WW11 2024

WOMANSWAY.IE 51 Picture This Do you have photos you’d like to share? Send them to [email protected] GET IN TOUCH Find out what Woman’s Way readers have been up to recently… Enjoying the May sunshine. From: Helen Bailey, Co Cork Hooray for the souffl é. From: Diane Smith, Co Leitrim Portarlington twins with Redessan in the south of France. From: Contributing editor Astrid Madsen, Co Laois Northern lights in Co Sligo. From: Ed Lee Photography Sligo LGFA season in full swing. From: Kara Dwyer

52 WOMANSWAY.IE 1 CHANTERELLE A Type of mushroom B Large bell C Bell ringer 2 FISSILE A State treasury B Dark passage C Readily split The word may sound familiar, but do you know what it means? C. 2 A, 1 ANSWERS: WORD WISE ENTER TO WIN QUINN HAIR & BEAUTY HOW TO ENTER Please send a picture of your completed crossword grid to [email protected] No postal entries please. The closing date is June 3, 2024 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. One lucky reader will receive Silcare QUIN professional haircare products, including serums, shampoos and conditioners, and Quinn & Beauty hair tools to tame your locks. Visit quinnhairbeauty.com WORTH €75 No postal entries please. The closing date is June 3, 2024 Born in Canada in 1970, I’m an Irish TV presenter. I was raised in the Gaeltacht in Meath, and am a native Irish speaker. I am married with four children and became the newest presenter of Nationwide back in 2020 following the retirement of Mary Kennedy. I used to present an afternoon lifestyle daytime talk show on RTÉ One alongside Norah Casey, and I present the station’s St Patrick's Day Parade coverage every year from Dublin City. A fashion designer and socialite, I was born in Italy in 1955. My famous brother was shot dead in Miami Beach in 1997, and I worked closely with him in the luxury fashion company he founded. Upon his death, I inherited a portion of the brand. I am widely credited for the supermodel phenomenon of the 1990s by casting editorial models on the runway. I have two children Allegra and Daniel and had an addiction to cocaine for 18 years. CELEB PIXELS Donatella Versace. 2 Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, 1 ANSWERS: PRIZE CROSSWORD 11 ACROSS: 1. CHOOSING THE BEST (11) 9. SCHOOL (7) 10. IDLE (5) 11. VALLEY (5) 12. OFFENCE (7) 13. PLACE (6) 15. CAUSTIC (6) 18. TRADE (7) 20. SPAGHETTI (5) 22. TEMERITY (5) 23. NARRATION (7) 24. CARELESS (11) DOWN: 2. FISSURE (5) 3. COMPONENT (7) 4. TEST (3,3) 5. MOUNT (5) 6. MANAGER (7) 7. SCHEMING (11) 8. ELASTIC (11) 14. MORTIFICATION (7) 16. IMITATOR (7) 17. RARE (6) 19. SPHERE (5) 21. BEELZEBUB (5). QUICK CROSSWORD SOLUTION ISSUE 10 ACROSS: 1 KEEPSAKE; 5 SPUR; 9 SPAR; 10 COLOSSAL; 11 TWINE; 12 LATTICE; 13 PREPONDERANCE; 18 ALLOTTED; 19 PIPE; 20 SUCCUMB; 21 BROOK; 22 DUDE; 23 DEMOLISH. DOWN: 2 EMPOWER; 3 PARSNIP; 4 KNOWLEDGEABLE; 6 PASSION; 7 RELIEVE; 8 ROSTER; 13 PRAISED; 14 ENLACED; 15 OUTPUT; 16 APPAREL; 17 COPIOUS. IMPOSSIPUZZLES 1 Una and Eoghan were sorting their comic books on the fl oor when Rosie came in. “What a mess,” she exclaimed. “I don’t know why you buy that nonsense.” “We don’t have that many, Mum,” Una told her. “If I gave Eoghan two of mine we’d both have the same, but if he gave me two of his I’d have twice as many as he’d have.” How many did each have? 2 Adam was there already when Abby arrived. “I started right away after your call. Didn’t you?” he asked. Abby smiled. “Of course, but I averaged just 42 miles an hour all the way. You must have been speeding.” “Not really, but I did have 3 miles more to do than you,” replied Adam. “I averaged 56 miles an hour and got here twenty minutes before you.” How far did he drive? Adam drove 68 miles. 2 Una 14, Eoghan 10, 1 ANSWERS:

TIME OUT WOMANSWAY.IE 53 THE BIG QUIZ 1>> Which popular newsreader recently retired from RTÉ? A Ray Kennedy B Sharon Ní Bheoláin C Sharon Tobin D Bryan Dobson 2>> What is the herb known as cilantro in the US called here? A Rosemary B Thyme C Coriander D Sage 3>> Name the murder/mystery play celebrating 70 years of continuous performance? A Witness for the Prosecution B The Mousetrap C Murder on the Nile D Whodunnit 4>> Which famous chef created the book One: Simple One-Pan Wonders? A Jamie Oliver B Nigella Lawson C Darina Allen D Gordon Ramsay 5>> What is the oldest city in Europe? A Venice, Italy B Plovdiv, Bulgaria C Bratislava, Slovakia D Bremen, Germany 6>> What was the theme of the 2024 Met Gala? A In America: An Anthology of Fashion B Camp: Notes on Fashion C China: Through the Looking Glass C Richard Harris D Waylon Jennings 12>> Angeline Ball and Victoria Smurfi t starred in which 2021 dark comedy about hairdressing? A Fringe Benefi ts B Cut and Thrust C Sweetest Snip D Deadly Cuts 13>> What’s the term for quickly immersing food in boiling water and then cold water? A Blanching B Broiling C Braising D Poaching 14>> What was Frank Sinatra’s middle name? A John B George C Arthur D Peter D Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion 7>> Which 16th-Century clan leader was known as the Pirate Queen? A Granuaile B Maire Rua O'Brien C Biddy Early D Gormlaith 8>> What is Irish Eurovision fi nalist Bambie Thug’s real name? A Bambie Thug Robinson B Bambie Ray Robinson C Bambie Pip Robinson D Bambie Slays Robinson 9>> What does the word anodyne mean? A Diffi cult B Heartfelt C Tense D Harmless 10>> Which of these ingredients would you not expect to fi nd in a Reuben sandwich? A Corned beef B Coleslaw C Sauerkraut D Swiss Cheese 11>> Who recorded the original version of disco anthem MacArthur Park in 1968? A Donna Summer B Tony Bennett 1 D, 2 C, 3 B, 4 A, 5 B, 6 D, 7 A, 8 B, 9 D, ANSWERS: 10 B, 11 C, 12 D, 13 A, 14 C. 2 5 7 6 A John 12 10 14

54 WOMANSWAY.IE Cuisine Greek Food writer Georgina Hayden explains why her food philosophy is ‘Greekish’.

WOMANSWAY.IE 55 RECIPES By Prudence Wade Continued overleaf >> F rench and Italian cuisines have long dominated the food landscape. Greek food doesn’t traditionally have quite the same reputation, and while food writer Georgina Hayden is well aware of the stereotypes, that’s something she’s keen on changing. “For a very long time, Greek food was just seen as kebabs, meat on sticks – which is delicious, we love a kebab, don’t get me wrong. But at the same time, that’s all it was – quite greasy, dirty food,” Hayden says. For Greek-Cypriot Hayden, who lives in London, Greek food hasn’t been afforded the same range as other European cuisines. “I’ve thought a lot about why Italian food is elevated. Italian food can be very every day, but you have very fancy Italian restaurants – and Italian holidays are very special, aren’t they? But for a long time, you had Greek package holidays – and there’s nothing wrong with that. “But I think the reason Greek food was misunderstood for a long time, is because I grew up in an era of Teletext Holidays and cheap holidays.” Hayden, 41, suggests Greece became associated with budget holidays – and while the locations might have been beautiful, the strips and accommodations didn’t necessarily reflect that, and that reputation carried over to food. But now, there’s something of a change happening. “Greek foods are having a real moment,” Hayden, who worked with Jamie Oliver for over a decade, adds. “We’re definitely seeing an influx of really high-end – again, it’s not that I need or want food to be posh or fancy. It’s just having a spectrum and a range – if you want to have high-end Greek, now you can. If you want middle and cheaper, you can.” While she accepts that Greek cuisine loves “our grills and our meat”, she says: “This isn’t the only thing… We love lentils, a lot of pulses, a lot of vegetables and salads. Actually, dare I say, if you’re vegetarian, you would be laughing if you went to Greece, you would have such a range of things you could eat there.” So if you were to start cooking a bit more Greek food at home, where should you start? Hayden’s new cookbook, Greekish, has a chapter dedicated to ‘things on sticks’, and for her, this is a great jumping off point. These recipes do very much what they say on the tin – you spear some kind of protein on a stick, be it meat, fish or something like mushrooms, and make a “cracking marinade” to go with it, served with pita bread from the supermarket. And for Hayden, ‘Greekish’ is the best way to describe her food. “It works on a lot of levels, in the fact that the food is Greek-inspired, as opposed to incredibly authentic,” she notes, which is different to her previous two cookbooks – the last, Nistisima, putting the spotlight on food eaten by Orthodox people during Lent. This time round, “They’re Greek recipes, but they’re my recipes,” she says. “So there’s an ‘ish’ to them. No one could argue that it might not be the way their granny makes, or the way their mum makes it – that’s where the ‘ish’ comes from. “But there’s also lots of other ways that it becomes relevant – the fact that I’m Greek Cypriot. Cyprus is a divided island, so the food that I’ve grown up with spans both Greek and Cyprus. I’m Greek, Cypriot – the food is kind of ‘ish’. “So there’s a looseness that comes with being from this island that’s quite far away from the mainland.” Plus, the book is dedicated to her two daughters, Persephone, six, and Elektra, three. “They are ‘Greekish’, they’re half me – Greek Cypriot – and they’re half their dad, who is EnglishIrish. It’s that second generation, mish-mash of cultures that I think we’re seeing now through a lot of food writers, but also certainly the way I cook and live my life. It’s all becoming a nice amalgamation of different cuisines and cultures.” Few dishes sum up Hayden’s ethos better than the baklava cheesecake. “People are familiar with baklava, they know cheesecake – but we put the two together,” she explains. “I know there are variations out there and I’m not the first to make it, but my version is a bit different – there’s a whole pack of feta in the filling, which gives this really delicious, salty-sweet taste.” When Hayden served this cheesecake up to her 83-year-old yia yia (her grandmother), she got the best feedback possible. “I sliced it and gave her the first slice and she stared at it very intently… She looked at me and she was shaking her head, which means she had nothing to say to me. Not one bad thing to say to me – and that’s a very rare occurrence,” Hayden remembers. “The reason I remember it so clearly is because I’m not convinced it’s ever happened otherwise – trust me, my family will definitely tell me everything they think about everything. No one could tell me my baklava cheesecake isn’t good, because my yia yia has spoken.” And because she’s not drawing on traditional dishes, Hayden’s a bit more nervous about releasing this cookbook into the world. “Relying on tradition or existing recipes, a lot of the time that can make your life easier, to be honest, because you are referring to things that you’ve read elsewhere or you’ve learned elsewhere. So this one is me in all my glory out there, just waiting for the attack really – it’s like I’ve got nothing to hide behind, which is scary but also really exhilarating.” “It's like I’ve got nothing to hide behind, which is scary but also really exhilarating” GRILLED HALLOUMI WITH APRICOTS Serves 2-4 No one’s ever going be sad about a whole chunk of halloumi for dinner. “I’m not very on top of things like social media. I’m hopeless at jumping on bandwagons, always late to the party, trend-wise,” admits Georgina. “However, one thing I did share on social media several years ago now, was my method for scoring and grilling a whole block of halloumi with apricots – it took off. I’d never seen halloumi cooked this way

56 WOMANSWAY.IE before, and now it’s being recreated far and wide and I do feel a bit proud. “While the fl avour combination is a family standard, I attribute using the whole block to my dear friend Iain, who would eat an entire block of halloumi in one sitting, because ‘it looked like a chicken breast’. I thought, well, why can’t it be treated like a chicken breast or any other form of protein…? Score, season and grill! Iain, this one’s for you.” Ingredients: 1 x 250g piece of halloumi Olive oil 4 apricots 2tbsp honey A few sprigs of oregano or thyme Method: 1 Preheat your grill to medium-high. Carefully score the top of your halloumi in a criss-cross pattern – don’t cut too deep, you want to keep it intact. Rub the cheese with olive oil, in between the cuts, too. Halve the apricots, remove the stones, and halve again into quarters. Place the halloumi in a snug dish (ideally metal) and nestle around the apricots, drizzling them with olive oil, too. 2 Pop under the grill, not too close, and grill for eight to 10 minutes, so that the fruit starts to caramelise and the halloumi is tender and charred on top. The success of this recipe depends on having the right distance from the grill and heat, so check a few minutes into cooking and see if you need to SPICED LAMB CHOPS WITH HOUMOUS Serves 4 This quick and easy meal looks – and tastes – incredibly impressive. “In terms of instant dinner gratifi cation, you can’t get much better than this,” says Georgina. “It’s up there as one of the quickest meals in the book, worthy to make any weekly repertoire. It takes such little effort for such a lot of fl avour – especially if you buy good ready-made houmous.” Ingredients: 8 lamb chops 2 garlic cloves Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp ground coriander Olive oil 2 lemons 2 shallots 2 green chillies A few sprigs of mint 30g pistachios or almonds 200g houmous, shop-bought or homemade raise the temperature or lower the grill bars. It’s quite a forgiving technique, so take your time and see what works with your grill. When the halloumi is ready, drizzle with honey and scatter over the thyme or oregano. Serve immediately.

