness. 6>> Nécessaire The Body Wash from €12, Space NK Containing vitamin E, vitamin C, niacinamide, omega-6 and omega-9, this body wash nourishes and cleanses skin. It’s also packaged in 85 per cent post-consumer recycled paperboard and is certifi ed as plastic and climate neutral. 7>> No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum €32.99, Boots This intensive serum is packed with vitamins A, C and E, to reenergise tired skin and protect from environmental stress. 6>> from €12, Space NK Containing vitamin E, vitamin C, niacinamide, omega-6 and omega-9, this body wash nourishes and cleanses skin. It’s also packaged in 85 per cent post-consumer recycled paperboard and is certifi ed as plastic and climate neutral. 7>> Advanced Serum €32.99, Boots This intensive serum is packed with vitamins A, C and E, to reenergise tired skin and protect from environmental stress. 1 2 3 6 7 4 5
26 WOMANSWAY.IE I nfl uencer Lucy Edwards’ wedding day was unique, as her nowhusband walked down the aisle blindfolded. Lucy is blind, and says the decision to blindfold her sighted partner Ollie Cave last year was down to her mixed emotions about that wedding tradition. “The stereotypical ‘walking down the aisle and seeing your bride for the fi rst time’, that was quite painful for me in some ways, because we didn’t want the narrative to be that,” Lucy, 28, explains. “We also wanted to take the control in our hands, knowing that Ollie’s life and my life is, in so many ways, such a nonvisual one and we see beauty in that.” Lucy says the blindfolding was their way to “make a stand that he sees my blind life as just as valid as a sighted life”, and he initially got to experience her wedding dress the same way she did, through what Lucy refers to as “fi nger eyes”. Aged eight, Lucy was diagnosed with sight loss related to a rare genetic condition called incontinentia pigmenti following a routine visit to Specsavers. In 2013, she underwent a major operation in a bid to save her sight, but afterwards she could see close to nothing and is now blind. Before going blind, Lucy says that while there was “so much worry about my disability at home and my whole childhood was going to the eye hospital”, she also remembers wildly experimenting with beauty at the same time. FINDING BEAUTY I decision to blindfold her sighted partner Ollie Cave last year was down to her mixed emotions about that wedding tradition. aisle and seeing your bride for the fi rst time’, that was quite painful for me in some ways, because we didn’t want the narrative to be that,” Lucy, 28, explains. our hands, knowing that Ollie’s life and my life is, in so many ways, such a nonvisual one and we see beauty in that.” Lucy Edwards talks about how her relationship with makeup changed after losing her sight. Lucy with guide dog Molly Lucy and Ollie
WOMANSWAY.IE 27 BEAUTY By Prudence Wade, PA didn’t know it.” She’s so appreciative of the time her sister spent audio describing things to her, but says it highlighted a stark fact: “I was open to the beauty world before it was even open to me. “In 2024, I am the face of Pantene, but that wasn’t my reality 10 years ago when I lost my vision. It wasn’t like that, I didn’t see anyone out there that was going through the same thing as me.” Slowly but surely, Lucy built up her confi dence, particularly when she mastered eyeliner and eyeshadow. She posted her fi rst ‘get ready with me’ video in 2014, and was blown away by the response, remembering comments like: “I didn’t expect a blind person to be on a visual platform doing their makeup.” Now, Lucy has 1.8m followers on TikTok and 196k on Instagram, where she posts about all aspects of life as a blind woman. She’s written the book Blind Not Broken, backs disability charity Sense and co-hosts a podcast with her husband, But I’d Never Marry A Blind Woman. So how far has the beauty industry come in the decade since Lucy lost her vision? “As a whole, we’re seeing more representation in campaigns and people wanting to take diversity and inclusion initiatives more seriously,” Lucy says. “I think ultimately, we’re not seeing the product representation that we need. I’m still ferreting around my makeup bag, spending hours Braille labelling everything that I need, or strategically buying different products – my powder is Charlotte Tilbury and that feels a certain way. And my bronzer is Nars, which is a She was constantly dyeing her hair and playing around with makeup, something her peers weren’t necessarily allowed to do. Lucy suggests it’s because her mother thought she “might not see herself in the future. We always had that looming.” While Lucy admits “I’d always be that one who had makeup and beauty at the forefront of my mind”, things changed when she became blind. “When I fi rst lost my vision, I thought it [beauty] wasn’t for me. There was nothing online that was accessible in terms of content – I couldn’t follow the tutorials anymore,” she says. “It was so scary to be blind, and so scary to be branded with all these stereotypes: blind people are frumpy, blind people don’t wear nice clothes, because they can’t pick them themselves. And blind people don’t wear makeup, because they don’t really care about what they look like because they can’t see in a mirror any more. “All of these were making me drown a little bit.” Birmingham-based Lucy had to learn so many new things as a blind woman – how to use a guide dog, pour a cup of tea and more. While it was all “overwhelming”, she says one of her priorities was remastering beauty. “I was like, I need to fi nd my sense of self again. I am Lucy – I’m blind Lucy now, but I need to understand that I don’t have my sight. How am I going to do this makeup and feel my sense of self again?” The road to learning makeup as a blind woman was a tricky one. “I would spend hours and hours – no exaggeration,” she remembers. “My sister would audio describe tutorials to me and I’d spend hours on one tutorial. I would go back and forth, back and forth to her room – her room was next door to mine – and I’d be like: ‘Alice, have I blended in the foundation?’ “I spent hours on one application of one thing. And she’d tell me the truth – she’d be like, ‘Lu, it’s really, really orange’. And then I’d cry.” It might seem harsh, but Lucy adds: “I love that about her, and I love that about my family – they are so blunt, but that was what I needed at the time, even though I square not a circle. “I don’t have the luxury of being able to buy one brand, because I get so confused.” While some areas of the beauty industry are progressing – such as Pantene bottles having the addition of NaviLens codes to boost accessibility in store – Lucy says it’s time for the makeup world in particular to get “a kick up the bum”. WW “I was like, I need to find my sense of self again. I am Lucy – I’m blind Lucy now, but I need to understand that I don’t have my sight. How am I going to do this makeup and feel my sense of self again?” Lucy with husband Ollie
COMPETITION 28 WOMANSWAY.IE BBQ season is upon us and to celebrate, Tenderstem, the perfect BBQ veg, is giving two lucky readers a €250 supermarket each so you can stock up with mouth-watering ingredients to make your own delicious Tenderstem dishes. Have you barbequed Tenderstem as yet? It’s tasty, tender and ready in the fl ip of a stem. Simply griddle in three to fi ve minutes and enjoy the complex crunch and tantalising taste of broccoli’s surprisingly moreish and tastier cousin. Irish-grown Tenderstem from Meath-based Global Fresh Exotics, not only tastes fantastic but can also be enjoyed from stem to tip, meaning zero waste. This leggy brassica stands head and shoulders above all others. This is broccoli but BETTER! Check out tenderstem.ie or Instagram @tenderstemIreland for recipe inspiration like BBQ Spiced Tenderstem & Halloumi Kebabs and Charred Tenderstem with Chilli Vinaigrette & Tahini Yoghurt to raise your BBQ game with some show-stopping, mouthwatering dishes. 28 WOMANSWAY.IE To enter, please answer the following question: TENDERSTEM BROCCOLI CAN BE ENJOYED FROM TOP TO TIP, MEANING ZERO WASTE. TRUE OR FALSE? HOW TO ENTER Email your answer by June 17 to: [email protected] including your name, address and telephone number and labelling your mail ‘The Tenderstem Competition’ This Woman's Way competition is open to anyone resident in NI and the Republic of Ireland, aged 18 and over, except employees and their families of Harmonia Publishing, its printers and anyone else connected with the competition. No purchase is necessary. We will only accept one competition entry per reader. Prizes are awarded by drawing entries after the closing date. Winners will be notifi ed by email. The editor’s decision is fi nal. Win A €250 supermarket voucher
