Personality Profile

Arriving in the United States from the village of Ballinhassig in County Cork, Ireland on August 22, 2002 and landing in sunny California with her former husband – a Navy Captain - this Irish beauty decided to make Alexandria her home after living the “military wife life” traversing the nation. She tells me that when they arrived in Alexandria and she took a drive down King Street with her two very young sons she literally had the kind of “Aha!” moment that you hear about people having when everything just seems to click. She says that Old Town is the closest place she’s found that reminds her of home. She loves the history we are surrounded with as well as the diversity of the people who live in this area and the energy created by being so close to the Nation’s Capital.

Speaking of energy…Niamh is full of it. Between her gig as the General Manager of O’Connell’s Restaurant & Bar (OC) in Old Town, two very active teenage sons (Conor and Brody) and her three rescue pups (Billy, Daisy and Lady Piper) she is constantly on the go.

I met Niamh before she took the helm as General Manager at O’Connell’s while watching Ireland play in the popular Six Nations Tournament that was being aired in real time at the restaurant. That particular morning she was selling raffle tickets benefitting the newly formed Alexandria Youth Rugby league. I will venture to say that there probably wasn’t a single person who didn’t buy a few from her. She’s a very convincing sales person to say the least. With her wild curly brunette hair, Irish lilt and larger than life personality she stands out in a crowd.

Niamh grew up in a family business, the Laurel Wood House B&B, owned her own business, Acorn Property Management, both in Ireland and continued down the real estate path when she came to the States until she landed at O’Connell’s 5 years ago. Along the way she became a qualified silver and goldsmith while living in Hawaii and was active in Equestrian Eventing (dressage, cross country and show jumping) until a few years ago. Just not enough time in her day at this juncture of her life.

Teenage sons, Conor and Brody Rescue pups Billy, Daisy and Lady Piper Niamh and her mount Bailey