RECIPES WOMANSWAY.IE 57 Greekish: Everyday Recipes With Greek Roots by Georgina Hayden is published by Bloomsbury. Photography by Laura Edwards. Available now. CHOCOLATE PARTY CAKE Serves 12 Take your birthday cake to the next level by baking this Greek version. “This chocolate traybake looks like any other right? Not right. It’s Greek, which only means one thing: it’s drenched in syrup,” says Georgina. “Before you roll your eyes at the Greek compulsion to drizzle cakes in syrup, let me tell you something: most simple chocolate sponges dry out so quickly. I’ve only ever met one cocoa sponge that I love and it is made with olive oil instead of butter, which keeps it moist. Otherwise, I think most chocolate sponges taste stale by the next day. “This cake, however, is not only fantastically easy but stays beautifully moist for days – in fact, fi ve whole days by my count. There is less sugar in the cake itself, so the sweetness is balanced out; honestly, you can’t really tell it has a syrup. “It’s not sticky, but rather gives the sponge the most velvety texture. It’s the perfect cake for a party; kids and adults love the retro look, and even with the ganache icing it’s a breeze to make.” Ingredients: 375g caster sugar 1 cinnamon stick 50ml brandy 125g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tray 250g dark and milk chocolate (I like half and half) 3 large eggs 175g plain fl our 75g cocoa powder 1tsp baking powder ½tsp bicarbonate of soda ½tsp fi ne sea salt 200ml whole milk 250ml double cream Sprinkles or fruit (optional) Method: 1 Place 175 grams of the caster sugar in a small saucepan with the cinnamon stick, brandy and 150 millilitres of water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy. Leave to cool. 2 Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5. Grease a deep 30cm x 20cm tray. Melt the butter in a small pan or microwave. Finely chop the chocolate, then set aside. Place the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on a medium speed with the remaining 200 grams of caster sugar. After a minute, increase the speed to high and whisk for four minutes, until pale and voluminous. 3 Meanwhile, in a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the plain fl our, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and fi ne sea salt. When the eggs are ready, whisk in the milk and melted butter, then fold in the dry ingredients and 50 grams of the chopped chocolate. Pour the batter into the prepared tray and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until just cooked through. When a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove from the oven and poke holes all over the sponge and evenly drizzle over the cooled syrup. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. 4 To make the ganache, place the remaining 200 grams of chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the double cream until it is hot, but not boiling. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate, leave for 30 seconds, then slowly stir until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes then spread over the cake. Serve as it is or topped with sprinkles or fruit. WW Method: 1 Place the lamb chops in a mixing bowl or dish and crush in the garlic. Season well and add the ground cumin and coriander. Pour in enough olive oil to coat and squeeze in the juice of one lemon. Really massage the fl avours into the chops, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for as long as you can, bringing it out 20 minutes before you want to cook. If you don’t have much time, just leave to one side on the kitchen counter for at least fi ve minutes. 2 While the lamb is marinating, peel and fi nely slice the shallots. Place in a small bowl with the juice of the remaining lemon and a good pinch of salt. Halve, deseed and fi nely slice the chillies. Toss through the lemony shallots. Pick the mint leaves and roughly chop. Finely chop the pistachios, then set aside. Spoon the houmous out on a serving plate. 3 Place a griddle pan on a high heat and get it hot. Grill the lamb chops for about four minutes on each side, this will give you just-blushing lamb. You can cook them for less or more time depending on your taste. I like to fi nish by propping them up on the fatty side to get it crisp (this was always my mum’s favourite bit). You don’t want to crowd the pan, so you might need to do this in two batches; if so, rest the cooked chops in a very low oven while you cook the others. As soon as all the chops are ready, place them on top of the houmous. Toss the mint through the shallot mixture and scatter over the top with the pistachios.

58 WOMANSWAY.IE A new cookbook from The Hairy Bikers tends to be a moment of celebration, but this release feels a bit different. At the end of February, Dave Myers, one half of the cooking duo, died aged 66 following a battle with cancer. In a statement on social media, co-star Si King said he “will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime”. The duo had been cooking together, writing recipes and fi lming TV shows since their 2004 debut, The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook. Their latest cookbook, The Hairy Dieters’ Fast & Fresh, was developed and written before Myers’ death, with King writing on Instagram: “Dave and I loved working on this book last year, we are incredibly proud of it and we hope you enjoy it.” The recipes are inspired by ingredients of the Mediterranean, with dishes including a red pepper salad with feta, black bean soup, spinach and halloumi curry, and beef ragu with mushrooms. HAIRY DIETERS Simple and healthy Mediterranean-inspired recipes from Si King and the late Dave Myers’ new cookbook. Method: 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways, then use a sharp knife to score cross-hatching through the fl esh of each half. Brush the aubergines with olive oil and season with salt. 2 Place the aubergines in a couple of roasting tins and roast them in the oven for 35–40 minutes until lightly browned and fairly soft but not completely tender. 3 Meanwhile, cook the fi lling. Heat a frying pan and add the lamb mince. Let it sear on the underside before breaking it up and browning it all over – it will start rendering out fat very quickly. When the base of the pan is coated with some of the fat, add the onion and red pepper and sauté over a medium heat for fi ve minutes. Stir in the garlic, ras-elhanout and mint, then season with salt and pepper. 4 Add the chickpeas and tomatoes along with 200 mililitres of water, then bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, until everything is tender and the sauce has reduced. 5 Scoop out the fl esh from the aubergines, leaving a relatively thick layer behind – about half a centimetre. Roughly chop the scooped-out fl esh and add it to the lamb, together with the lemon zest and juice. Cook for a further fi ve minutes, then taste a little of the mixture to check the seasoning and adjust as necessary. 6 Spoon the fi lling into the aubergines. If using the topping, mix the halloumi with two-thirds of the parsley and all of the preserved lemon and sprinkle over the top of the aubergines. Put the aubergines back in the oven for another 10 minutes until piping hot, then serve sprinkled with the remaining chopped parsley. STUFFED AUBERGINES Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 medium aubergines 2tbsp olive oil 300g lamb mince 1 onion, fi nely chopped 1 red pepper, diced 2 garlic cloves, fi nely chopped 1tbsp ras-el-hanout 1tsp dried mint 400g can of chickpeas, drained 200g chopped tomatoes (canned are fi ne) Zest and juice of ½ lemon Salt and black pepper For the topping (optional): 100g halloumi, coarsely grated Leaves from a small bunch parsley, fi nely chopped 1 preserved lemon, very fi nely chopped

WOMANSWAY.IE 59 RECIPES Prudence Wade, PA The Hairy Dieters’ Fast & Fresh by Si King and Dave Myers is published by Seven Dials. Photography by Andrew Hayes-Watkins. Available now. PULLED CHICKEN TACOS Makes 12 Ingredients: 1tbsp olive oil 2 medium red onions, cut into slim wedges 2 red peppers, sliced into strips 3 garlic cloves, fi nely chopped 2tsp chipotle paste 1tbsp tomato purée 2 cooked chicken breasts, pulled into long strips Salt and black pepper For the spice mix (or use 1tbsp of taco seasoning): ½tsp dried oregano ½tsp ground cumin ½tsp ground coriander ½tsp garlic powder ½tsp ground cinnamon ½tsp ground allspice To serve: 2 avocados Zest and juice of 1 lime A small bunch of coriander, fi nely chopped 12 corn tortillas 2tbsp fi nely chopped pickled jalapeños (optional) BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE Serves 8 Ingredients: 100g granola (with no added sugar) Method: 1 If making the spice mix, combine all the ingredients and stir well, then set aside. 2 Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and add the onions and peppers. Sauté over a high heat until they are starting to brown and just al dente. Stir in the garlic and sprinkle over the spice mix. 3 Whisk the chipotle paste and tomato purée with 150 mililitres of water and pour it over the vegetables. Add the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced. 4 Peel and dice the avocados, then toss them with half a teaspoon of salt, the lime zest and juice and the coriander. Warm the tortillas and load them with the chicken. Top with avocado and the jalapeños, if you want extra heat. 25g butter 150g cream cheese 125g buttermilk 1tbsp honey 25g icing sugar Zest and juice of 1 lime Pinch of salt 200g blueberries Method: 1 Line a deep 15 centimetre-diameter cake tin with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. 2 Put the granola into a food processor and blitz until it’s well broken down. It doesn’t have to be fi ne crumbs, though – it’s good to have some texture. Melt the butter, add the granola and stir to combine, then press the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 15 minutes until the granola is lightly coloured, then remove from the oven and leave to cool. 3 Put the cream cheese into a bowl and beat until smooth. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the blueberries, and mix well. Sprinkle the blueberries over the granola base and pour the cream cheese mixture over the top. Smooth the mixture out as much as you can, then drop the tin on your work surface a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles. 4 Leave the cheesecake in the fridge for several hours, or overnight, until set and well chilled before slicing and serving. WW

60 WOMANSWAY.IE Crispy chicken, cauliflower flatbreads and a s’mores dessert. T he air fryer has become a staple in many kitchens, and it’s easier than ever to use them for quick, no-fuss meals. The devices are low-energy, often faster, alternatives to using a conventional oven. Northern Irish chef Nathan Anthony, who rose to fame sharing air fryer and slow cooker recipes on his social media platform with four million followers, Bored Of Lunch, has released a new book, Healthy Air Fryer: 30 Minute Meals. Here are three of his new recipes. CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN Serves: 6 Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Ingredients 1.2kg chicken drumsticks and thighs, skin on 200ml buttermilk or 4 beaten eggs 120g plain flour 120g cornflour 2tbsp paprika 1tsp chilli powder 1tbsp dried oregano 1tsp dried thyme 1tsp dried basil 1tbsp mustard powder ½tsp ground ginger 1tbsp garlic granules 1½tbsp white pepper 1tbsp black pepper 1tsp salt 2tbsp vegetable oil Olive oil spray (not low-calorie) Method 1 Coat the chicken pieces in the buttermilk or beaten egg. 2 Mix together all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then dredge the chicken first in this mix, then back into the buttermilk or beaten egg, then coat in the dry mix one more time. 3 Add the vegetable oil to your air fryer and preheat for 2 minutes at 200°C. 4 This next step is very important; coat the chicken VERY well with the olive oil spray – the flour needs to look mostly yellow from the spray. Air-fry at 200°C for 20 minutes, turning and re-spraying halfway through cooking. 5 As your air fryer will be at capacity with the chicken, you could just pop some chips in the oven and heat some baked beans in the microwave or on the hob to accompany. CAULIFLOWER AND AUBERGINE FLATBREADS WITH A LIME YOGHURT Serves 4 Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Ingredients 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets 1 aubergine, sliced 1tbsp oil 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp turmeric 1tbsp curry powder 1tbsp paprika 1tsp mild chilli powder 4 flatbreads Salt and pepper, to taste Fresh coriander, to garnish Pickled veg, jalapeño or red onion, to serve Hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, to serve For the yoghurt: 1tbsp tahini 1 lime, zested 6tbsp yoghurt Method 1 Coat the cauliflower florets and aubergine slices in the oil and the spices and season to taste. Air-fry for 14-16 minutes at 190°C. 2 Combine all the yoghurt ingredients in a bowl. 3 Toast the flatbreads in the air fryer at 190°C for 1 minute, then serve alongside the yoghurt and hummus and garnish. S’MORES DIP WITH BANANA AND CHOCOLATE SWIRLS Serves 6 Ingredients 2 crêpes or tortilla wraps 2 heaped tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread (for example, Nutella) 2 bananas Icing sugar, to dust For the s’mores dip: 300g milk chocolate, broken into pieces 200g large marshmallows Healthy Air Fryer Recipes Method 1 Spread each crêpe or wrap with the chocolate hazelnut spread and add a peeled banana on top of each one, placed up to the edge, then roll up the crêpe or wrap until you reach the end. Dust with icing sugar and cut into bite-size chunks. If you want, cook in the air fryer at 200°C for 7 minutes. 2 For the s’mores dip, place the

WOMANSWAY.IE 61 RECIPES By Lauren Taylor Bored of Lunch: Healthy Air Fryer 30 Minute Meals by Nathan Anthony is published by Ebury Press. Photography by Dan Jones. Available now. chocolate on the bottom of a heatproof dish, then scatter the marshmallows on top in an even layer, making sure they fully cover the chocolate. Air-fry at 160°C for 5–6 minutes until gooey and melted. 3 Serve the banana swirls along with the s’mores dip, get stuck in and enjoy. I like to dust the crêpe bites again with icing sugar just before dipping. WW