BEAUTY WOMANSWAY.IE 29 By Sam Wylie-Harris, PA SELF CARE TIPSBecause a little indulgence goes a long way. We all need an escape from the everyday – the balancing act of work and play, while trying to look and feel our best. HERE, EXPERTS SHARE THEIR TOP TIPS TO BOOST YOUR SELF-CARE RITUALS… SKINCARE WITH BENEFITS “Skincare is an essential part of my self-care routine,” says Leanna Zaman, beauty specialist at Boots. “It gives me a moment to pause for self-reflection after a busy day whilst my skin soaks up the benefits.” “If you don’t already have a conscious routine, try dedicating 10 minutes both morning and evening to prep your skin and reconnect with yourself,” suggests Zaman. “Your regime doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective – spend a few extra minutes massaging your moisturiser in. Your skin will thank you, too.” Dr Mary Sommerlad, consultant dermatologist and Vichy Laboratories spokesperson agrees: “For a fresher skin appearance, I strongly recommend being consistent with an effective, evidence-based skincare routine.” She also suggests adding in a hydrating serum to plump the appearance of skin and boost radiance. Sommerlad says to then follow on with a moisturiser of choice targeted to your skincare concerns. WELLBEING AROMAS Don’t forget to consider body care as well as skincare, advises Zaman. “We’re seeing more consumers hack their dopamine levels by elevating their everyday beauty basics with mood-boosting scents, textures and colours too.” She suggests trying scented body butter and lotions with uplifting aromas. “Fragrance is a key part of experiencing a product as it can transport us to another place, time or mindset.” SHOWER AND BATH CARE “Try switching up your daily routine in small ways to incorporate more wellbeing practices into your week,” suggests Zaman. “For example, simply swapping a morning shower for an indulgent evening bath adds another precious moment of self-care and renewal.” She says embracing aromatherapy stalwarts like essential oils can help you restore and relax too, transforming your daily soak into a relaxing ritual and spalike experience. “I’m also a great believer in every time we have a bath, it’s an opportunity to make it a mini-spa moment,” enthuses Chrissie Rucker OBE, founder of The White Company. “At the end of a hectic day, you can’t beat a good relaxing soak, even if it’s only for 10 minutes.” “Light a favourite scented candle, pour in a lovely bath soak, dim the lights and relax,” she continues. “And then some time massaging in a deeply nourishing body lotion will also leave skin glowing before wrapping yourself in a snuggly robe.” Zaman agrees: “Incorporating scented candles into your night-time routine can also help create a tranquil atmosphere, calm your mind and promote rest.” She’s a fan of candles infused with sleep-inducing notes of lavender and soothing eucalyptus. “It’s a scent I associate with rest, so it helps me unwind for a perfect night’s sleep. “These simple sensorial experiences can help you to reframe your mindset, whether you want to uplift or wind down after a long day,” adds Zaman. WW
30 WOMANSWAY.IE Flowery prints don’t have to be predictable... Florals for spring are hardly revolutionary, but there’s a reason why the fashion set can’t resist bringing out the timeless print during the warmer months. Adding an appropriate dose of colour and interest to any look, there are countless ways to wear florals to make them modern and trendy. Although florals are harder to style than more neutral prints such as stripes or polka dots, the beauty of a flowery print is that it can totally elevate your look in one simple yet timeless step. Step out of your comfort zone and embrace the modern floral trend with one of these simple yet stylish outfit formulas that will serve you well all through the season. Co-ords Co-ords will look chic no matter what print or style you’re wearing, but they work especially well with florals. Rather than a predictable maxi dress for the summer, a co-ord gives a similar feel but with much more edge. Embrace the Gucci-esque style with a statement floral suit, or shop for some floaty trousers and a matching oversized blouse to look and feel cool in the warmer weather. Finish off the look with some neutral or plain accessories, like some black boots and a minimalist handbag, to let the print do the talking and to avoid making your outfit appear too busy. Clashing One of the best ways to make florals look more modern and trendy is by clashing them. This is not a trend for the fainthearted, but when done right, it looks impossibly cool. Simply opt for two different floral prints in your top and bottoms and pair them together for a head-turning ensemble. To make the look feel intentional rather than just thrown together, ensure there are common colours between both items to create a sense of harmony throughout your outfit. Modern Florals
WOMANSWAY.IE 31 STYLE Statement trousers If you’re new to the fl orals trend, one of the least intimidating ways to start off is with one statement item, like trousers. Pairing bright fl oral trousers with a more minimalist top makes the trend wearable for everyday without being at all boring. If you usually wear jeans day-to-day, look for a blue fl oral pattern in a similar hue to your favourite denim to ease yourself in. This way, you can also be sure that your statement trousers of choice will fi t in with the rest of your capsule wardrobe. Stick to the silhouette of trousers that makes you feel most comfortable and shop for a statement fl oral style in the same shape. This will help you to look and feel your best when embracing the fl oral trend. By Amelia Yeomans, PA Swimwear If you’re still reluctant to add fl orals into your everyday wardrobe, consider how fl oral swimwear can liven up your holiday outfi t rotation. Less intimidating than investing in a full fl oral get-up, a fl oral swimming costume allows you to try out the trend in a subtler manner. Not only will it make a nice change from plain block-coloured swimwear, but fl oral prints will look even better in the summer sun. There are countless fl oral bikinis and swimming costumes available on the high street, so this is a way to experiment with the trend without breaking the bank. WW Monsoon Wide Leg Palm Print Trousers Red €72 Next V&A Love & Roses Embroidered Linen Button Through Shirt €48 Fabienne Chapot Cooper Orchid Blouse €130 Skirt €140 FatFace Jayla Wallpaper Floral Maxi Skirt €39 Swimwear If you’re still reluctant to add fl orals into your everyday wardrobe, consider how fl oral swimwear can liven up your holiday outfi t rotation. Less intimidating than investing in a full fl oral get-up, a fl oral swimming costume allows you to try out the trend in a subtler manner. plain block-coloured swimwear, but fl oral prints will look even better in the summer sun. There are countless fl oral bikinis and swimming costumes available on the high street, so this is a way to experiment with the trend without breaking the bank. Arnotts Anita Ivan Floral Swimsuit €170
32 WOMANSWAY.IE U.M.A.N, AKA Brian Flanagan, explains to Andrea Smith why music truly fulfils him. When you listen to singer-songwriter U.M.A.N playing guitar so self-assuredly, it’s surprising to learn that he only took up the instrument in his 20s. His stage name also evokes curiosity, and the Mayo musician - real name Brian Music Man Flanagan - explains how it came about. “I was releasing Flamin’ Day, the song I’d be most known for, a few years ago, and my management felt that my name and the genre the song was in didn't add up,” he explains. “They asked me to come up with a name and I chose U.M.A.N, which stands for U Must Act Now. It’s an empowering call to action and it’s very much about achieving your potential, which a lot of my songs are also about." Now in his 40s, the dad-of-three has just released his gorgeous debut pop/ gospel album, Crossroads, which features harmony-driven vocals, sophisticated songwriting and feet-tapping melodies. Produced by Billy Farrell, each track resonates with passion and purpose. Brian has been gigging with gospel choirs lately as his music is very inspirational and uplifting and lends itself very nicely to that kind of performance. Releasing his album is a big thrill for Brian as music is his great passion. He is a great believer in mantras and the Law of Attraction and is delighted at how things have worked out. He enjoys that he covers the bills through U Consulting, his financial planning and advisory service. This means that he doesn’t have to take U.M.A.N with Chapel Sreet Gospel Choir
WOMANSWAY.IE 33 ENTERTAINMENT U.M.A.N’s album Crossroads is out now. He will perform at The Grand Social, Dublin, on Friday June 14 with The Dublin Gospel Choir. Tickets €21 via tickets.ie. His tour dates include the Róisín Dubh, Galway, on October 3; Moat Theatre, Naas, on October 19; Wexford Arts Centre on October 25; and TF Castlebar on November 23. gigs that don’t resonate with him, and he can pursue music for enjoyment, creative satisfaction and personal fulfi lment. “When it’s your passion, you can write what you want, when you want, say what you want and work with who you want,” he says. “There’s a lot of freedom in that. Doing fi nancial planning and music at a high level is a dream for me because I really enjoy both.” From Ballyhaunis in Mayo, Brian grew up as the eldest of four. His dad, also called Brian, sadly passed away last year having had a stroke a few years ago. His mum Phyllis looked after him, and Brian says that she is a great mum and a very strong person. Brian was always musical and he toured with the band Dé Danann after he left school. They were due to go to Chicago for a fourweek tour when 9/11 happened so the tour was cancelled. He had fallen in love with the music business by then so he dropped out of college, picked up the guitar and began writing songs. Brian enjoyed success at that point and was due to go to the US on tour when he discovered his wife Ruth was going to have their fi rst baby, Jacob. He decided to park music for a while as he felt that “family comes fi rst”. He met Ruth in 2004 when he was playing the lead in a musical called The Hired Man in Nenagh, which was directed by her brother-in-law. “When I came out on stage, tears welled up in her eyes and she said, ‘I’m going to marry him’,” says Brian. “Ruth is great and is defi nitely the yin to my yang. She’s a pharmacist by trade but works in the (fi nance) business with me. “She’s very organised and pragmatic and she brings me back down to earth with a bang if I get carried away,” he laughs. Brian and Ruth now have three boys, Jacob (18) who is big into musical theatre, Noah (11) and Christian (9). Having lived in Cork for ten years, the family moved back to Mayo eight years ago and are very happy there In tandem with his work as a fi nancial advisor, Brian began pursuing music again some years ago and has done really well. The multi-instrumentalist has recorded, performed with or written for artists like Mary Black, Nathan Carter, Brian Kennedy, Michael Flatley, Nadine Coyle and Eric Bibb. His catchy track Laurie Blue was a biographical tribute to singer Adele and was released a couple of years ago through Universal Music, featuring a remix by Mark McCabe of Maniac 2000 fame. Brian has also performed on The Late Late Show and at festivals like Electric Picnic. It is well known that music is an ageist industry that champions the young, but Brian has become more confi dent in his abilities. “I think if you're a bit older, you write about things that are a bit more meaningful than you would have in your 20s,” he says. “I don't want to be a singer-songwriter who writes songs to have a hit. I want each individual song to have a purpose and meaning for me or for someone else.” WW “She’s very organised and pragmatic and she brings me back down to earth with a bang if I get carried away”
34 WOMANSWAY.IE Hot List The 5 NEW BOOKS TO READ READ • WATCH • LISTEN By Prudence Wade, PA BOOKS has something important to tell him. A painfully realistic tale of thwarted dreams and how diffi cult it can be to show our true selves. Black Shield Maiden by Willow Smith and Jess Hendel is published in hardback by Del Rey Black Shield Maiden is Willow Smith’s fi rst foray into fi ction – yes, that Willow Smith, the singer and activist from a very famous family, penned alongside writer Jess Hendel. It’s historical fantasy through and through – something you can imagine setting BookTok alight. It breathes new life into typical Viking stories that put white men front and centre, when a young Ghanaian girl is wrested from her family and sent into captivity in a strange Northern land. The girl goes by Yafeu and can’t deny her warrior spirit, fi nding a strange new path in her friendship with an unassuming princess. The story itself is imaginative, but the writing is a touch clunky, and has a scene worthy of a Bad Sex in Fiction Award. This might strike a chord for those who can get lost in the imaginative story (and able to look past the writing), and there’s no denying it’s ripe for a sweeping on-screen adaptation. NON-FICTION Cricket In Poetry: RunStealers, Gatlings and Graces by Bob Doran is published in hardback by Pitch Publishing As the joy of another cricket season dawns, what better time to recall some of the poetry this unparalleled sport has prompted. Bob Doran takes a well-researched canter through the history of cricket on these shores through two famous poems – Vitai Lampada by Henry Newbolt and At Lord’s by Francis Thompson. Newbolt’s line “Play up! play up! and play the game!” moves uncomfortably from cricket fi eld to battlefi eld, while Thompson’s “O my Hornby and my Barlow long ago!” is a dreamy recollection of his favourite opening pair. Doran charts the vastly contrasting fortunes of Newbolt and Thompson, one a wellheeled if unconventional member of literary circles and the other a drug-taking, Jack the Ripper suspect. It also provides an easy-to-consume view of cricket’s development across more than 300 years, and picks up plenty of other verses and characters along the way. A quick and easy read, but one a cricket lover will enjoy for a few hours if rain ever stops play this summer. CHILDREN’S BOOK Finding Alfi e: A D-Day Story by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman is published in hardback by Scholastic Let Michael Morpurgo take you on a journey as he seeks answers to a yearslong family mystery. As a child, he admired a painting of a boat when he visited his Aunty Iris and was told tales of her Alfi e, who promised to return to her but never did after the second world war. What happened to Alfi e? Some years later, Morpurgo goes in search of piecing the past together on an empowering trail of discovery. Finding Alfi e is beautifully illustrated and written in an uncomplicated way that shines a light on the power of memory. Storytelling is one way we can teach children how our brave men and women fought for our freedom. Morpurgo, who was Children’s Laureate between 2003 and 2005, brings this narrative to life ahead of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in a powerful tribute to all those to whom we owe our gratitude. WW By Prudence Wade, PA famous family, penned alongside FICTION Long Island by Colm Tóibín is published in hardback by Picador Colm Tóibín’s celebrated Brooklyn offered an understated look at the 1950s immigrant experience and what constitutes ‘belonging’. Its anticipated sequel, Long Island, maintains the low-key approach but fast-forwards to the 1970s. Now settled into Italian family life in the titular Long Island, a shocking revelation prompts protagonist Eilis to reevaluate her now suffocating existence as the ‘Irish outsider’, and to refl ect on sacrifi ces made in pursuit of a crumbling American Dream. Running from America, Eilis tries to reconnect with small-town Irish life but a previous dilemma with potentially seismic ramifi cations within the close-knit community still looms. Avoiding grandiloquent language or lyrical descriptions of the Irish landscape, Long Island nevertheless hums with the haunting energy of lives unlived, suppressed passions and packs a sustained emotional punch. The characters can be infuriating, but with an assured and poignant tone of quiet resignation woven throughout, this is absolutely riveting writing. Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna is published in hardback by Fourth Estate It’s the hot summer of 2019 in London, there’s a whale stranded in the Thames and the characters in Oisín McKenna’s debut novel are struggling with lives in which they feel trapped and powerless. Maggie is unexpectedly pregnant and living in a damp fl at that she won’t be able to afford with a baby, so is planning a reluctant return to Basildon with partner Ed, who is far from ready to settle down. Maggie’s best friend Phil is besotted with Keith, a housemate in his warehouse commune, but can’t reveal his true feelings because Keith is dating Louis. Meanwhile, Phil’s so wrapped up in his own life that he hasn’t noticed his mum Rosaleen experience and what constitutes by Oisín McKenna is published are struggling with lives in which
WOMANSWAY.IE 35 ENTERTAINMENT The phrase 'period drama' tends to conjure an image of corsets and repressed longing. But really that just covers the female-led side of it, the side that is clean, sedate, set in stately homes and features a lot of needlepoint and muslin. However, there are also male-led ones and they tend to grit and stinkiness, rats, rotten teeth and dodgy goings on. They can be great and here are two that I loved. In Taboo (Netflix) Tom Hardy is, as always, mesmerising, this time playing a steampunk antihero from the early 1800s. Britain and the newly minted United States are trying to negotiate the division of North America, a particularly strategic tranche of which is owned by the ailing Horace Delaney. It has long been assumed that Horace’s son, James, is dead so Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce), head of the extremely powerful and equally shady East India Company, has plotted to take control of the strategic land. But the plan goes awry when James (Hardy), heir to the land, turns up alive and well. A wrangle over territory may not sound like the most exciting premise, but this is no ordinary land grab. Written by Stephen 'Peaky Blinders' Knight and Hardy’s father, Chips Hardy, it’s atmospheric, intriguing and brutal, the squeamish will have to turn their heads sometimes. The supporting cast is fabulous and includes Jessie Buckley, Oona Chaplin, Stephen Graham, Franka Potente and Tom Hollander. It’s dark but if your tastes run to the gothic you could really love this. The longawaited second series should land on BBC this year. Over on Prime you can find The Terror, another stinky, rotten-toothed, often gory male-centred period drama which, like Taboo, has some supernatural elements. The first of 10 episodes begins when two British Navy ships set off in uncharted waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in search of the Northwest Passage. But the ships become trapped in the arctic winter ice and the crew struggle with the freezing conditions, a lack of food and each other. But it soon emerges that they also face another foe. Again, it mightn’t sound like the most exciting premise, but it is so well-written by David Kajganich and the cast, including Jared Harris, Ciarán Hinds, Tobias Menzies and Ian Hart, is really great. It’s always interesting to see how people lived but the psychological drama is especially well done and The Terror makes for compelling viewing. WW Áine O’Connor on two great historical watches. Period Picks Tom Hard in Taboo Jessie Buckley Stephen Graham Ciarán Hinds in The Terror