62 WOMANSWAY.IE Starting Afresh Gardeners’ World presenter Frances Tophill offers 10 tips on creating a new garden. Frances Tophill “If the soil is very wet in the winter, it might be very dry in the summer. A lot of clay soils, for example, store the water in the soil in the winter and then bake solid in the summer. “If you don’t want the soil to be quite as wet, add organic matter, either compost or manure, once the soil has dried. Never add organic matter to waterlogged soil because it then breaks down and creates lots of anaerobic bacterial conditions that will make it worse. “Once the soil has dried out a bit, dig in organic matter that will slowly improve the structure of the soil. Adding grit can help, but generally that gets sucked into the clay anyway and doesn’t make a huge difference.” 6 Choose suitable plants for your soil “This is the best thing to do. On natural pathways are and how you move through the space, and you’ll also learn what you like and what you don’t like.” In time, you may want to move plants that have emerged but might be in the wrong place. “I moved a rhubarb from a sunny patch to near the pond. Moving plants is best in autumn or spring, or for a shrub or a tree, when it’s fully dormant.” 3 Keep a diary “I made notes, kept a diary, maybe because I’m not a particularly organised person. What tends to happen is that you notice the things that matter. “I noticed, for example, that my garden has a very big wall to the south side, so in the middle of winter I get no sun at all because the low sun is behind that wall all the time. When I moved in February last year, I realised I had no sun, but in March the sun hit the corner of the garden and I wrote that down. “Those detailed observations will help you to work out where to put plants that need sunlight and where you won’t be able to put certain plants.” 4 Take photos “Defi nitely take photos because that will jog your memory and you’ll see what was where. See how it’s comparing to what it was before.” 5 Test your soil “Work out how alkaline or acid the soil is – soil testers are easily available from garden centres. Also look at how wet the soil is. Do a bit of a dig, see how many worms you have, assess the condition of the soil. When Gardeners’ World presenter Frances Tophill moved to her two-bedroom stone cottage in Devon, she inherited the biggest garden she had ever owned, at 9m x 10m, with a little lawn, a rose archway, a small pond and a wood store. There, she has created her own pocket of paradise, but has learned much along the way, as she explains in her new book, A Year in a Small Garden. Here, she offers tips to anyone who has just moved and is wondering what to do with their new plot of land in the next year. 1 Watch and learn “The fi rst year, I would just almost be observing what the garden does. The light changes so much from winter to summer, the position of the sun. You learn where there are wet patches and dry patches, windy patches, or there might be bits that never get any rain because a wall gives you a rain shadow.” 2 Try to do the minimum “See what comes up. In my garden I had daffodils, rhubarb and things that I thought had died or I didn’t think there was anything there and suddenly you have growth shooting from the soil. “Doing the very minimum is really important, because if you take the time to do that, then by the time you put pen to paper to make a little design of what you want your garden to be, you’ll know which bits you can use, where the sun hits, where you want to sit and where you want to store stuff. “You can also fi nd what your

GARDENING WOMANSWAY.IE 63 By Hannah Stephenson, PA A Year in a Small Garden by Frances Tophill is published by BBC Books. Available now. permanently wet ground you might grow bog plants like ligularias, fi lipendula, astilbes and ferns. If you have soil that is wet in the winter and dry in the summer, plant more of the fl oodplain plants like astrantias and veronicastrums.” 7 Don’t tidy up too much If your new garden is totally overgrown, full of brambles and weeds and without any semblance of order, don’t clear it too vigorously, Tophill suggests. “You are going to want to clear, whether you get a brush cutter or just lay down cardboard to suppress some of the weeds and create some beds, or just mow parts through it, which can be a really nice way to give you access. If you must clear, do it with gentleness.” 8 Make friends with the neighbours “That is really important, especially if you are planning on doing any kind of work. Get to know people fi rst so they know you’re all right. I’ve learned this.” Indeed, a month after moving in, a BBC camera crew came in to fi lm her garden for Gardeners’ World, and she also had a greenhouse built that takes up about a fi fth of her outdoor space. Although she had told neighbours, it took a bit of getting used to. 9 Focus on your own needs “Work out what you want or need as a couple or a family or if you’re on your own. For a lot of people, it’s just a bit of fresh air and maybe a kind of outdoor room that they’re going to use to sit in, but a lot of people want to grow vegetables. Is that going to be what your garden needs? “Do you need storage, a lawn mower, a lawn, or a low-maintenance spot to chill out after a day of working at a computer? “Try to work out your own needs from the garden and combine that with your observations. I’d also write that down. What do you want from the garden? What do you need from the garden? You can probably take quite a few of the things off the want list. You might be able to combine some of the two.” 10 Keep it simple “If you try to fi t too much into a small space, it will look smaller and more cluttered.” WW “Try to work out your own needs from the garden and combine that with your observations” Ligularias

64 WOMANSWAY.IE Flowers Lucy Hutchings and Kate Cotterill of She Grows Veg offer tips on tasty blooms. which the pair recommend to provide you with a beautiful harvest of edible blooms to wow your friends and family in the months to come. 1 Violas and pansies The classic edible fl owers add colour to salads, garnish desserts and adorn garlic butter, and can be crystallised to decorate cakes. They are really easy to grow from seed and largely perennial, meaning they can be enjoyed for many years. “Anything that helps create a beautiful outside space, while also offering an abundant harvest of food, is always going to be a winning formula.” She and Cotterill, marketeer and music festival organiser, will be exhibiting at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the fi rst time his year, showcasing the She Grows Veg ‘Edimental’ display in the Great Pavilion, working with fl oral designer and broadcaster Hazel Gardiner to create a huge exhibit inspired by renaissance old masters paintings but with a modern twist. Each display will be a mix of seeds, young plants, mature plants and harvested fruit and veg showing the full life cycle from seed to food. Acclaimed chef Raymond Blanc will also join the She Grows Veg team on opening day to cook their heirloom produce for press day visitors. Leaf through some easy-to-grow plants Garden designers and growers Lucy Hutchings and Kate Cotterill, founders of new heritage seed company She Grows Veg, are known for growing a range of delicious edibles – but they also realise the value of tasty fl owers. “With outside space being ever more of a premium for many people, it’s not really surprising that edible fl owers continue to grow in popularity,” says Hutchings, former jewellery designer to the stars-turned-social media veg grower (@shegrowsveg), with 186k Instagram followers. Flowers EDIBLE Violas and borage on meringues Nasturtiums look great on a salad

GARDENING WOMANSWAY.IE 65 By Hannah Stephenson, PA 2 Nasturtiums Arguably the most useful of all edible fl owers, not only do these summer blooms add bright pops of vibrant colour, often in shades of zingy yellow and burnt orange, to the garden but the entire plant is edible. The fl owers and leaves give a peppery punch of fl avour similar to rocket and make a fabulous pesto when used in place of basil. You can even pickle or brine the seeds while they are still green and use them as an alternative to capers. A particularly beautiful variety is called ‘Bloody Mary’. 3 Sunfl owers “A much loved fl ower in many gardens, it is surprising how little is known about all the ways in which this spectacular fl ower can be eaten,” says Hutchings. “Rather than roasting the seeds and attempting the fi ddly job of peeling them, try sprouting them as a microgreen that can be enjoyed throughout the year. “Additionally, the unopened fl ower buds can be eaten like globe artichokes and the heads can be picked before the seed coats harden, then roasted and eaten like corn on the cob. For giant heads with huge yields of seed, try ‘Titan’ sunfl owers,” she suggests. 4 Dahlias These beautiful late-fl owering blooms offer spectacular colour from summer and throughout autumn to the fi rst frost. The fl ower petals are edible, yet the plant was fi rst introduced to Europe as a food crop, not an ornamental. It comes into its own when dug up ready for overwintering. Remove a few of the outer tubers and enjoy like a fragrant new potato. Cheap and easy to grow from seed and with a fi ery mix of fl owers on nearly black foliage, ‘Bishop’s Children’ will fl ower in the fi rst year. 5 Calendulas Super easy to grow, this fl ower can be picked fresh and sprinkled into salads or desserts. Alternatively, the petals can be dried and used as a substitute for saffron. For vibrant orange fl owers, perfect for drying, try ‘Orange King’. 6 Artichokes We think of globe artichokes as vegetables, when they are in fact the most gourmet of all edible fl owers. If you consider the price you pay per head for this ingredient in the shops, this plant is a valuable addition to any garden from a fi nancial, culinary and aesthetic perspective. Easy to grow from seed, this perennial will provide food and stunning fl owers for many years, and if some heads are left to fully fl ower, the bees go crazy for them. For a particularly pretty option, consider ‘Italian Purple’, they suggest. WW Calendula fl owers on croutons Lucy Hutchings with a 'Titan' sunfl ower head Dahlias Kate Cotterill and Lucy Hutchings Artichoke fl ower

66 WOMANSWAY.IE Want to attract more bees to your garden? Here’s how to do it. easier for bees to access than pom pom or ball varieties) also pack a colourful punch. Herbs can also create an abundance of colour and fragrance which will be a magnet for bees. Lavender, borage, sage, thyme and rosemary provide pretty fl owers, add fl avour to your cooking and will keep bees happy. Bulbs can also do their bit, so think ahead because you’ll need to plant the spring-fl owering ones in autumn. Then, in late winter and early spring, bees will go mad for the early nectar and pollen from crocuses, winter aconites and irises, when much of the garden has yet to come to life. bluebells, borage, aquilegia and lavender. Umbelliferous plants which have an umbrella with a mass of fl oral units with short fl owers, including late-fl owering sedum, astrantia, different angelicas and cenolophium denudatum are also a magnet for bees. For a list of pollinator-friendly plants and download its plants for pollinators list, visit rhs.org.uk. Think about what you plant in containers If you’re going for brightly coloured bedding found in garden centres and DIY shops, like pelargonium, busy lizzies, pansies and petunias, you may not be doing much for your bees, as extensive selective breeding has resulted in some fl owers losing nectar. You can make bee-friendly containers using many other plants. There’s a Cosmos Apollo series with shorter stems which look great in containers, as do vibrant yellow dwarf rudbeckias, while single dahlias (which have fl owers which are As gardeners, we want to see as much benefi cial wildlife in our outside space as possible – and bees provide us with not only the feelings of a healthy garden but also the hope that we’ve more chance of a good harvest of edibles thanks to their presence. On the runup to World Bee Day (May 20), there are many initiatives to raise awareness on the essential role pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy. Here are a few simple things you can do to encourage bees into your garden. Plant bee-friendly fl owers There are over 270 species of bee and good planting is essential to get different types into your garden. Honeybees, for example, have short tongues so are able to access fl owers that are open such as those daisylike types from the aster family, as well as alliums, clovers and herbs including marjoram. Bumblebees have longer tongues and like plants including foxgloves, honeysuckle, WHAT A BUZZ A bumblebee in a foxglove

GARDENING WOMANSWAY.IE 67 By Hannah Stephenson, PA Avoid double varieties Go for single, open-fl owered types such as daisy-like fl owers, because with double varieties some of the pollen and nectar has been lost as more petals have been established. Some plants which have been heavily hybridised to produce more blousy, bigger blooms have in the process made it impossible for bees to access the nectar or pollen, if indeed there is any pollen because some sterile hybrids don’t produce any. Keep bees happy in autumn and winter While ivy may be seen as a bugbear to some gardeners, it’s manna from heaven to bees, with its nectar-rich fl owers in autumn. Single-fl owered hellebores, with their pretty, nodding blooms, provide much needed nectar in winter, as do winter-fl owering clematis, bright yellow scented mahonia fl owers, and willows, whose catkins provide plenty of pollen for bees. Leave some weeds While many gardeners still dig out all visible weeds, there’s a growing movement to leaving some in the grass or fl owerbed as a great source of pollen and nectar. Top nectar producers include dandelions and ragwort. Leaving clovers in lawns will also benefi t bees. Provide access to water Whether you have a pond in your garden or a saucer on your balcony, make sure bees can get in and out of it easily, because they can’t swim and they will drown. Put some stones or pebbles in strategic positions so that they can easily access water and can exit it too. Don’t use chemicals Avoid chemicals at all costs, even if aphids are running amok. You can usually just squirt them off with soapy water or, wearing a pair of gloves, run your fi ngers down the stems where you see them to keep them at bay. Pesticides can be deadly for bees which are feeding on sprayed plants. Consider a wild patch The ‘rewilding’ debate continues, but if you have space, just leave a patch at the back of the garden to do its thing – weeds, wildfl owers and long grass will all provide food and shelter for bees. Provide shelter Solitary bees need ideal nesting sites to lay eggs, and are attracted to holes in wood, so you could either buy a bee house or make your own from hollow bamboo canes tied with string and inserted into a secure frame. All the adults generally die off before winter comes, the females leaving their eggs sealed inside a nest in a cavity or burrow, provided with food stores of pollen and nectar. Honeybees are the only bee species in Ireland that overcome winter as a colony, whereas with bumblebees, only the queen survives winter. Queen bumblebees hibernate underground in loose soil or banks of earth, burrowing into soft earth or under logs and stones to escape the frost. So don’t tidy up too much. Leave piles of twigs and branches where they are as easy shelters for hibernation. Become a beekeeper There’s a growing interest in beekeeping, but if you’re a beginner, seek advice to understand the safety and basic knowledge of beekeeping. You can do an online course or contact one of over 40 local associations across Ireland who serve their local community with support and education. For details of beekeeping experiences and training courses, visit The Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations on irishbeekeeping.ie. WW A bee fi nding shelter in a bamboo cane A honeybee on an aster Bees accessing water from a stone in a plant saucer Lavender