36 WOMANSWAY.IE Friends With Benefi ts Netfl ix I’m not the world’s biggest fan of rom-coms. It’s not so much that they tend to be formulaic, very few genres aren’t, it’s more that they often fail to deliver on the comedy side. They also tend to be a bit trite and playing with that very triteness is part of what makes Friends With Benefi ts one of the rom-coms that I like. It’s still about two impossibly beautiful people with no money worries, wobbly bits or off days but it’s clever and funny. Will Gluck, who directed the lovely Peter Rabbit fi lms (available on Prime) has a good track record directing rom-coms (Easy A on Netfl ix is also worth a look) and in the opening sequence of Friends With Benefi ts, he starts as he means to continue. Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) are on the phone prior to a date. But they don’t know each other yet; watch it and you’ll know what I mean. Jamie is an executive headhunter in New York and she is trying to persuade Dylan, an LA-based art director, to take a job in the Big Apple. He does and the pair become friends. Then they try to give the benefi ts a shot. And well, obviously that can’t go too simply or you’d have no fi lm. Kunis and Timberlake are very good together, they have great chemistry and each deliver the clever dialogue well. It’s about sex, so inevitably some of the language is a bit more graphic than in the average 12-rated rom-com. The fi lm is also quite knowing, it’s full of nods and winks and it plays very actively with rom-com tropes, it even has its own rom-com within a rom-com to do just that. There are loads of cameos, including Patricia Clarkson as Jamie’s well-intentioned but feckless mother, Richard Jenkins as Dylan’s father who has dementia and Woody Harrelson, camping it up outrageously. Although it’s 13 years old, only the fl ashmobs and George Clooney jokes date it, otherwise Friends With Benefi ts remains as sharp as ever. Hidden Áine O’Connor ventures into the hinterlands of the streaming services to GEMS fi nd great watches you may have missed. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis in Friends With Benefi ts Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson and Justin Timberlake Patricia Clarkson and Mila Kunis
WOMANSWAY.IE 37 ENTERTAINMENT and horrible 90-year-old neighbour, Andra, with a view to expanding into it when she pops her clogs. But Andra refuses to die, or be nice. Even when the action revolves around a couple, Holofcener’s women are never defi ned by their relationship with men. They have their own reasons for what they think and do, they can be irritating or self-destructive, they’re not always likeable and friendships are as important to them as romance is. This stuff was revolutionary in fi lm-making 30 years ago and while we still see plenty of female characters whose raison d’être is a man, there has been a shift and it is in part thanks to the likes of Holofcener. Her next fi lm, 2013’s Enough Said (available to rent) is arguably her best. Julia LouisDreyfus, James Gandolfi ni, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette and Eve Hewson star in what is essentially a rom-com about neurotic 50-somethings. Hilarious, heartbreaking (it was Gandolfi ni’s last fi lm), frustrating and fabulous, it beautifully captures the diffi culty of new love when you’ve been around the block. Holofcener's only fi lm with a male central character, The Land of Steady Habits (Netfl ix), stars Ben Mendelsohn as a man who leaves his life to go fi nd himself, and fi nds himself surprisingly elusive. It’s quirky, funny and whilst it has a lot to like, watch it knowing that you’re probably going to like Enough Said, or You Hurt My Feelings (Prime) more. You Hurt My Feelings has Julia Louis-Dreyfus in needy, neurotic mode again, this time partnered with Tobias Menzies as the husband who lies about liking her book. It’s a really clever dissection of praise and support in relationships and you don’t need to have written a book for it to ring bells. Honourable Holofcener mention must go to Can You Ever Forgive Me? and to The Last Duel, which she co-wrote but didn’t direct. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is one of my favourite fi lms of the last decade, and if we say of the last 11 years, I’m including Enough Said too. WW Catherine Keener and Amanda Peet in Please Give The fi lms of Nicole Holofcener Nicole Holofcener has been writing and directing movies for almost 30 years. With around 10 fi lms under her belt, she can’t be described as fabulously prolifi c, but her movies are fabulously enjoyable. Admittedly they might not appeal to fans of action or mystery, but if you like beautifully observed, funny, slice-of-life stories about friendships and relationships, these fi lms are gems. Holofcener, who is now in her early 60s, bases her stories around women of her own age. Accordingly, her fi rst movie, 1996’s Walking and Talking was about 30-somethings. The fi lm, which is now considered a cult classic but is not currently available on this side of the Atlantic, revolved around the impact of one woman’s engagement on her long-term friendship. It was not only Holofcener’s debut but it kickstarted her long working relationship with one of my favourite actresses, Catherine Keener. It also got Holofcener noticed and she was invited to direct episodes of major TV series like Sex in the City, The Gilmore Girls and Six Feet Under. In the middle of this, in 2001, she made her second fi lm, Lovely & Amazing, starring Keener, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer and a young Jake Gyllenhaal. That’s not available here either but fi lm number three, 2006’s Friends With Money, is available to rent. The wonderful ensemble cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Joan Cusack and Catherine Keener who play a group of long-term friends. We meet them aged around 40 when their lives have taken very different paths. Most of them are well off but Joan Cusack is super-rich and Jennifer Aniston is broke. Aniston’s character is also the only single one and the marriages are in various states of repair. The way the couples talk to and about each other, how the friend group sub-divides and the issues that money can cause ring true in a way that is both funny and thoughtprovoking. It’s a fi lm that lingers in your head. 2010’s Please Give (available to rent) once again sees Catherine Keener do that confl icted, slightly annoying character she delivers so beautifully. She plays Kate, who despite a permanently bleeding heart, runs a dinky business in Greenwich Village upselling dead old people’s furniture to hipsters. She and her husband (Oliver Platt) have also bought the apartment of their cash-strapped Julia Louis-Dreyfus in You Hurt My Feelings Ben Mendelsohn and Thomas Mann in The Land of Steady Habits Richard E. Grant and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
38 WOMANSWAY.IE From l'Allée des Stars The famous red carpet
TRAVEL WOMANSWAY.IE 39 Continued overleaf >> working at the heart of the world’s most famous movie extravaganza. Every now and again, memories of that newly minted nurse, gauche and impoverished, ground me. Despite being a regular, I am still as excited by celebrity spotting and selfies on that red carpet for the odd premiere. But outside of the hectic schedule of film pitches, sessions and a packed diary of meetings, I always take time to explore the loveliness of this special place. It is so much more than the celebrated festival that put it on the world stage. PUTTING ON THE AT The world’s most famous red carpet oozes glamour but as regular film festival goer Norah Casey discovers, there is more to Cannes than the movies. The old port of Cannes I made my first journey to the Côte d’Azur when I qualified as a nurse a million light years ago. A rucksack, tent and an Interrail ticket transported me from the dreich weather of West Scotland to the poshest coastline in Europe. I vividly remember the breathtaking beauty of the sherbet-hued facades, the spectacular sunshine and crystalline sea. It was a whole new world. Now, when I fly into Nice for the annual film festival at Cannes, I have to pinch myself that I am mingling with fellow producers and directors and Glitz Cannes