68 WOMANSWAY.IE Knitting pattern abbreviations The pattern abbreviations are relevant to all Yarning Connections knitting patterns. St(s)stitch(es) CY conductive yarn MC main colour CC contrast colour Beg beginning Cont continue Dec decrease Inc increase Tog together Rep repeat Alt alternate Rail full or partial row of stitches of conductive yarn RHS right hand side LHS left hand side CY1 fi rst strand/s of conductive yarn introduced CY2 second strand/s of conductive yarn introduced robot Knit a This miniature robot with light-up belt pattern was devised by Yarning Connections, a group of crafters from Waterford who knit and crochet electronic textiles. LED positive tab: Sew the remaining strands of CY1 to the LED’s positive (+) tab. Weave loose ends back through the CY1 rail and trim any excess CY. Weave in MC ends to complete the belt (Figures 5 and 6). When the belt is attached to the body at the head, waist or arms, the LED should illuminate. Knit the body Pattern notes Dk Acrylic and 4mm needles. Tension of 1x1 rib: 20 sts x 22 rows = 10cm x 10cm. Follow the rib pattern stitches as outlined in the pattern. MC in Grey. CC1 in Green. Legs (knit 2) Working with two strands of CC1, Cast on 11 sts. Row 1: *Purl 1, knit 1; rep from * to end. attached pink yarn marker) on the left and CY2 on the right. Assign CY1 as the positive power (+) rail and CY2 as the ground (-) rail. The snaps are sewn onto this side and the LED to the reverse side, which serves as the front of the belt. When the belt is fully assembled and fastened to the body the LED should illuminate. Accompanying Figure 1 is the belt circuit diagram (see Figure 2) which demonstrates the connection setup, where the LED’s positive (+) tab connects to a male snap through the positive power (+) rail (identifi ed as CY1), and the negative (-) tab connects to a female snap through the ground (-) rail (identifi ed as CY2). Attaching the LED and snap fastener Begin by keeping the belt orientated as in fi gure 1. Male snap: Using the two outer tail strands of CY1 (far left), weave them through the CY1 rail until you are approximately 1.5cm from the edge. Centre the male snap at this point and sew in place (see Figure 3). Weave loose ends back through the CY1 rail and trim any excess CY. Female snap: Using the two outer tail strands of CY2 (far right), weave them through the CY2 rail until you are approximately 1.5cm from the edge. Aim to have the centre of the female snap approximately 3cm apart from the centre of the male snap. Sew the female snap in place. Weave loose ends back through the CY2 rail and trim any excess CY. LED negative tab: Take the inner CY1 and CY2 tail strands and thread these strands directly through to the front. Flip horizontally; CY2 is now on the left. Sew all strands of CY2 to the negative (-) tab on the LED (see Figure 4), securely fi xing the LED in place. Weave loose ends back through the CY2 rail and trim any excess CY. Knit the belt Using Dk acrylic and 4mm needles. MC in Purple. Pattern is stocking stitch: knit 1 row, purl 1 row. Cast on 15 sts. Row 1: Knit. Row 2: Purl. To make CY1, cut 2 x strands of CY, each piece 80cm long. To make CY2, cut 2 x strands of CY, each piece 80cm long. Use 2 strands together when knitting. Allow 30cm tail ends for connecting to components. Row 3: Knit 1 MC, switch to CY1, carry the MC and knit 5 CY1, drop CY1, use a yarn marker to identify CY1, knit 3 MC, switch to CY2, carry the MC and knit 5 CY2, knit 1 MC. Row 4 & 5: Work in stocking stitch with MC. Cast off. Orientation Position the belt with the conductive tails facing you as in Figure 1. This is the back of the belt with CY1 tails (identifi able by

WOMANSWAY.IE 69 KNITTING The completed belt snap fastened to the body, with process images pictured from top to bottom: Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. 1: Orientation of the belt shape with the CY1 tails (attached to a yarn marker) on the left, and CY2 on the right. This side is the back of the belt and the side the snaps are sewn to. 2: Belt circuit diagram. 3: Back view of belt with a male snap partially sewn in place. 4: Front view of the belt (fl ipped horizontally). CY1 is now on the right and CY2 is on the left. The LED is positioned with the negative tab threaded, ready to sew in place. 5: Front view of the completed belt with the LED’s negative (-) tab to the left and positive (+) to the right. 6: Back view of the completed belt (fl ipped horizontally), with the male snap on the left and female snap on the right. 7: Arrangement of feet on the needle, ready to knit across. 8: The knitted body shape. 9: The body and arms ready to assemble. toes pointing to the right, as shown in Figure 7. If you have one leg with yarn still connected use this leg as the right leg. Row 14: Start by working across the right leg and then the left leg to join both legs together. Knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to end. (18 sts) Rows 15-26: Knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to end. (18 sts) Row 27: Purl 2 tog, *knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to last 2 sts, knit 2 tog. (16 sts) Row 28: Knit 2 tog, *purl 1, knit 1; rep from * to last 2 sts, purl 2 tog. (14 sts) Row 29: Purl 2 tog, *knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to last 2 sts, knit 2 tog. (12 sts) Row 30: Knit 2 tog, *purl 1, knit 1; rep from * to last 2 sts, purl 2 tog. (10 sts) Rows 31-37: Knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to end. (10sts) Cast off and weave in all ends. This completes the body shape (see Figure 8). Knit the Arms (Make 2) Using one strand of MC, cast on 27 sts. Row 1: *Knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to end. Row 2: *Purl 1, knit 1; rep from * to end. Cast off. Twist the arms to encourage the curl shape and sew the arms to the body at the shoulders. Refer to Figure 9 for the positioning of the arms. WW The Yarning Connections e-textiles pattern book is free to download on waltoninstitute.ie Row 2: *Knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to end. Row 3: *Purl 1, knit 1; rep from * to end. Row 4: Knit 2 tog, purl 2 tog, *knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to end. (9 sts) Row 5: Change to MC, *purl 1, knit 1; rep from * to end. (9 sts) Row 6: *Knit 1, purl 1; rep from * to end. Row 7: *Purl 1, knit 1; rep from * to end. Rows 8-13: Repeat rows 6 and 7. (9 sts) Move the fi rst leg to another needle or stitch holder, break yarn and set aside. Make a second leg identical to this leg, move to another needle or stitch holder. You can either break the yarn on the second leg or keep the yarn attached. Leg arrangement and body rows Arrange the legs on one needle so that the left leg is positioned on the inside, toes pointing to the left, and the right leg is on the outside, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

COMPETITION 70 WOMANSWAY.IE One lucky reader will win an Amala Metallics 9.5 kW shower in brass (€470) from Triton Showers Ireland, delivered to their home. Modern styling meets accessible technology in this A-rated energy-efficient shower which not only looks good but also saves water, energy, and money. Available in black with brushed brass or brushed copper effect trims and temperature dial, the Amala Metallic Electric Shower comes with an easy-clean, five-spray pattern shower head and slender riser rail kit for the ultimate minimalist appeal. By heating instantly and on demand, it avoids unnecessary wastage without compromising on performance, while its phased shutdown flushes unused water from the system to help reduce limescale buildup. It’s also available in a DuElec shower configuration which lets you seamlessly switch between a handheld and a rainfall showerhead. To find out more about the Triton Amala Metallic Electric Shower, including finding a stockist, visit tritonshowers.ie. To enter, please answer the following: WHAT COLOUR IS THE AMALA METALLIC ELECTRIC SHOWER? A. WHITE B. BLACK C.PINK HOW TO ENTER Email your answer by June 3 to: [email protected] including your name, address and telephone number and labelling your mail ‘The Triton 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 notified by email. The editor’s decision is final. A TRITON SHOWER Win

HOROSCOPES WOMANSWAY.IE 71 Find out what your horoscope has in store for you in the weeks ahead with Patrick Arundell. ARIES 21 March – 20 April As the Sun dances with unpredictable Uranus and expansive Jupiter, expect surprises that could enhance your income and your perspective. Plus, with Mercury also stepping into Taurus, any bright ideas will also need to be practical. It’s a rare cosmic mix that urges you to be brilliant and consistent. So plant those wild seeds but also innovate, integrate and cultivate too, Aries. TAURUS 21 April – 21 May The spotlight is on you, stirring up a cocktail of planetary energies. As the Sun aligns with restless Uranus, you’re invited to shake up your usual routine with a splash of spontaneity. Yet Mercury’s entrance also encourages a methodical approach. It’s time to channel your inner rebel, but with a plan in hand. Embrace the new, experiment boldly, but tread with intention too. GEMINI 22 May – 21 June Your busy mind is invited to indulge in a retreat. With the Sun and Uranus stirring up the energies of Taurus, and Mercury, your guide planet, also in a spiritual corner, a peaceful phase beckons. See this opportunity as a personal intermission and a chance to recharge and refl ect. The tranquillity you’ll enjoy is your new companion, while silence can reveal more than speech. CANCER 22 June – 23 July Ready to be more sociable? As upbeat planets energise a convivial zone, a dose of excitement is on the horizon. Mercury also moves into the same space in Taurus, enhancing your urge to mingle and network. The stars are aligning for you to connect with new circles and kindred spirits. Ready to explore your passions? They could guide you to your true companions, Cancer. LEO 24 July – 23 August With an enriching lineup in Taurus, the curtain rises, spotlighting your fi nest attributes. Key planets aligned in this practical sign bring a twist of excitement to your ambitions. And with Mercury, the artful dealmaker, also stepping into Taurus, your presence shines even brighter. Strut your stuff and promote your talents. The stage is your natural habitat after all, Leo. VIRGO 24 August – 23 September Ready for a jolt of energy that can shake up your routine? The Sun links up with restless Uranus and later boundless Jupiter, so a thirst for the new and unexplored may bubble up within you. Mercury’s transition into Taurus enhances this blend, sharpening your focus towards learning and exploration. Eager to tackle fresh challenges and soak in novel experiences? Just do it! LIBRA 24 September – 23 October With positive planets journeying through Taurus, your fi nancial sector is buzzing. It’s also time to transform a mindset that works against you. As Mercury enlivens your thoughts in matters of money and business, consider this a perfect moment to create new strategies. Scrutinise your many assets, embrace unexplored avenues of income and align with abundance, Libra. SCORPIO 24 October – 22 November With a scintillating lineup in the sign of Taurus, your relationship realm lights up with real potential. Expect signifi cant conversations that could reshape your connections. It’s a stellar time for negotiations, whether of the heart or something more businesslike. You’ll fi nd words to express your feelings and the patience to listen, paving the way for more profound connections. SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December Does your lifestyle need spicing up? This week’s celestial lineup suggests it might. You’re primed to transform your daily schedule. Compare your ideal with your reality, and the chances are that things could be better. A few small changes can make an impact. It’s time to tweak, adjust and infuse some excitement into your routines. Break the monotony and have some fun. CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January Ready to enjoy life? This week, the cosmos is keen to jazz up your leisure and pleasure sectors. With the Sun mingling with unpredictable Uranus, romantic dates sparkle with promise. Whether you’re hunting for love or just a dose of delight, the stars are aligned to assist. Plus, with Venus adding her charm, your allure is irresistible. Flirt with life and watch the magic unfold. AQUARIUS 21 January – 19 February The current cosmic lineup sparks a vibrant dialogue around home and family that encourages wise investment and a creative focus on your living space. Welcome the surge of new ideas, but also fi nd balance by slowing down. This is a prime time to streamline your place and soak in the simplicity of home comforts. Pause, create a plan, and you’ll begin to prosper, Aquarius. PISCES 20 February – 20 March Your ability to exchange ideas is supercharged, so get ready to cast your conversational nets wider. With Mercury also diving into the mix, your words will carry even more weight and wisdom. Whether it’s negotiation, discussion or study, seek out souls who share your passions and perspectives. You’ll fi nd their stories could unlock new possibilities and spark inspiration. WW