40 WOMANSWAY.IE HERITAGE Cannes began life as a charming fi shing village and over the years it has endured pirate invasions, occupations and war. Its fame as a magnet for the wealthy and the famous began much later, from the Belle Époque era through to the highs of the Roaring ’20s. Come the 1950s, the glamour of Cannes brought royalty, the aristocracy and the Hollywood jetset. There were also diffi cult times, especially during both world wars, but like all great stars, the Côte d’Azur rediscovered its joie de vivre. The inaugural Festival de Cannes came just after the second world war and fi rmly put Cannes back on the map for the world’s fi lm elite. One of the most notable things about this heritage is the architecture, the beautiful art deco facades, lovely pastel colours, ancient churches and castles. It’s like stepping into a beautiful impressionist painting. No wonder famous artists like Renoir, Picasso and Matisse were entranced by the beauty of this gorgeous sun-drenched coastline. It also captivated famous literary giants. In the 1920s, F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda embraced all the excesses of the Riviera but he still found time to write much of The Great Gatsby. He was entranced by the light and the vista of the town, describing it eloquently in his writing: “In the early morning the distant image of Cannes, the pink and cream of old fortifi cations, the purple Alp that bounded Italy, were cast across the water and lay quavering in the ripples and rings sent up by sea-plants through the clear shallows.” MUCH MORE THAN FILM Cannes is at its best and at its worst during the fi lm festival. Although there is a lot of fun to be had (mainly celebrity spotting) much of it is closed off to visitors without accreditation. It is also very crowded and the prices are astronomically high. To truly enjoy La Tour Du Suquet The pastel facades of Cannes
WOMANSWAY.IE 41 TRAVEL Continued overleaf >> the charm of Cannes, go off-season and enjoy the culture, the stunning beaches and some excellent provençal food. Cannes is part of the French Riviera, a 120-mile stretch of coastline, so it is the perfect place to explore some beautiful nearby towns like Antibes, Nice, and Monaco or take a boat ride to the Lérins islands just off the coast. It’s a great city for walking and surprisingly small, but fi ts in a great deal relative to its size. On the seafront and lined with palm trees, La Croisette should be fi rst on the list. Start at the elegant Carlton Hotel and enjoy the sea breeze and many lovely beaches along this three-kilometre stretch. Stop for a swim or some people watching and enjoy a café or cornet de glace at any one of them. My favourites are Croisette Beach, the stylish (but a little pricey) Baoli Beach, Plage Macé and Plage du Casino. The Croisette is also where you will fi nd the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, the iconic home of the Cannes Film Festival. Pose for a selfi e on those famous red carpet steps (everyone does) and imagine all of the world’s most famous actors over the decades that have stood in that exact same spot. Along the way you might catch a free open air concert. Bastille Day fi reworks on July 14 are spectacular in Cannes if you are planning a visit. As you near the end of the Croisette, linger for a while to see how the other half lives at the luxury yacht-fi lled Pierre Canto Marina and, my own favourite, the smaller Port de la Pointe Croisette closer to Palm Beach, home to smaller sailing boats and the perfect spot for waterside lunch of fresh oysters and locally caught fi sh. LE SUQUET In contrast to the designer shops and plush hotels on the seafront, the old town in Cannes is a lovely rambling cobblestone area dating back to Roman times. On my fi rst visit I stayed in Le Suquet, and walked down through steep laneways many times a day going to and from the festival. From this vantage point you can see the majestic vista of the town stretching along the Mediterranean coastline. I got lost often and enjoyed those charming interludes even more. Start at the Musée des Explorations du Monde perched above the old quarter, which stretches back to 1877. The museum of world explorations houses a unique collection of primitive art, beautiful Mediterranean antiques, 19thCentury landscape paintings of the Riviera and in the Chapelle SainteAnne, a host of musical instruments from around the world. Nearby, if you are up to it, climb the 109 steps of the bell tower which has the best panoramic views of the bay. The ethereal Eglise Notre-Dame de l'Espérance, completed between the 15th and 16th centuries, is a beautiful peaceful pause from the hectic pace of Cannes. This gothic church is dedicated to Our Lady of Hope and during the second world war became a hospital for the wounded. As you wander down through the quaint alleyways lined with centuries-old houses, linger at the craft shops, sip a little wine at one of the many little bistros and enjoy some local dishes. THE LÉRINS ISLANDS Just a hop and a skip across the water, the historic and charming Lérins islands await. These beautiful islands, believed to be the oldest in Europe, are just a 15-minute boat Île Sainte-Marguerite and Saint Honorat island On the red carpet
42 WOMANSWAY.IE ride away and named after the eponymous monks who controlled Cannes in the 4th Century. Île Sainte-Marguerite is the larger of the two and SaintHonorat is home to a monastery, where the monks produce a Chartreuse-like liqueur called Lérina. The fragrant forest of green oaks, Aleppo pine trees and eucalyptus of Sainte-Marguerite provides welcome shade for a stroll on hot sunny days. Explore the 17th-Century Fort Royal prison and the Maritime Museum but make time for some sunbathing and swimming on the pristine beaches, especially Plage de la Convention and Plage de la Batterie. And before you return to the mainland enjoy a waterfront lunch of the freshest of seafood with incredible views of Cannes and all her candy-coloured glory. MARKETS & SHOPPING The wonderful sensory experience of a vibrant French market is unmissable and Cannes has three. Shop in the open air with the locals from 7am most mornings for the freshest provençal produce, artisan cheeses, spices, local fruits, fl owers and fi sh straight from the sea. Soak up the banter and enjoy freshly made crêpes or delicious sweet treats from the deli counters as you amble around the stalls. There are three to choose from. Le Marché Forville is the oldest market, right in the heart of Le Suquet. Stroll up the rue Gazagnaire and immerse yourself in the sights, smells and sounds of this bustling covered market, which has all you might expect in a superb French market and more besides. As lunchtime approaches, enjoy a glass of wine or champagne and a few local oysters. Open 7am till 1pm every day except Mondays. Le Marché Gambetta is in the centre of town, and along with all the usual local edible treats sells jewellery, clothes, and leather goods. From 7am to 1pm daily. Marché de La Bocca is a short bus ride away at the Place du Marché Paul Roubaud and specialises in wonderful provençal delights, especially seafood, vegetables and fruit. There are plenty of bargains to be had if you’re looking for some cheap and cheerful clothes (Saturday). Open every day except Monday. Rue d'Antibes Shopping: There is nothing quite like Cannes for luxury brands and the street that the fashionistas fl ock to for all the top labels is rue d'Antibes. Here Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Escada, Ferragamo and Fendi are among the many designer shops vying for attention, but you will also fi nd Zara, Sephora and a host of high street names. Close by there is a large Chanel store and the very browsable Galeries Lafayette. It is worth it for window shopping alone. DINING IN CANNES Even the most unassuming of cafés or restaurants will serve up something delicious, on a par with what we might describe as fi ne dining. It is foodie heaven. Outside of the fi lm festival (which brings huge price hikes) eating out is affordable and more often than not comes with spectacular views. My favourite place for a drink is the iconic and must-visit Hotel Le Carlton (carltoncannes.com), where you can sip a chilled glass of wine in the shady internal garden and imagine all of the royal and aristocratic bottoms that have sat on that seat you are perched on. Most places have a plat du jour which offer some delicious dishes at a fi xed price. I have had more than my fair share of great platters of fruits de mer at Le Caveau 30, a Cannes family-run institution. Book a table on the fi rst fl oor terrace with views looking out to the sea (lecaveau30.fr). The locals head for little pocket-sized brasseries in Le Suquet and so should you for affordable and fresh local food. For homemade spicy pasta all'arrabbiata try Da Laura (7 rue 24 Août), a lovely Italian trattoria with deep pink walls and a giant pepper tree. This year we had brunch at the Hotel Belle Plage, where the rooftop restaurant Bella serves seasonal Mediterranean delights with the most incredible sea views (hotelbelleplage. fr). I escaped the mayhem of the festival one sunny day and took a walk to the old port (the smaller of the two) where there is a lovely dockside restaurant, Au Mal Assis, for a platter of fresh prawns and crabs (aumalassis.com). There is something magical about lunch in the sunshine with the taste, sounds and smells of the sea. On my last day I wanted to fi nd somewhere special to connect two great giants of the fi lm industry from LA and London to see if we could create something together. I found this wonderful restaurant back from the seafront with impeccable service and incredible food… at reasonable prices! Le Môka opened a couple of years ago and is perched under a pristine white awning between rue Florian and rue du Commandant André (lemokacannes.com). A veteran interior decorator cleverly brought together the colours and light of the south of France to create a huge fresco inspired by the painters of the time of Matisse, Cézanne and Braque. It is a visual feast, matched by beautifully served dishes and the best (by far) front of house team. It turned out to be the perfect setting for a great meeting of creative minds. Book in advance. Forville market Au Mal Assis restaurant Maison Carla Rosa