ADVICE WOMANSWAY.IE 73 Columnist and trained counsellor Fiona Caine answers another set of reader dilemmas. DearFiona If you have a problem you need help with, email Fiona by writing to [email protected] for advice. All letters are treated in complete confidence and, to protect this privacy, Fiona is unable to pass on your messages to other readers. Fiona regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence. WHY IS MY DAUGHTER AVOIDING ME? My daughter got married over Christmas last year and since then, I’ve only seen her about four times, and each time it was only ever for a quick coffee. She tells me that to make ends meet, she’s had to set up a small home-business on top of a full-time job that also needs long hours. She’s also said that after keeping their apartment straight, she’s got very little free time left to do anything else. Her husband is equally busy it seems. I don’t understand how that can be true. I know they have a cleaner, so keeping their new home straight can’t take up that much of her time. She also fi nds time to help at a local food bank. Her husband is much the same. He works freelance but can do this whenever he likes, which can’t be too often because he still fi nds lots of time to work on his motorbike and do most of the cooking. So, I know he’s got plenty of time to bring her to visit. I call her mobile phone regularly, but it seems to always go straight to a messaging service, and it then takes ages for her to call back. It seems to me that she is avoiding me, and I just don’t understand her attitude. I know things are tough fi nancially at the moment, but shouldn’t this mean families stick together more, not avoid each other? I never ignored my mother like this, she’d have been really offended and hurt, much as I am now. Why is she avoiding me? C. L. FIONA SAYS: SHE’S A BUSY NEWLYWED Making generational comparisons like this is rarely fair, as it’s a very different world today, with very different work and life pressures. And I don’t think you are being ignored. Your daughter has only been married for about four months so, by my rudimentary maths, she’s seen you about once a month. You also seem to have regular contact by mobile phone. I don’t know how often you saw or spoke to each other before, but this sounds far from being ignored. Your daughter has only just got married so it’s natural for her and her husband to be more than a bit preoccupied with each other. This probably leaves very little emotional room for anyone else, you included. On top of this, they are creating a new home together in their apartment, working hard and relaxing when they can – in short, they are focused on building a new life. And if you try to force your daughter to choose between time with you and time working on this new life, I think she’ll just resent it. Please try not to blame her or be upset about the changed relationship you now have with her – it was inevitable when she got married. If you can give them a bit of space now, I’m sure they’ll be able to fi nd more time for you once things settle down. Let them know that you are happy for them and that you’re there if they need you. Meanwhile, fi ll the temporary gap left in your life with more time devoted to those interests that make you happy. If this means starting new things and meeting new people, so much the better. AM I TOO OLD TO TRY FOR ANOTHER BABY? I’m 36 and have two children aged 11 and 13. I have just remarried, and my 42-year-old new husband is wonderful. He too has teenage children, aged 13 and 14. As a family, we are very happy together and our children get on well, but we think it would be a good thing if we had a child together. Although my pregnancies were both relatively easy in my 20s, I am worried that I am now too old, however. I suppose it’s because I am worried about it all going wrong. I know, for example, that I couldn’t cope if our child had a disability. That probably sounds a bit callous, but I had a friend at school who had a disability and I remember how exhausted her mum always looked. When she died last year, her mum was a broken woman, a shadow of the person I had known as a child. I know there are many more tests that can be done during pregnancy these days to detect problems, but it all seems very confusing and worrying. I love the idea of having a child with my husband but am worried about something going wrong. What should I do? K. H. FIONA SAYS: TALK THINGS THROUGH WITH YOUR HUSBAND I can’t tell you what you should do. It’s a decision that you need to discuss fully with your husband, and both of you need to be sure it’s what you want. Please don’t make this kind of decision just to make a partner happy. However, I can categorically tell you that are not too old to have another child. You’re both at an age when many couples these days are in the throes of having their fi rst child. It’s true that older mothers carry a greater risk of certain diffi culties. That said, many mothers considerably older than you, go on to have a healthy fi rst child. You are right in thinking that there are several tests, scans and antenatal checks that can be done during pregnancy, and sometimes before, to detect potential issues. Some are simple blood tests or ultrasound scans that carry little or no risk. Others involve taking a sample from the amniotic fl uid or the placenta, and these do carry a small chance of triggering a miscarriage. How would your husband feel about this? How would your children react? The two of you need to talk all of this through. WW

74 WOMANSWAY.IE and I’m like, ‘No, it’s not a privilege, getting old is the privilege’. The aches are coming, the wrinkles are coming – no one likes that! “But what I know is if my brain can stay alert, and I go with the flow, why can’t I still be the strongest, fittest person in my age group? And that’s what I want to do.” The former athlete, who won gold in the 800m and 1500m at the 2004 Athens Olympics, still keeps fit, although she RUNNING WITH AGEING Double Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes talks about coping with aches and pains. Wellbeing generally getting older. But while she knows the battle against ageing is one neither she or anyone else can ultimately win, Holmes’ innate fighting spirit means she’s having an impressive go at keeping the effects of ageing at bay, at least for the moment. “Getting old is a privilege, but ageing, I don’t like,” she declares. “I heard someone the other day saying ageing is a privilege, T wenty years after racing to two gold medals at the Olympics, Kelly Holmes is facing another daunting, yet far more mundane, challenge – coping with ageing. Now aged 54, the former middledistance runner has been battling with aching joints as well as insomnia, which she thinks is linked to perimenopause and

IN PERSON WOMANSWAY.IE 75 By Lisa Salmon, PA Marathon, but insists it didn’t whet her appetite to run the distance again herself. “I wasn’t tempted, no, not at all,” she says with a laugh. “Hats off to everybody who did it, no matter if you did fi ve-and-a-half hours or whether you’re an elite athlete. But it’s the training and the commitment for that training – months and months of it. “People forget – you see the outcome and retired from competitive running in 2005. Yet despite still exercising nearly every day – she does one long run of eight to 10 miles and two shorter runs of three to six miles per week, plus a few weighttraining sessions – in recent years she’s been troubled by aches and pains at one stage, and reveals: “I wasn’t able to even do a press-up, I had so much pain going through my body, my wrists and hands. It just felt so painful.” Kelly says the aches and pains were mainly in her wrists, knees and back, and although she didn’t have hot sweats, she had insomnia and linked her physical problems to perimenopause. “I just knew,” she says. “I’ve been into sport and fi tness all my life, I know what pain is when you get an injury, and I also know when my body doesn’t feel right. It was a weird feeling, that pain. “When you get more anxious and things like that, I knew it was my hormones. I was aware my hormones were changing, so I related the body pains to that.” She started taking HRT, but didn’t see benefi ts on her symptoms, so she explored other options, and started taking Ancient + Brave collagen around a year ago. “I really do feel that has supported me – I don’t get the body pains, and I’m feeling stronger generally, in everything I do,” she says. “Now I don’t know if it’s just that, because I also exercise anyway, and I’ve tried to keep myself fi t and started doing more weight training. So for me now it’s more around using nutritional supplements to support what I do on a day-to-day basis, and that is to keep fi t and healthy.” And while part of that keeping fi t involves regular runs, including park runs, and Holmes ran the London Marathon eight years ago in an impressive three hours 11 minutes, she has no immediate plans to run a marathon again, exclaiming: “I ran it in 2016 and I surprised myself with the time I ran, because I’m not a distance runner whatsoever.” She was, however, “honoured” to be the starter for this year’s men’s elite London the tears of joy at the end of the race, and the elation of everybody that gets a medal, but it’s that commitment, and you have to support your body the whole way through. It’s more than just the sign up and the challenge, it’s everything around it. “Will I do it again one day? Possibly. But I was very honoured to start the elite men’s and cheer everybody on.” While a marathon isn’t on the cards at the moment, Holmes sets herself a daily target of 12,500 steps, although she stresses she doesn’t worry if she misses her target. “I’ve “I’m really motivated, really on a high of life and manifesting positive energies and attitudes around me” set myself 12,500 steps as a marker – but some days, I just can’t do it, no way, so I don’t get over hung-up if I don’t,” she says. “That’s my aim in a day, but some days, like most people, you’re doing so many other things – I do a lot of travelling, and sitting around. “But sometimes I’m really conscious about it, and then I’ll just think actually, the weather’s half-decent, instead of getting the car back to the station I’ll walk for 20 or 30 minutes. I think it’s about having habits – I’ve made a conscious decision to walk more, so it’s more about that, rather than the numbers.” Holmes now spends much of her time travelling the world as a global motivational speaker, and although she’s had mental health struggles in the past, admitting the pressures of being an elite sportswoman led to depression and self-harming, she now says very happily that her mental health is “really good”, admitting that she feels much more freedom since she came out as gay in June 2022. “It’s 20 years since I won my two golds, and I’m really motivated, really on a high of life and manifesting positive energies and attitudes around me. And by me doing that, it’s really making me feel great,” she says. “You go through different life situations and different stages of life, and things happen for a reason. I’m in a really good place at the moment and I want to keep that. You never know what’s around the corner, but there’s no point pre-empting worse. “My thing now is to keep as healthy as I can, to keep fi t as I can, still challenge myself, still be really energised and be very alert. I’ve already been through ups and downs in life, I’m just going to keep going forward with a positive attitude.” WW Kelly Holmes is an ambassador for Ancient + Brave and its new once-a-day collagen capsule Noble Collagen, designed to aid healthy ageing and ease menopausal joint issues.

76 WOMANSWAY.IE Flush Away If you suffer from red skin on your face, it could be rosacea.

By Yolanthe Fawehinmi, PA WOMANSWAY.IE 77 BEAUTY Rosacea isn’t a skin condition that is spoken about often. It’s probably why people can sometimes confuse it for acne. According to the National Rosacea Society, rosacea is a long-term chronic skin condition that affects the central part of the face. Even though it can develop at any age, patient surveys have shown that most people who suffer from rosacea are aged 30 and above. So could your fl ushed skin be rosacea? Experts talk about this challenging condition. What are the early signs and symptoms of rosacea? For Dr Zainab Laftah, consultant dermatologist at GetHarley, often the earliest sign of rosacea is sensitive skin and fl ushing with heat and alcohol. “Typically patients report burning or stinging sensation with fragrance products or products that can leave the skin feeling dry,” she said. Why are some people not diagnosed with it? Some skin changes can progress over years, so symptoms of fl ushing and skin sensitivity are not attributed as early signs of rosacea. “Rosacea can also be genetic and often red rosy cheeks are considered a familial feature, therefore rosacea goes undiagnosed,” said Laftah. What causes rosacea? Like many skin conditions, rosacea can be exacerbated. “This can be due to sudden changes in light and temperature but it tends to be a long-term condition,” said Phil Day, superintendent pharmacist at Pharmacy2U. “No one really knows the root cause of rosacea, but there are triggers that have been known to make it worse. These are usually lifestyle factors, such as alcohol, spicy food, hot drinks, or sometimes vigorous exercise and stress.” Though the cause of rosacea is unknown, it’s considered to be multifactorial. Laftah added: “The skin microbiome is altered with a dysregulation in the immune response, resulting in excess infl ammation, and increased and dilated blood vessels. There is genetic susceptibility and known environmental triggers including sunlight and heat.” How can you treat it? Treatment consists of avoiding and limiting the known triggers, for example alcohol and spicy foods. “Skincare is also important,” said Laftah. “Gentle cleansers and moisturisers, with a daily sunscreen are recommended. If signifi cant infl ammation is present then prescription-grade creams and/or oral medication may be required. Lasers can be used to treat dilated blood vessels.” Day added: “If you feel you may have symptoms of rosacea, it’s best to get in contact with your GP or visit your local pharmacist.” However according to Dr Leah Totton, founder of Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinics and Dr Leah Skincare, the correct skincare alone can improve facial redness by 20 to 30 per cent, but this depends on the severity of the condition. “Sensitive skin can be a problem for people with rosacea, so opting for gentle skincare products is vital. Look to use a [gentle] cleanser that is paraben-free and fragrancefree,” said Totton. “Those suffering from rosacea require a medical moisturiser, which is suitable to soothe and hydrate the skin, as dry and sensitive skin which is classic of rosacea can trigger further redness. Moisturisers must be suitable for sensitive skin and not clog pores. “Sun exposure can trigger rosacea, so an SPF is important. Physical blocks such as Obagi SPF are better than chemical SPF. An SPF with a green undertone such as Rosalique, which also has an anti-redness formula, is my pick for those with rosacea. “Vitamin C serums can be helpful to those suffering from rosacea but it depends on the client’s skin. [The strength of the] serum and any other ingredients it contains can irritate sensitive skin. “This activity should be introduced after advice from an experienced cosmetic doctor. “Vitamin A (retinol) may work to reduce the symptoms of rosacea, due to its ability to strengthen the skin barrier. However, retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) may irritate the skin, so a skin consultation is recommended before opting for this. “Steroid creams should be avoided in those suffering from rosacea as it may aggravate the condition. And products containing alcohol or fragrance should be avoided as they can irritate the skin.” WW "Sun exposure can trigger rosacea, so an SPF is important. Physical blocks such as Obagi SPF are better than chemical SPF. An SPF with a green undertone such as Rosalique, which also has an anti-redness formula, is my pick for those with rosacea" Dr Leah Totton