WOMANSWAY.IE 43 TRAVEL How to plan your trip • Aer Lingus and Ryanair fl y direct to Nice from Dublin and Cannes is a 30-minute train ride from Nice-Ville train station (€7). Buses are less frequent and take circa 45 minutes. An Uber will set you back around €60. GRAND HOTELS I always stay in an apartment close to the seafront for the ease of racing between festival venues on the Croisette. It has everything I need and I like the locality on rue Le Macé (book through Sylvain at cannes-seaside.com). However, I spend more time in Cannes' poshest hotels and they are spectacular. So if you’re up for a splurge here are my top recommendations for a wow factor sojourn. Newcomer Maison Carla Rosa is a chic and arty boutique hotel in powder pink, a little off the beaten track in Californie and it brings a little LA magic to a neighbourhood that was once home to Picasso (maisoncarlarosa.com). Just opened this spring Château de Théoule (chateau-de-theoule.com) is an eclectic mix of an art deco villa, a turreted castle and a fi sherman’s charming retreat. Also a little away from the throng (20 minutes by boat or car) the hotel is set in a former 17th-Century soap factory with beautiful rooms, terraced restaurant, a seaside spa and a private beach. I have already mentioned Hôtel Belle Plage for the wonderful food and views but it has also had a revamp (2022) and is a lovely grand hotel in the Suquet district (hotelbelleplage. fr). The curvy facade with cool whites and neutrals is quintessentially Cannes with views over the bay and the old town. Along with the the art deco Martinez and the Belle Époque Carlton, the historic Hotel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes, located between the Croisette Beach and the Palais des Festivals, is worth a visit if you can’t afford a stay (hotelsbarriere.com). This is an art deco delight with gilded sculptures, suites inspired by the likes of Christian Dior and a penthouse with 360 degree views and a heated rooftop pool. Have a little cocktail at the bar, Fouquet, for great people watching. FESTIVAL DE CANNES Otherwise known as the Cannes Film Festival, this event more than anything put the city on the map and secured its spot as one of the world’s most glamorous destinations. Come May each year, hordes of actors, fi lm producers and directors mingle with celebrities (and us hard-working industry professionals) to meet, greet, see and be seen. There are in essence two main events happening at the same time and some 14,000 people attend. The conference, workshops and big brain thinking at the Marché du Film, one of the largest fi lm markets globally, is very much a working week for the industry. Alongside it, the Festival de Cannes selects 50 feature fi lms and 10 short fi lms to be part of the offi cial selection from circa 2,000 fi lms submitted annually. But all eyes are on the coveted 22 fi lms competing for the coveted Palme d’Or (the highest prize at the Festival) with nightly premieres at the Palais des Festivals’ largest and most prestigious venue, the Grand Théatre Lumiere. These splashy red carpet spectacles are fl anked by rows of photographers and attended by actors, directors and Hollywood icons connected to the fi lm. This year I was lucky enough to catch some of the festival’s biggest highlights: Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Yorgos Lanthimos’s quirky Kinds of Kindness. On the red carpet we had Emma Stone, Only Murders in the Building star Selena Gomez at the Emilia Perez premiere in a red off-the-shoulder custom silk dress, Demi Moore who brought her chihuahua, Pilaf (a staple on her Instagram) for The Substance photocall and Kevin Costner at the premiere of his old-school Western epic, Horizon. Around the town there were lots of celebrities attending as ‘special guests’ at balls and after show parties. I walk up and down the Croisette through the day and spotted Diane Kruger, Bella Hadid, Nicky Hilton and Cara Delevingne. President of the jury for 2024 was Barbie director Greta Gerwig who wore the most amazing dresses, and Cher was headliner at the prestigious (and very glam) ‘amfAR Gala’ at The Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The evening raised $16m for AIDS research. Outside of the festival period, you can snap your own glam moment on the red carpet steps and don’t miss the Cannes version of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in front of Palais des Festivals. The Allée des Stars features handprints from more than 300 celebrities who’ve attended the famous annual fi lm festival. Bienvenue à Cannes. WW Selena Gomez
44 WOMANSWAY.IE Pauline and I were met in the airport by Peter, our tour guide. Eileen, the Sunway rep was there too and stayed with us all throughout the trip. Both were so friendly and helpful and made sure everyone got to know each other. I soon found out that some people on the tour knew each other as they had met on previous tours – a good sign indeed. I also saw that it’s a great holiday for solo travellers – it seems like a great way to feel safe and confi dent when travelling alone. When we were driving from the airport to our hotel, I realised I was in Majorca before. 50 years ago, I went on a girl’s holiday to Santa Ponza. I had totally forgotten about it. It was a wilder holiday than this one! GREAT TRIPS Palma is incredibly beautiful. Our hotel was the four-star Las Arenas Hotel, which I love going on holidays. What I don’t love is all the organising and booking and especially making lots of choices on things to do and where to eat. I don’t like driving abroad either – the traffi c, rules and sides of the road. It’s all hard work when I want to relax and take everything in. So, when I saw the new escorted holidays launched by Irish travel company, Sunway (sunway.ie), I was interested. It ticked loads of boxes for me in terms of being looked after. I also liked the idea of being in a group and meeting new people. Everything is included so it was easy to plan and budget. I have always loved Spain. The people, the food and the sunshine are all major draws for me. One of the Sunway-escorted tours was to Majorca. I thought I had never been there so myself and my sister-in-law, Pauline opted for the six-day trip in May. It starts in Palma and takes in Valldemossa and Soller so I was curious to fi nd out more. is located in Ca’n Pastilla overlooking the sea so all the swimmers in our group took full advantage of that. Pauline was up and out and in the sea before breakfast. I felt lazy for about 10 seconds and then I dozed. We stayed there for fi ve nights so it was our base for the holiday. From there we did a day trip to Valldemossa. We visited the Carthusian Monastery and the special museum dedicated to Chopin and George Sand. There was a lovely piano concert in the nearby Palace del Rey Don Sancho where we could hear some of Chopin’s work. We wandered around the lovely village ourselves too. Another trip was along the mountain coastline, the Serra de Tramuntana to Soller. We got a vintage tram that runs from Palma to Soller. It's running since 1912 and it was so authentic and beautiful. It’s Majorca MAGICAL Catherine Leyden enjoys an escorted tour to Majorca. everyone got to know each other. I soon found out that some people is located in Ca’n Pastilla Pauline was up and out and in the sea before breakfast. I felt lazy for about 10 seconds and then I dozed. We stayed there for fi ve nights so it was our Catherine Leyden Almudaina Palace