78 WOMANSWAY.IE

WOMANSWAY.IE 79 FITNESS By Abi Jackson, PA W hen it comes to health and wellbeing benefi ts, it’s hard to beat a humble walk. It gets the blood pumping, clears the head and – if you’re lucky – gets you out in nature. But if you did want to take things up a notch and make it a more strenuous workout, put rucking on your radar. It basically means walking with additional weight loaded on, to make things tougher. You could load up a rucksack or carrier with specially designed ‘ruck plates’, or opt for a weighted vest if preferred. There’s been a growing buzz around it lately and chances are you’ll be spotting it a lot more this summer. So, what do you need to know? WHERE DOES RUCKING COME FROM? Rucking might be trending but it’s not new, and has long been part of military training. “We used to refer to this in the Royal Marines as ‘yomping’,” says Tommy Kelly, former Royal Marine commando and co-founder of outdoor and mountain clothing brand, Jöttnar. “It was a means of carrying heavy kit, sometimes up to 120lbs, over large distances and through arduous terrain. It was painful – my shoulders, knees and back still hurt when I think of it.” DO YOU NEED SPECIFIC KIT? You don’t have to buy a dedicated rucking bag or carrier and plates to try it. However, loading up an ill-fi tting rucksack could result in injury. “Fit is important, as backs come in all different shapes and sizes. An ill-fi tting rucksack, especially one with a heavy weight, will place undue strain on the back and neck, likely leading to pain and injury,” says Kelly. “If possible, try out various options in a shop, judging for fi t and comfort. Most rucksacks will have been tested by online reviewers as well as customers, so there’s a wealth of information out there to help.” He suggests looking for something with “a fi rm internal frame, as well as well-padded shoulder and waist straps”, plus “an integral chest strap is useful also as a means of spreading the weight”. WHAT ARE THE FITNESS BENEFITS? “You can be outside enjoying nature, while completing a higher intensity walk and improving your aerobic capacity or VO2 max [the max amount of oxygen your body can take in and use during exercise, often used as a measure for cardiorespiratory fi tness],” says Olivia Tyler, national fi tness assurance lead at Nuffi eld Health – who's just launched its #MyDailyMovement campaign, sharing a wealth of content and expert advice on new ways to get active on its website. Tyler says it can help improve balance too – and, of course, it’s a strength workout. “Rucking helps encourage better posture, as you are carrying weights on your back and need to engage your core and back muscles,” she adds. Kelly agrees there are benefi ts to both “muscular and skeletal” strength. “A heavy load, carried routinely, forces the muscles and bones into adapting – namely, strengthening,” he says, adding of the cardiovascular benefi ts: “The heart and lungs are required to work far harder than normal unburdened walking. Do this regularly and aerobic fi tness will markedly improve.” Rucking brings you out into nature ON THE UP: RUCKING There are plenty of fi tness benefi ts to walking with extra weight loaded on. Then there’s the mental element. “Like anything hard, done repeatedly, selfconfi dence and mindset strengthening results,” says Kelly. “This is transferrable to wider life.” ANY OTHER ADVICE FOR NEWBIES? Rucking might sound relatively straightforward, but you don’t want to go too heavy, too fast. “Begin with a light load and shorter distances, and take it steady to begin with,” says Kelly. “As strength and fi tness improve, weight, distance and speed can all be incrementally increased.” And remember this is a workout, so it’s a good idea to warm up. “Warming up and then stretching are important for anything reasonably arduous. A cold and unfl exed body is a lot more susceptible to sudden physical stresses placed upon it, so take fi ve minutes to slowly raise the heart rate, mobilise the joints and stretch the muscles,” suggests Kelly. Tyler says: “Make sure you are walking the distances without issue before starting to add weights into your route. Once you are happy walking without the weights, add in weights gradually to avoid any back injuries. Rucking is good for your back when done properly, and when weights are gradually increased over time,” she adds. “However, caution is needed, as injuries can occur when the wrong backpacks are worn, too much weight is loaded onto the shoulders, and when swinging rucksacks on and off your back. “I wouldn’t recommend weighted vest training to anyone who is new to exercise, or getting back to exercise after some time off, ” says Tyler. “It’s important to have a reasonably strong core and glutes, in order to support the additional weight without risking injury. “I also would not recommend weighted vests to anyone who has certain back and neck problems like spinal stenosis or disc degeneration. If you are unsure, it’s always best to reach out to your GP or an exercise professional like a personal trainer.” WW

80 WOMANSWAY.IE TACKLING MELANOMA So, why is melanoma rising and what else do you need to know about it? WHAT IS MELANOMA? Melanoma starts in our melanocytes – the cells which produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour and helps protect us from UV radiation – and occurs when abnormal cells spread uncontrollably. Key symptoms include new abnormal moles, and existing moles that are changing. Health Here's what you should know about this common skin cancer. It is custom-built for each person in just a few weeks, and works by signalling the body to hunt down cancer cells and prevent them coming back. Phase three of the trial, led by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), is underway. About 1,200 people in Ireland are diagnosed every year with this skin cancer. Experts have warned these numbers could increase by over 50 per cent in the next two decades. M elanoma is the fifth most common cancer with one of the highest mortality rates and experts are concerned about ever increasing rates. The world’s first personalised mRNA cancer jab for melanoma – which also has the potential to stop lung, bladder and kidney cancer – is currently being tested and researchers believe it offers hope of a cure.

WOMANSWAY.IE 81 MELANOMA By Yasmin Vince, PA The ABCDE checklist can help identify if a mole is abnormal. This stands for: A asymmetrical (does the mole have an uneven shape?) B border (are the edges blurry or jagged?) C colour (is it an uneven colour with different shades and tones?) D diameter (is the mole bigger than your other ones?) E evolving (is it changing, such as starting to itch, bleed or become crusty?) These changes don’t always mean you have cancer, and it’s important to remember some melanomas won’t have all of these characteristics – especially on black and darker skin tones. But anything that’s unusual or changing should be checked out. Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma, which is easier if it’s caught early. Sometimes chemotherapy, radiotherapy and drugs are also required. WHY IS MELANOMA ON THE RISE? Dr Susan Mayou, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic, says dermatologists are “defi nitely diagnosing more cases of melanoma” than in any previous year. “This is partially because the public health awareness campaign has been so effective,” says Mayou. “More people see dermatologists about abnormal moles than they used to, and we are able to diagnose melanoma, even premelanoma, early.” However, Dr Mayou is clear that the overall number of cases has increased as well, adding: “The majority of cases are related to sun exposure, and we are exposed to more UV rays now than we used to be.” ARE CLIMATE CHANGES PLAYING A ROLE? As sun exposure is a key factor in melanoma, experts believe the rise in “Be aware of your moles, and if they start to look like an ugly duckling, see a doctor. And never go on a sunbed” temperatures and hotter summers could be playing a part in growing rates of the disease – and scientists have predicted 2024 could be our hottest year yet. People are often keen to make the most of hot weather, but as many of us are not used to being exposed to the sun, we may not always be vigilant with applying SPF and protecting our skin. It’s also far more common now to go on holiday to hotter climes. WHO IS MOST AT RISK? Dr Mayou says there are several factors that could increase a person’s risk of melanoma. “There is a genetic infl uence,” says Mayou. “One in 10 melanoma patients have a family history of the disease.” Skin type can also play a part. “People with fairer skin that burns easily are more likely to experience the type of skin damage that causes melanoma,” Mayou adds. “There is also a condition called familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome (FAMMM), where those that have it have more moles than the average person, which look abnormal. These are not necessarily melanoma but those with FAMMM are at a higher risk.” People with past exposure to sunburns during childhood are also at higher risk, as well as those who’ve used sunbeds. CAN YOU PREVENT MELANOMA? Protecting skin from sun damage is key, by spending time in the shade on sunny days, wearing a hat and sunglasses and applying sunscreen generously and regularly – at least SPF 30, although Dr Mayou recommends SPF 50. “And SPF 50 is only SPF 50 if you put it on quite thickly, but almost no one does. So, you should put on as strong sunscreen as possible,” she adds. “Be aware of your moles, and if they start to look like an ugly duckling, see a doctor. "And never go on a sunbed. There is no such thing as a safe tan, unless it comes out of a bottle.” WW

82 WOMANSWAY.IE

HEALTH WOMANSWAY.IE 83 By Abi Jackson, PA SNIFFLE CITY A pharmacist talks us through the tell-tale differences between a cold and hayfever. Claire Nevinson summer, so the time of year doesn’t rule out a cold entirely. “Colds can still occur during warmer months, and usually involve sneezing and coughing, along with a sore throat, headache and sometimes a loss of taste and smell,” says Nevinson. ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN SYMPTOMS? Many of the symptoms can be similar, but there are also tell-tale differences between a cold and hayfever. “Hayfever doesn’t cause a high temperature,” says Nevinson, “and most people do not feel unwell.” Some people’s hayfever can be quite severe though, so how badly affected you are can vary. Another key indicator is the duration of symptoms. “A cold usually lasts one to two weeks, while hayfever can last for weeks or even months, depending on the pollen count,” notes Nevinson. “The higher the pollen count, the worse the symptoms are likely to be.” The key symptoms of hayfever, Nevinson adds, include: “Sneezing, a runny or blocked S truggling to shift a pesky cold again? Wondering why your eyes are also feeling irritated, along with endless sniffl es? If this sounds familiar, it might be that you don’t actually have a cold at all, but hayfever is causing your symptoms – especially now we’re well into spring and entering summer. Symptoms can overlap but it’s helpful to know which one you’ve got, so you can manage it appropriately. So, how can you tell whether you’ve got a cold or hayfever? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COLD AND HAYFEVER? They’re caused by different things. Colds are caused by a virus that’s spread from one infected person to another. Hayfever, meanwhile, is not contagious, as it’s an allergic reaction some people have to pollen. “Pollen is a fi ne dust that disperses in the wind to reach other plants for pollination and start new plants,” explains Claire Nevinson, Boots superintendent pharmacist. “Tree pollen counts are highest between late March and mid-May, while grass and weed pollen counts are highest between mid-May and September. If you have hayfever, you’re most likely to experience symptoms when the pollen count is high.” WHEN ARE YOUR SYMPTOMS HAPPENING? Noticing patterns with the timing of your symptoms can also help indicate whether it’s hayfever. Do symptoms usually appear during pollen season, and get worse when you go outside? However, viruses are still around during spring and Pollen is a fi ne dust nose, itchy red watery eyes or an itchy throat.” Coughs are generally more associated with colds than hayfever, as well as general aches and pain, possibly a fever and a sore throat. Both colds and hayfever cause runny nose and sneezing. Both can also cause people to feel more tired and fatigued than usual. But with a hayfever, you are also likely to experience itchy, red and watery eyes, Nevinson points out. In some cases, hayfever may also be associated with feeling breathless, especially if you also have asthma. DO YOU NEED TO TREAT THEM DIFFERENTLY? Yes. There’s no cure for the common cold, so here it’s about symptom management, depending on how unwell you feel. “For a cold, you should rest and drink plenty of fl uids,” says Nevinson. “You could also consider taking a cold symptom relief product – these often include medicine for pain relief to help with aches, alongside a decongestant to help ease a blocked nose. If the product contains paracetamol, make sure you don’t take any other paracetamol-containing products at the same time.” With hayfever, taking steps to help keep pollen at bay is also key. “Consider putting a barrier balm, such as petroleum jelly, around the nostrils to trap pollen, and wear wraparound sunglasses to help keep pollen out of your eyes,” suggests Nevinson. “There are a range of hayfever relief products available – from tablets to nasal sprays – and you can always speak to your pharmacist to fi nd which products are suitable for you.” If over-the-counter remedies are not helping, check in with your GP, as some people may need more support with managing allergies. WW

84 WOMANSWAY.IE unlikely to get much change out of €500, according to the research. While these are averages, one in 25 (4 per cent) say they’ll be willing to spend as much as €6,000 or more to celebrate a wedding this year. This year’s fi gures also indicate than men expect to spend more on weddings this year than women typically. The costs associated with weddings can sometimes lead to FOR RICHER OR FOR POORER Planning to attend a wedding this year? Here are some ways to keep the costs down. cent) say they’ll be willing to spend as much as €6,000 or more to celebrate a wedding this year. year than women typically. weddings can sometimes lead to Suzzane Caine Finance One in 16 (6 per cent) plan to attend nuptials taking place overseas – and expect to spend €1,000 on average. Spain, Italy and France are among the more common wedding destinations in the survey, although some people will be travelling further, with Argentina and India also being among the locations. Those attending an Irishbased wedding, meanwhile, are W edding invites are landing in inboxes and hitting doormats as spring and summer unfold – and while it’s great to help the happy couple celebrate their big day, attending can also place a strain on the wallet for guests. Around one in fi ve people (18 per cent) are already planning to attend a wedding this year, according to new research from insurance giant Aviva.