TRAVEL WOMANSWAY.IE 45 Majorca Marvels Tour €899 departing October 4, 2024 Included are • Return direct scheduled fl ights Dublin to Palma • 10kg carry-on bag per person and prebooked seat • All airport taxes and city taxes • All coach transfers • 5 nights in a 4* hotel • 5 nights half board including half bottle of wine and half bottle of water • Half-day Palma sightseeing tour • Full-day trip to Soller and Port de Soller • Half-day tour to Caves of Drach • Half-day tour to Valldemossa • Entrance into the cathedral / monastery and Caves of Drach all included • Services of our tour leader • Services of our local tour guide about a 20-mile trip over the Tramuntana mountains and it was great fun. The woodpanelled carriages are like something from another century (because that’s exactly what they are) with gleaming brass and leather-upholstered seats. Soller sits in the heart of the valley of oranges and it’s considered to be one of the most attractive towns in Spain. We strolled through its historic centre with its narrow streets. The main square, Plaça Constitució, has lots of lovely cafés where you can enjoy a fresh orange juice or coffee, and Peter told us that the area comes alive on Saturdays when the local market takes place. The next time I make marmalade, I will remember Soller with its acres of lemon and orange trees. I felt like royalty in Palma. I was fascinated by the historic Almudaina Palace – it’s still used by the Spanish royal family as their holiday home so I felt very regal. We visited the Gothic cathedral La Seu – it overlooks the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. It’s the tallest cathedral in Europe and some of the work was done by Gaudi. We had time too to walk the narrow streets of the Old Town with its welcoming cafés and shops. I really liked that we had lots of guided tours where people who were informative and interesting told us the story of the place but we also had downtime where we could wander or rest, depending on how we were feeling. The mix of tours and free days was just perfect. Peter is local to Majorca and he was great at going at our pace in terms of walking and all the information he gave us. He combined history, architecture and anecdotes about life in Majorca that made it all come to life for us. CAVES OF DRACH The highlight of my trip though was the visit to the caves of Drach. I will never forget it. I thought I had seen it all with the Aillwee caves but these were on a totally other level. The tour is great and the limestone caves are truly remarkable. At the end of the tour, we were ready to go. The next thing is, we heard a haunting, classical melody. Soon, a small fi shing boat rowed into sight, carrying a string quartet including a cello, a harpsichord and two violins. It was so special and moving. The musicians played for several minutes as they fl oated across the lake. Their music echoed off the cave walls and I was truly moved. For me, who loves my food, I was delighted with the quality and variety of the meals. We were all on half board so we had a buffet breakfast and dinner. We got a half bottle of wine every evening with dinner, which was a welcome treat. Everything was Cuevas del Drac organised by Sunway and Eileen (the Sunway rep) and they looked after us so well. I liked too that there was just one coach of us all the time. We got to know each other and it was easy to manage people. In short, I couldn’t recommend this trip highly enough. From start to fi nish, it was a fantastic holiday. Pauline and I are already checking out the other ones that Sunway offers. Everything was taken care of and organised for us all. I just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed a great holiday that had been expertly planned by people who really know Majorca. The next escorted tour to Majorca is on October 4 and I know that Kerry GAA star, Pat Spillane is going to be on that trip. WW Serra de Tramuntana sea coast “ I just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed a great holiday that had been expertly planned by people who really know Majorca”
46 WOMANSWAY.IE To help homeowners de-stress their home, Redrow has teamed up with organisational expert Vicky Silverthorn to make storage hacks as effective as possible… START WITH A DETOX Before you start decluttering your home and your mind, it’s crucial to get into the right headspace, says Silverthorn. “Take a step back, set your goals and be critical of what you truly don’t need in your life anymore. Create a designated pile for charity donations and see what pre-loved items you could give to a new home.” DECLUTTER FIRST, BUY LAST A mistake people often make is to go out and buy storage for their homes before they know what they need, observes Silverthorn. “It’s so tempting when you see beautiful baskets and clever storage, but the process should be to declutter an area – and then measure up for storage that will enhance that space and its needs.” With many of us spending more time at home than ever – be it working from home, chilling out, hosting and socialising – if you’re trying to get into a positive mindset, clutter can be one of the little things that niggle… and is counterproductive to your wellbeing. Indeed, studies show it has a direct link to the way we function and how we feel – causing us stress even if we don’t consciously realise it. All the more reason for a spring refresh, declutter and effectively organising your storage space to improve your happiness. Beyond the health and lifestyle benefi ts, it can also add fi nancial value to your home. In fact, ample storage space is the feature most likely to create envy amongst friends and family, according to research by housebuilder Redrow. Almost a third (32 per cent) of homeowners say ample storage space is a ‘must have’ feature if they were purchasing a new home. As she points out, walking around your home and wondering what you should put in your beautiful new basket is fun… but not effi cient. FURNITURE CAN BE FUNCTIONAL, AS WELL AS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING When walking round a showroom, choosing online or buying pre-loved pieces, consider the overall aesthetic and how you can solve the toughest storage dilemmas… ORGANISED Get Being well organised is key to a calmer space, and can also improve your home’s worth. Storage baskets
WOMANSWAY.IE 47 INTERIORS By Sam Wylie-Harris “Be clever with the furniture you choose and opt for items that will maximise the space on hand,” says Silverthorn. “Opting for an ottoman bed in the bedroom allows you to utilise the fl oor space as a dual-purpose area – and switching out bedside tables for two small chests of drawers will be aesthetically pleasing, whilst also delivering signifi cantly more storage space.” DON’T FORGET ABOUT WALL SPACE One of the most under-used storage spaces in a home is wall space, notes Silverthorn. “For space saving, it’s understandable homeowners don’t want to close in the space by adding too many cupboards; but by thinking vertically, you can keep a light and spacious feel whilst still incorporating sensible storage. “This could be by utilising hanging hooks, open shelving or baskets.” She continues: “These techniques also avoid blocking any window space and encourage natural light into the room, which can improve your mood and energy levels, contributing to better health.” KEEP IT NEUTRAL AND NATURAL “Your home is your sanctuary, so it’s important your organisation and design is kept as balanced and uplifting as possible,” says Silverthorn. “From your cleaning products to baskets, try to use natural products and sustainable materials where you can to limit exposure to harmful chemicals – for your family and the environment.” Similarly she says to opt for storage solutions in colourways that blend with the surrounds, even keeping the same colour as the walls. “This stops them from standing out and further cluttering your space – and will keep the mind at peace, and promote a sense of freedom.” WEAVE IN TEXTURED STORAGE BASKETS Baskets can create a beautiful Scandi-inspired feel whilst providing additional storage solutions, and shouldn’t be limited to the fl oor, says Silverthorn. “Adding storage baskets to the wall can complement shelving and help offer a clean frontage for storing regularly used cables or toys that you want out of sight, but in reach.” In the kitchen, creating a pantry wall with metal baskets can double the space and provide a fun and effective way to organise supplies, she adds. CREATE DESIGNATED SPACES “To have optimal organisation everything you own needs a home,” stresses Silverthorn. “I suggest grouping similar items together to create a serene space you’ll be proud of. Think simple drawer dividers and items that can be used throughout the home in the immediate every day, and the long term – especially with plastics.” “Also consider making visible the items you use frequently on a day-to-day basis, while other items could be neatly stored away out of sight.” STYLISH HOMEWORK NOOKS Keep your home working and study spaces separate from your day-to-day living is a tip that is both functional and visually appealing, she advises. “This will keep your work-related clutter out of your living spaces, and help you mentally unwind and detach from stress outside the home.” ONE STEP AT A TIME “Working on a small area at a time can still give you a huge feeling of satisfaction but also, because it’s less overwhelming, it means you can give your full focus and attention to that space,” suggests Silverthorn. “Trying to take on such a task all at once achieves the complete opposite to what decluttering exists for,” she continues. “Taking these tasks step by step will ensure healthy habits, less stress and enhanced productivity.” WW “Beyond the health and lifestyle benefits, decluttering can also add financial value to your home” Use wall space Use wire baskets for storage Organised shelving helps keep rooms clutter-free