WEDDIING COSTS WOMANSWAY.IE 85 By Vicky Shaw, PA Personal Finance Correspondent tensions, with just under a fi fth (19 per cent) of people in Aviva’s research saying they feel obliged to attend weddings. Those aged 35 to 44 are nearly twice as likely as people aged 18 to 24 to say they feel obliged to show up, at 22 per cent versus 12 per cent, according to the Aviva/ Censuswide survey of 2,000 people in March. The research also indicates that there may be an awareness gap when it comes to travel insurance, with 10 per cent believing that travel insurance would provide cover in the event the nuptials were cancelled, whereas many travel insurance policies would not pay out in this scenario. While travel insurance may not provide cover for cancellation of the wedding itself – or if you decided to no longer attend – it could provide protection for cancelling or cutting short a trip for reasons out of the traveller’s control, such as being unable to travel due to illness. One in seven (14 per cent) people surveyed admit they never take out travel insurance, potentially leaving them exposed if the unexpected happens. Suzzane Caine, travel claims expert at Aviva, says: “Though joyous occasions, the cost of attending a “If you’re buying from a secondhand website you could always sell the item on afterwards” wedding can soon add up, easily reaching four fi gures in many cases. “It’s interesting to see that despite ambitions to cut costs, such as timing a holiday with the wedding, a large portion of people are choosing to travel without cover. “Though you wouldn’t be covered if the couple has a change of heart or needed to postpone the wedding, you would be covered if something prevented you from making it to the celebrations such as unexpectedly having to cancel, which according to Aviva data from the last fi ve years, is the most common claim during summer. “Travel insurance is designed to help you in the case of an unforeseen emergency and by taking out travel insurance as soon as you book your trip, it will give you peace of mind knowing that you are protected, both in the lead up to your trip and while celebrating with the newlyweds.” While weddings can be expensive to attend – particularly if you’ve been invited to more than one this year – there may be ways to cut the costs. Booking train travel in advance or agreeing to car share with other guests could help with transport costs. Websites such as Skyscanner can also help with comparing the cost of fl ights. Teaming up with other wedding guests could work in other ways too, perhaps by clubbing together to buy one expensive gift rather than buying several less costly presents. Or if you’re staying overnight, you could consider seeing if booking an Airbnb with a few other guests could work out cheaper than getting a hotel room. Don’t forget any loyalty points you’ve previously built up, which could help with transportation and accommodation costs. There may also be ways to cut the cost of your outfi t, for example by renting clothing and accessories rather than buying. Alternatively, perhaps you could consider browsing for preloved items from auction websites such as eBay or charity shops. If you’re buying from a secondhand website you could always sell the item on afterwards and perhaps you could make your money back. You could also consider broadening search terms to give yourself more choice. So, for example, rather than just “wedding”, some phrases such as “mother of the bride” or “races” may also generate other preloved shopping options. Finally, you could also “double up”, so that the wedding trip becomes a holiday. Aviva found that one in eight (12 per cent) guests are planning a holiday to coincide with the wedding. A further one in 10 (10 per cent) will extend the celebrations by going away with the wedding party afterwards – though guests may want to make sure that the happy couple are also fully on board with this idea... WW

86 WOMANSWAY.IE of being a writer. She was connected with Sokolov through mutual friends and he told her his life story – which Morris turned into The Tattooist of Auschwitz. It’s now been adapted into a major Sky miniseries. “No, I don’t have a creative bone in my body to be able to tell a story purely from my brain,” Morris, 70, explains. “I fi nd ordinary people, particularly those who may have lived through an extraordinary period of time, so interesting and so inspiring.” TRAUMA Morris was peculiarly well-placed to tell of being a writer. She was connected with people The Tattooist of Auschwitz author Heather Morris on why now is the perfect time for a TV adaptation. spending a combined 85 weeks on the Sunday Times bestsellers list. Inspired by true events, it tells the story of Slovakian Jew Lale Sokolov who was imprisoned at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942, where he was tasked with the job of tattooing fellow prisoners with their unique numbers. After tattooing a young woman called Gita, the pair fell in love – both surviving the camp against the odds to eventually reunite on the outside. They married and started a new life in Melbourne, Australia. Born in New Zealand and also living in Melbourne, in the early Noughties Morris was a social worker in a hospital with aspirations Author Heather Morris says she doesn’t have “a creative bone in my body”. This might be hard to believe, considering she wrote The Tattooist of Auschwitz – a book club favourite that has sold over 13 million copies worldwide since it was published in 2018, people ORDINARY

IN PERSON WOMANSWAY.IE 87 By Lisa Salmon, PA By Prudence Wade, PA has become a common theme since she published The Tattooist of Auschwitz – and that’s how she’s happened upon the stories for all her books since – including Sisters Under The Rising Sun, which tells the story of women imprisoned by the Japanese during the second world war (released in paperback by Zaffre in July this year). She says “every one” of her books is about ordinary people in extraordinary times. “I’ve got no generals in the army, or people whose names are known and out there – they are ordinary people,” she says. “I say that, though sometimes I think they’re quite extraordinary. But Lale pulled me into place when I said to him one day that every time I was with him, I was with living history. He would go, ‘No, I’m just an ordinary man’. “So they actually don’t want to be known as anything other than just an ordinary person who did what they had to do to survive, and help others where they can.” WW Sokolov’s story. From her social work, she dealt with acute trauma (which she describes as being from an isolated incident that “just happened”). “So it’s a different level to Lale’s, which was historical trauma, but the effect on the listener can still be the same if you let it transfer to you, and that’s what you’re always on your guard for. Don’t let that pain, that trauma, that guilt transfer to you. You can’t help them if that happens. “It didn’t always work out that way with me and Lale, because I wasn’t used to historical trauma. He got to me, many times. But my wonderful colleagues and family saw it before I did.” But the main skill she brought, Morris says, “had nothing to do with writing… It was the simple art my great-grandfather taught me when I was a girl: to shut up and listen. And that’s what I did – I let him talk, and I listened.” This is refl ected in the fi rst episode of the miniseries, available now on Sky Atlantic and NOW. The adaptation differs slightly to the book in that it’s not purely about Sokolov’s time at the biggest Nazi concentration camp, but also features a second timeline, where Morris meets the elderly man and hears his story. Morris is portrayed by Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey, and it marks something of a full circle, as the author initially wrote Sokolov’s story as a screenplay. The only reason it became a book was because Morris “couldn’t get anybody who had the potential to make it into a feature fi lm to look at it – and trust me, I tried”, she admits. Sokolov died in 2006 aged 90, so he never saw his story told globally. But Morris, who acted as a story consultant on the show, says: “His dream was to have it on a screen – he had thought the big one in the theatre, but I think he’d be very delighted with the little one. “Lale being Lale, he would think – well, of course it’s about me! Jonah [Hauer-King, who plays the young Lale] – he’s a good-looking boy, I’m a good-looking boy. “He would be dancing on the rooftop to read scripts that depicted his love for Gita and their time in that place. It’s what he wanted – he’s now got it, and yes sadly he’s not here, but something tells me he knows.” Gita died in 2003 aged 78, but Morris has seen all the episodes with the couple’s son, Gary. “That was probably one of the most emotional things,” she says. “Watching him, watching his parents’ story play out. He’s a very emotional cookie is Gary – lots and lots of crying, my hand – I thought he was going to break it at several points, he squeezed so hard. He was sitting beside me, and every now and then his head was on my shoulder sobbing.” So, why is now the right time to bring Sokolov’s story, and indeed that of the atrocities of the Holocaust, to the small screen? “That’s an easy one. There’s always going to be a perfect time, because it needs to be told – and retold, and told again,” Morris notes. She was recently in New York, attending a screening of the fi rst episode at The Jewish Museum. Pretty much everyone there, she suggests, “already knew about the Holocaust. They had their own stories, because they were telling me them. So many wanted to share their little bit about their grandparent or their parent,” says Morris. “We now have to get it to the screens of those who don’t know it. It was quite humbling, or sad, actually, to hear about the statistics of the people in the US who have never heard of the Holocaust, or the other group, who want to deny it happened. Hopefully, even if we reach just a few of those, that’ll do.” People coming up to Morris and telling her their stories “Lots and lots of crying – my hand – I thought he was going to break it at several points, he squeezed so hard” Jonah Hauer-King as Lale Sokolov Harvey Keitel as the older Lale Sokolov and Melanie Lynskey as Heather Morris The Tattoist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is published by Zaffre, priced €11.59. The miniseries of the book is out now on Sky Atlantic/NOW TV. person who did what they had to do to survive, and help others where they can.”

88 WOMANSWAY.IE correcting you as you go along, so I had to be my own editor at the time.” It’s just over 27 hours of audio, detailing the life of one of the most fl amboyant and daring business entrepreneurs of his generation, who was given a knighthood in the 1999 New Year’s Honours list. In his teens, during the politically rebellious 1960s, Richard launched a national magazine run by students for students and, in between lessons, raised money for advertising. At 19, he moved into the record industry, using his magazine as a vehicle to offer readers cut-price records. That formed the basis of a mail-order company, followed in 1971 by the opening of the fi rst Virgin record shop. Two years later, Richard Branson has released an audiobook chronicling his adventures. LIKE A VIRGIN It’s the launch of the audiobook, Losing And Finding My Virginity: The Full Story, read aloud by the man himself. It combines his two bestselling memoirs, providing an intimate look at his 50-plus years of business, adventure and philanthropy. “It was fun,” Richard, 73, says. “We set up this sort of makeshift studio under my house with four mattresses and I had to turn the air conditioning off – and I live in the Caribbean so it was very hot. “So I would sit there in my underwear, with sweat dripping down, with a bucket underneath the seat. “And normally with audiobooks, you do it in New York or a London studio, you’ve got an editor sitting next to you telling you, Founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson is no stranger to near-death experiences and close shaves. They range from balloon crashes to being home on Necker Island as one of the strongest storms to ever hit the Atlantic destroyed everything around him. In 2016, he went over the handlebars of his bike while cycling on one of the British Virgin Islands. His bike disappeared over a cliff and Richard was lucky to escape with a cracked cheek, torn ligaments and cuts and bruises. So his latest venture seems somewhat safer, as it keeps his feet fi rmly planted on the ground.

IN PERSON WOMANSWAY.IE 89 You can listen to the audiobook of Losing and Finding My Virginity right now, wherever you get your audiobooks. By Kerri-Ann Roper, PA the business had burgeoned into a record label, a recording studio, a music publisher and an export operation. And since then, almost everything he has touched has turned to gold – like choosing Mike Oldfi eld’s Tubular Bells as the fi rst Virgin Records release. In 1984, he took Virgin Atlantic from concept to take-off in a matter of months. He also once even dared to challenge Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola with his own Virgin Cola. “For people who want the adventure side, there’s plenty of times I’ve tried to kill myself – they should be directed to those chapters,” he says. “For people who want to learn about entrepreneurism, they should go to those chapters, for people who want to learn about family life, they should go to those chapters. But there’s lots for everybody. “I did the book, obviously for my grandchildren, great grandchildren and children. I think everybody has a book inside them, everybody leaves a fascinating life, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done in life, if people keep notes about their lives, they should write a book for their family.” Going back down memory lane made Richard, who has been married to his wife Joan for over three decades, refl ect on the many exciting and interesting moments in his life. “It was great to have those memories fl ood back again, some good, some not so good,” he says. “I think I wrote the book as a warts-and-all tale by the individual himself, because I think books are much more interesting if they’re written with everything in it. “It has the failures, the successes, the struggles, the near-death experiences, the falls, the trips to hospital. Anyway, everything rolled into one and hopefully, as a result, it’s quite an exciting read.” The audiobook also explores the groundbreaking journey of Virgin Galactic in July 2021, which Richard hailed as the “experience of a lifetime” after fl ying to the edge of space aboard the fi rst fully crewed fl ight. “When I was reading the book, at one stage I just said this guy is certifi ably mad... Why didn’t he learn just to say no,” he says smiling, adding: “I mean I’m known as ‘Doctor Yes’ at Virgin, I’ve been born just to say yes. “Yes is a lot more fun than saying no and it has gotten me into a lot of trouble – I’m extraordinarily lucky to be sitting here talking to you today. But it does make for good storytelling, a lot more interesting than not saying yes.” His action-packed adventures don’t stop at space, and this year will see the Strive Challenge, held in aid of Big Change – a charity founded by his children Holly and Sam and his nephew Noah – take place on his Caribbean property, Necker Island. With his children Sam and Holly at the foot of the Matterhorn Giving away 200 free Virgin Voyages cruises The Strive Challenge, which Richard has previously credited with “kickstarting” his own fi tness program when it fi rst started in 2014, will see participants tackling a “cycle extravaganza around the infamous Virgin Gorda circuit” and also includes kayaking, snorkelling, hiking, kitesurfi ng and more. Reminiscing about the fi rst event, Richard recalls: “I had to get up an hour before everybody else, because they’re all in their 20s and quite young. “And I would come back about an hour later than everybody else. But by the end of it, I was so fi t. And I just decided I love the feeling of being incredibly fi t and so I’ve kept it up ever since”. His own fi tness regime sees him keep active every day. “Twice a week, I do extreme bike riding on the island next to Necker Island, I play tennis every morning and every evening,” he says. “I kitesurf regularly, pop into the gym, pretty well, every day. So I fi nd, three or four hours a day for physical activities, which I enjoy.” He has been known to write letters throughout his life, to his loved ones and to himself. In 2018 he shared on his blog a letter to his younger self about his dyslexia, in which he wrote: “Being different is your biggest asset and will help you succeed.” Asked about the letter he’d write himself now, he says: “I would say that honestly, I wouldn’t change anything. I’ve had the ride of a lifetime. “I’ve defi nitely been born under a lucky star. And that star has guided me out of moments where I shouldn’t have really come come back to be able to tell the tale. “I don’t think there’s anything I would change, even taking on Coca-Cola and ultimately failing. All those different sorts of battles have been all part of the incredible life learning process. “I’ve been very, very fortunate," Richard concludes. "I think all of us who become, have been successful, we’ve all been very, very fortunate. And I’ve defi nitely got a lot to be thankful for.” WW

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CHARITIES WOMANSWAY.IE 91 By Andrea Smith At Woman’s Way, we’re all about the positive power of giving back. Here’s our round up of the best ways to pay it forward this fortnight. LEND A HAND Donate to a fundraising page set up for Bryan O’Brien, a Cork father-of-three with motor neurone disease (MND). Bryan lives with his wife Charlotte and their three young children — Elle (6), Jesse (3), and Ty (1), and the fundraiser will be used for essential modifi cations to accommodate his changing mobility and explore cutting-edge medical treatments. He is actively seeking out USA clinical trials that are not available to him in Ireland and Europe, in the hope of slowing down the progression of this aggressive disease. Donate at gofundme. com/our-buddy-bryan. WW Fundraiser for Bryan We Are Charity Single Download the charity single, We Are, to benefi t the Lajee Center in Aida Refugee Camp in the Occupied West Bank of Palestine. The single sees Irish artists Elaine Mai, MayKay and Faye O’Rourke collaborating with six children, Rand, Rwand, Reem, Sara, Omar, and Ahmad, who live at the camp. The Lajee Center is a community-based grassroots creative cultural centre that works with new generations of Palestinians as they continue their ongoing struggle for justice and rights. Purchase the single on elainemai.bandcamp.com. ‘SAYING GOODBYE’ SERVICE IN DUBLIN Support the work of the Mariposa Trust, which holds services of remembrance for families, couples and individuals affected by the loss of a baby. This applies whether the loss occurred during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy and whether recently or decades ago. A ‘Saying Goodbye’ service will take place at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin on June 14 at 7.30pm to allow people to stand with others and collectively acknowledge and remember each life lost. Visit mariposatrust.org. Barnardos Big Toddle 2024 Sign up your crèche, playschool, community group or parents' at-home group for the Barnardos Big Toddle, a fun half-mile sponsored walk for preschool-aged children. Money raised supports Barnardos Early Years services, which focus on some of the youngest and most vulnerable children it works with to ensure that they get the best start in life. The event takes place in May and June each year and you can choose when and where your little ones take part. Register on barnardos.ie. Children in Hospital Consider supporting Children in Hospital Ireland, which is looking for volunteers for the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon this year. The charity’s volunteers provide activities and play for children of all ages in 14 paediatric units around the country. Money raised goes towards supplying art supplies, games and toys, as well as recruiting, training and vetting the team of 500 volunteers around the country. The charity also provides information and support to parents. Visit childreninhospital.ie.

QUICK FIRE 92 WOMANSWAY.IE By Andrea Smith Author Edel Coffey made the successful transition from journalist to award-winning author with her first novel Breaking Point. Her second, In Her Place, is out now. What colour was your debs dress? Jade green. It was a traditional Chinese dress that I bought in the George’s Street Arcade in Dublin. I thought I was so cool. Who was your first celebrity crush? Like a whole generation of women, I think, it has to be Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. If you could teach one subject in school, what would it be? I would probably teach people how to build flat-pack furniture because it’s something I can actually do... but if anyone tries to skip a step in the instructions they're out of the class. If you could raid one woman’s wardrobe, whose would it be? Sharon Horgan’s. I love her style and she always looks incredibly chic while also looking as cool as a rockstar. What is something you can’t do? Job interviews. I’m so terrible at them. Who is your favourite solo artist? It's a toss-up between Joni Mitchell and Rufus Wainwright. What is the best thing to happen to you in the past month? I’ve managed to reduce my workload a little so I finally have some free time, hopefully to write my third novel. How do you start your day? I get up at 6.45am, feed the cats and let them outside, make a coffee for myself and then prepare breakfast for everyone. I really enjoy this period of quiet time before the day begins. You're going out for brunch. What are you having? I’m going to Balfes in the Westbury Hotel and I’m having steak frites and a mimosa. How do you manage stress? I eat! I never understand people who say when they are stressed they can’t eat. When I am stressed I am like PacMan and eat everything in my path. If you could choose somewhere else to live, where would it be? Probably Dalkey as it’s close to my family, and has the benefit of feeling like a sleepy country village while still being on the Dart line. Plus Maeve Binchy lived there. What is your favourite movie? It’s Moonstruck because it’s a beautiful love story and portrayal of familial love and long-term marriages. There is a lot of humour too, all set against the opera La Bohème. A perfect film with a stellar cast. What age did you have your first kiss and where? In a friend's house at the age of 13. I hated it and didn’t want to kiss anyone ever again. And I didn’t for quite a while after that. Which trend would you like to see disappear forever? The thinness trend is cruel and damaging. We are so much more than just bodies. What’s the most important advice you’d give a teenager? I’d offer them the Hafiz quote, “I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.” And I’d tell them to believe in their own brilliance and their endless potential. Heels or flats? I’m a shoe-aholic so I love both. Most recently I wore a pair of very high Malone Souliers stilettos to a fancy book event and a pair of flat purple velvet Mary-Janes to lunch. WW Edel Coffey’s second novel, In Her Place, is out now, about a woman, Ann, who falls in love and moves in with a man whose wife Deborah is in a coma and not expected to survive. When she recovers and is coming home, Ann wants to keep the life she has been living…. Finding herplace

LIFESTYLE WOMANSWAY.IE 93 HACKS By Vicky Shaw, PA Personal Finance Correspondent selling. It’s a great way to snag items before they are listed publicly.” SELLING If you are planning to put some items up for sale in the months ahead, Rouch suggests being methodical when going around the home to identify what you could sell. She also suggests making the most of peak times when it comes to buyers searching for items. She suggests considering listing items for sale between 3pm and 8pm on a Saturday or a Sunday, adding: “This time frame is when we see the most searches on Gumtree.” Don’t forget to put plenty of details in your ad, such as any measurements, the condition of the item and whether it might need any repairs. Also, remember to keep an eye on your messages and be prepared to answer any questions buyers may have. A prompt reply may help you to seal the deal and help reduce the risk of the potential buyer slipping away and going elsewhere. Early evening is a time when buyers often want details, Rouch explains. “Watch your emails around this time to quickly answer your buyer’s questions and secure your sale.” When deciding what to sell, it’s also worth considering the items that are likely to be in demand with buyers. Rouch says: “Sell what people are most looking for to secure speedy sales at top-market rates. We’re seeing massive demand for mobile phones, games consoles, televisions and kitchen appliances – so if you have any of these items they are likely to sell quickly.” You could also consider selling a bundle of similar items – whether it’s baby clothes and toys, or items for buyers looking to makeover their garden this spring, for example. “You might get one buyer willing to take the lot, or you can offer to bundle the items together for a lower cost for a quick sale.” If you’re clearing items out to give your own home a spring makeover, don’t forget that others will be updating their properties too – whether they’re installing a home gym or preparing for the arrival of a baby. Rouch adds that around now: “We also see strong demand from buyers in our gym equipment category and for large baby items such as nursery furniture and prams. “Plus, kitchen appliances such as microwaves and fridge freezers are high on buyers’ want lists, too.” WW T he traditional spring clearout is underway – and while you’re getting rid of your own unwanted items you may just make a bit of space for some new purchases. But getting your timing right when buying and selling can be key. Based on data from millions of Gumtree listings, Hannah Rouch, a secondhand expert at the platform, reveals the best potential times to bag a bargain – as well as insights which could help you to make the most money for items that are no longer needed. BUYING Firstly, she suggests buyers start their search in the morning. Rouch explains: “The highest number of listings go live between 9am and 11am on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so if you want the best selection of items, get searching early on the weekend.” If you spot a few potential options, there’s also no harm in trying to negotiate. Just remember to keep messages polite and take no for an answer if the seller doesn’t want to move on price. Rouch adds: “Most sellers expect a little bartering when selling secondhand, particularly when many similar items are available for sale.” Rouch says: “If you like a person’s style, don’t be afraid to ask what else they might be An expert shares her expertise, with a range of hacks for buying and selling. Online Buying and Selling Tips ad, such as any measurements, the condition of the item and whether it might need any repairs. be prepared to answer any prompt reply may help you to seal the deal and help reduce the risk of the potential buyer person’s style, don’t be afraid to ask what else they might be Hannah Rouch

OPINION 94 WOMANSWAY.IE By Grumpy Old Woman WHY is this a thing? PADDED BRAS As I was going abroad on holiday recently, I decided to buy myself some nice underwear and was planning on buying a couple of new bras. I’m a big gal with big boobs so I went into my local big gal shop that usually serves me well and headed down to the bra section. I thought I might pick up a racy little purple number or a sultry black one just in case I got lucky in the hedonism of my three-star family hotel in Lanzagrotty. To say I was raging at what confronted me is an understatement. Instead of serving me with a nice array of pretty colourful bras, the wall was covered with in-your-face, heavily padded and ornate bras, most of which were standing out so far they almost poked my eye out. What on earth is that about? If you have big boobs, the last thing you want is to pad them out and make them look bigger, unless you particularly want to rival Annie Hawkins-Turner (who holds the Guinness World Record for the largest natural breasts at size 102ZZZ). In the end, all I could choose from was a matronly looking duo in black and white, which had no padding and made my boobs look like nature intended. Droopy! Seriously though, it’s not just fat old me who doesn't want to be walking around Tesco with gigantic knockers that are artifi cially enlarged and pushed up under my chin(s). My slender secondary school teacher friend has encountered the same issue in her regular-size women’s shop and it’s driving her mad too. She doesn’t particularly want to teach double maths to hormonal fi fth-year boys looking like a glamour model because her breasts have suddenly doubled in size. But she is also fi nding it almost impossible to get bras that don't have the dreaded padding and make her chest resemble the front equivalent of Kim Kardashian’s bum. It would remind you of the days in 1994 when Wonderbra's billboards of Eva Herzigova caused car crashes when they went up. She appeared next to the phrase “Look me in the eyes and tell me that you love me”. Imagine trying to teach trigonometry under those circumstances? My other friend is exasperated by her teenage daughter’s penchant for these padded monstrosities as she feels that they are sexualising her far too early. Her daughter’s B cup is now a double D thanks to the transformative powers of padding. My friend isn’t happy but she is fi ghting a losing battle because her daughter and her pals are all snapping up racy padded numbers for half nothing in their local bargain chain store. Aside from not wanting to have all of our assets out front and centre, I’m sure it must be very disappointing for romantic suitors when they realise that our supersized cleavage and perkiness falls fl at on its face once the scaffolding is removed? Why can’t we have nice, colourful, pretty or sexy bras that give us a good shape without throwing in excessive padding that makes us look like we’re just about to topple over with the weight of our boobs? Surely there’s a happy medium to be achieved between matronly and sexpot? Bra manufacturers and retailers, could you please take note! WW

WOMANSWAY.IE 95 HAPPY HEALTHY SEX SPECIAL ISSUE IN OUR NEXT BUMPER ISSUE It’s that time of year when we talk sex and the midlife woman, whether she’s with or without a signifi cant other. Having had shoveloads of shame dumped on us growing up, we’re all about celebrating female sexuality in all its myriad guises. So book a date with the newsagent and get ready for our sizzling hot take on sex and the Irish woman. UNDER COVER Our special correspondent serves up a particularly spicy take on the perils of single sex and how to navigate intimacy with new partners. BOY TALK Domhnall O’Donaghue is a Scorpio and likes nothing better than talking about sex. So put the kettle on ladies, this is going to be good. FIRST HOLIDAYS What’s your holiday persona and does it match your partner’s? Check out our guide to making that fi rst holiday together argument-free. LESS THAN PERFECT Find out why ex-footballer and father-of-fi ve Rio Ferdinand believes the secret to good parenting is to forget perfection. SUMMER GARDENING It’s time to dust down the patio furniture and get growing. We have all the tips and tricks to help you turn your outdoor space into a paradise. PLUS… Style advice, beauty tips, recipes, knitting, new books to read and so much more… HITTING THE NEWS STANDS ON JUNE 3