48 WOMANSWAY.IE Cousins. “However, if you prefer a more joyful and energetic scheme, opt for a light turquoise-like blue ground by F&B, paired with a soft white, like strong white, which will make you feel uplifted. “When choosing the right shades for your walls or ceilings, always test the colour fi rst. A blue with a slightly cold undertone can look almost grey in a north-facing room, and a white that lacks warmth will look fl at and unwelcoming in the same room. “Plan by buying samples of paint and wallpaper and placing them on the wall for at least two to three days before you commit,” she suggests. “Do remember you will need a disrupter colour to pull the scheme together. A dash of blush pink can add softness to your navy and white scheme, or a coral throw at the end of the bed can help to elevate and contrast effortlessly.” NOURISHING GREENS Bringing nature into our homes shows no signs of slowing down, either. “We are taking that one step further this year by immersing ourselves in a natural setting and nature scaping with nourishing greens. The concept is to provide a calming and grounding atmosphere which recognises the positive impact of nature on human wellbeing,” says Cousins. “One of the easiest ways to do this is to select your chosen green colour and combine it with a hue that falls opposite to the green in the colour wheel. “Pinks, corals and peaches teamed with green replicate gardens in full bloom, and so we are likely to see this emerge as a breakout palette. Dip your toe in and choose green, biophilic wallpaper and coordinating pink textiles, or go bold and colour-drench the room in your chosen green – skirting, doors and all – then complement with a statement pink rug.” BLACK AND CREAM ACCOMPANIED BY ORANGE Cream is a staple colour for many designers – a neutral base that feels warmer than white, so is great for living rooms and bedrooms. Your home’s colour combinations can impact your mood, and help create a cohesive look with your decor. But before transforming any plain white walls, there are a few things to consider: starting with is the room for eating, working or sleeping? And what ‘feel’ are you hoping to achieve with the space? “Colour plays an inherent part in the human psyche,” says interior designer Ann Marie Cousins, owner of AMC Design. “We know that each use of colour will instil a feeling and emotion, and it’s important to channel that into our interiors for it to feel bespoke. “Your colour story needs to develop throughout the house, both according to the function of the room and also the orientation of the room, and the temperament of the people who would use it the most. “If it’s a small house, it is best to keep the palette consistent throughout and then add interest with colourful art and accessories,” she suggests. “On a larger project, there’s plenty of opportunity to be bold and really explore the personalities of those who live there with these new power hue combinations.” So, what are the hottest colour combinations right now? BLUE AND WHITE Blue and white is a classic colour combination that is seeing a return. “There is no rule book as such about the emotional impact of blue and white, but the shade combination is important in terms of mood, and we fi nd it’s personal to each client,” says Cousins. “Blue has a reputation that it evokes feelings of the cold, but it very much depends on the hue. Just think of the difference between the blue of the Aegean Sea versus the grey-blue of the North Sea.” So, how do you know which blues to choose? “Think about the mood you wish to create in your space. If you would like an elegant room, consider a rich navy with white panelling and fl ecks of mustard textiles to create a sophisticated and restful feel,” says However, Cousins believes that paired with black and fl anked by a burnt orange, this combination can be transformational and lift a fl at room in an instant. “My favourite way to use this pairing is to pick a strong black and cream patterned fabric for curtains or wallpaper for a statement wall, and add a pop of bright orange on a bedhead, layering abstract cushions or accessories,” she says. “This is a perfect way to modernise a dated or Victorian property without having to renovate.” GO FOR GOLD AND JEWELS Gold is associated with opulence and luxury, and the use of gold gilding and gold leaf can really level up the drama in a space. “A raft of celebrities have chosen to utilise metallics in their homes, so it’s no surprise it’s trending as people replicate the luxe look. When gold is applied in spaces such as bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchens, it needs both a tether colour and also a paired neutral,” says Cousins. “The complementing hues for gold are jewel-like tones, so a deep teal or sapphire blue can look effortlessly chic, especially in a bedroom or cosy living room, or a gold backsplash in a kitchen set against a moody blue or dark green cabinet and a warm white works so well.” NEUTRALS HAVE HAD A 2024 MAKEOVER Neutrals such as light grey, beige and creams are being replaced by strong earthy colour palettes or more statement versions. “Richer versions, such as terracotta and rust, work in harmony with beige to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Warmer blush colours are also coming to the fore,” says Cousins. “Little Greene and Dulux have some amazing pink variations such as ‘Masquerade’ and ‘Sweet Embrace ’ in their neutral palettes. With so many people gravitating to these warm blush or clay tones, the needle may be pushed further moving into deeper shades of purple over the next 12 months.” WW COLOUR COMBOS Clever use of colour can create a coherent space-enhancing scheme and alter the feel of a space.
WOMANSWAY.IE 49 INTERIORS By Yolanthe Fawehinmi, PA Blue and white Colourful living room Gold and jewels Black and cream accompanied by orange
LETTERS 50 WOMANSWAY.IE Online... womansway.ie Subscribe... 01 240 5363 Email... [email protected] Facebook... facebook.com/womansway Twitter... twitter.com/Womans_way LETTER EMAIL DETAILS For the moment, we are asking you to send us all your letters and pictures to [email protected]. We love to hear from you so please stay in touch. LETTER EMAIL DETAILS For the moment, we are asking you to send us all your letters and pictures to [email protected] STAR LETTERPRIZE Our next Star Letter winner will receive three salon-sized cans of Silvikrin (Natural, Firm and Maximum hold, 400ml cans). Iconic for a reason, beloved in Ireland for decades. A mainstay of dressing tables, salons and stylist toolkits across the country. Silvikrin Hairspray enables you to create the perfect style for your hair and keep it in place for up to 48 hours. The Silvikrin Classic range is a slow drying hairspray that allows you to work in your style and shape your hair without making it sticky. It also protects your hair against UV rays and is easy to comb out. Visit wella.com. Take a bow I'm writing in praise of those wonderful people out there who give up their time to help and assist others. Recently my husband and I had to attend an appointment at Galway University Hospital. Not being familiar with all the various clinics there, we were approached by this lady with a volunteer vest on. Not only did she tell us where to go but she walked us to where we needed to go. With all the bad press hospitals are getting it’s great to see this service in place. All you volunteers out there take a bow and I hope you all feel appreciated. Bridie Connolly Feeling the love I am writing to let you know that I love the competitions in your magazine, there are great prizes to be won. The Prize Crossword is very good to pass time and entertain me for a while. I love your magazine so much that I took out a subscription for it so now I never miss a copy. l look forward to getting your magazine in the post every two weeks. Keep up the good work. Dorcas Phillipson, Co Dublin good to pass time and entertain me for a while. Thank you for your cover story about Coleen Nolan, what a super lady. Reading about some of her family falling ill was sobering. Life is so short and we all need to make the most of it. Taking risks, truly pushing yourself to do something that fulfi ls your potential, is scary. And sometimes it doesn’t work out. But at the end of the day it’s not the outcome that matters. In the end, being able to say you gave it a go is the most important thing. That’s huge. We all focus on winners and losers, but in reality what matters is being proactive, living life, and having empathy for both yourself and others. It’s about taking a chance to do something on your own like Coleen did, touring without her sisters. To see will the gamble pay off. It did for her and it’s delightful to see. I’ll be sure to book a ticket for her Irish tour. Mary Brady, Co Meath Jump into summer The beginning of summer always remind me of school days. End-of-year tests, new books and visits to the Spring Show. On summer Sundays, we went to the river bringing buns and a bottle of minerals. There were also a few outings to the seaside, which were big occasions back then. The chips on the way home were a real treat as there were few enough chip shops around. We longed for the long holidays and yet when they came they could become boring. Strawberry picking was a way of making a little money while also passing the long sunny days when the sky seemed always blue. We were always given some to bring home and a few pots of strawberry jam would be made. The Dublin cousins always came to visit in August. They made a great effort to teach us some city ways but it never worked very well. Summer is a lovely time to enjoy at any age. But surely it is magic for children. It is not as simple a lifestyle now as in the Sixties but the excitement in children’s eyes is just the same today as back then. May we all have a lovely and safe summer time. Marian Dalton, Co Carlow