The Limerick Magazine August 2016 - #Issue11

free 2016 magazine i s s u e 1 1 august

ISSN - 2009-8650

Featur ing: K athleen T u rner Al Wor de n Fusion Dan c e F es t Limer ick Yo u t h T heat re Liam O’Br ie n Ele ctr ic P i c ni c Ri o Olympic s 2 01 6

THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Welcome

T O th e lime ric k m aga z i ne The Limerick Magazine is a fun and informative monthly free-sheet keeping you up to date with what is happening in Limerick City and County, with reviews, event listings, interviews, men and women’s fashion, lively opinion and interesting articles to get you talking.

Publisher - Fusion Media - 74 O’Connell Street Limerick - 061-597627

Editor in Chief Michelle Costello Email -michelle@fusionmedia.ie Phone - 061-597627 Editor - Kayleigh Ziolo Email - kayleigh@fusionmedia.ie Phone - 061-597627 Photography - Tarmo Tulit Email - photography@fusionmedia.ie Phone - 061-597627 Graphic Designer - Paul Geaney

TL M c o n tr ibu to r s : Sarah Talty Mary Kiely Shauna Lindsay Christine Costello Sharon Slater Fernando Sanchez

Advertising - Fusion Media Email - advertising@fusionmedia.ie Phone - 061-597627

Editor’s Note

Sintija Zorge Rebelle Haze Jane Butler O’Halloran

ISSUE 11 - Summer Blues?

Emer Hayes Sarah Lafferty Rebecca Egan

Sure enough, the Summer hasn't exactly been the sun filled months

that we were told, but hey, as we all know the last few weeks of August and the start of September is sure to be heatwave, going on the long

Email - paul@fusionmedia.ie Phone - 061-597627

Michel l e Cost el l o edit or in chief

P h o to g r a ph er s : Eoghan Lyons Tarmo Tulit Shauna Kennedy Angles Studio Photography Tommy Mao

tradition of the sun shining when the kids go back to school.

We start preparing for the school term and the darkening evenings but before we jump ahead, we have one last party... which of course for many of us is, Electric Picnic.

The shops are filling with warm tones and warmer clothes we begin to

plan our wardrobes for the Autumn. TLM have put together our guide to trends for the season ahead.

We have a full calendar of events happening, lots of new bars and COVER – Tarmo Tulit

restaurants opening in Limerick and lots of exciting announcements happening in the coming weeks.

This is a free magazine. You are free to give it away (in unmodified form) to whomever you wish. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

This magazine is designed to provide information to our readers. It is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged to render any type of legal or any other kind of professional advice.

The content of each article is the sole expression and opinion of its author, and not necessarily that of the publisher. No warranties or guarantees are expressed or implied by the publisher’s choice to include any of the content in this volume. Neither the publisher nor the individual author(s) shall be liable for any physical, psychological, emotional, financial, or commercial damages, including, but not limited to, special, incidental, consequential or other damages. Our views and rights are the same: You are responsible for your own choices, actions, and results.

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You can check us out online and keep up to date by visiting www. thelimerickmagazine.com Until next month,

Michelle

www @thelimerickmagazine

@limerickonline

@TheLimerickMagazine

www.thelimerickmagazine.com

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Texas Steakout 116 O Connell Street 061 410 350 reception@texassteakout.ie Reservation Online @ www.texassteakout.com

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TLM contributors Editor’s Note August may be peak summer holiday time but there’s been no sign of winding down in the TLM office as we cover everything that’s hot and happening in Limerick City and County! We had the pleasure of

interviewing Astronaut Al Worden, a regular visitor to Limerick and one of only 24 people to go to the

Moon. We’re also gearing up for Rio Olympics 2016 by chatting to swimming medal hopeful Fiona Doyle, and there’s exciting news for actors as a new casting agency is launched right here in Limerick City. Plus, we have our usual colourful mix of fresh music, fashion, food and fun - the perfect holiday read.

K ay l e i gh Z i ol o

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Kayle i gh Zi olo

TA R MO TU L I T

pA UL g e a ne y

S ha una L ind s ay

fern an do san ch ez

r e b e ll e h a z e

Ma ry K ie ly

s int ija zo r g e

sh aron slater

Sa r a h Ta lty

Ja ne But l e r

E o g ha n Lyo ns

Sarah Lafferty

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Tresuary advert

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INTE RV I EW: Al Wo rden

Apollo astronaut Al Worden is one of only 24 people to have been to the Moon. He has been visiting Limerick for three years now, and we have Limerick native Paul Ryan to thank for it.

Paul, a graduate of computer systems in UL, works for AXA Insurance, Shannon and volunteers at Lough Gur Heritage Centre. A self-confessed ‘boring IT guy doing this

crazy space stuff,’ he has always had a passion for space but as the priorities of life got in the way it became more of a hobby. Then in 2010 Paul suffered two heart attacks, which

made him revaluate his life. He realised that he wanted his children to be able to fulfil their life goals and joked about them going to Mars. But he asked himself, how would they ever become engaged in that and learn about space, when astronauts who come to Ireland mostly speak up in Dublin?

That thought triggered the whole process and when Paul and Al met at a convention in the UK, they exchanged details. Al has been coming to Limerick ever since. One of the

things bringing him back year after year is his fascination with Lough Gur. Lough Gur, is trying to find the right blend of being an education centre and a tourist attraction.

As well as the regular talks, it’s a very scenic place with walks and trails and of course the draw of the stone circle.

We sat down with Al Worden ahead of his lecture in the Strand Hotel on 16th July to raise funds for Lough Gur, to speak to him about his career and his visits to Limerick.

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You were Command Module Pilot for the Apollo

On Thursday night when he came back to give me the

How does it feel to be one of the only 24 people in

wanted to be an astronaut and why?

which I couldn’t do anything about cause I was going

Well I feel very good about it. That was probably the

15 lunar mission in 1971. When did you know you That was never an issue with me. I had decided fairly well along in my career that being an astronaut was not something I was going to get to do. You see, back

in those days they had an application cycle every

year or so and I missed one in 1963 because I was

second one he had a big brown bag full of beer for me, home the next day! I gave it to my friend who was

also my host over there and said here take them away, and I think she drank the last one a couple of weeks ago. They stacked that sack pretty full.

assigned to come over to the English test pilot school.

Were you ever scared?

you had to be under 35 so I thought ‘okay, well that

scary if you train for what you do. Do you remember

I was getting close to the age limit; back in those days opportunity is gone’.

Then I came back over and taught at the test pilot school at Edwards, and low and behold while I was there they had another selection and they realised that

they needed more guys to do the Apollo programme.

That turned out to be about a year before I turned

35 so I just threw my name in. I had never really

thought about it very much. My attitude has always been it doesn’t matter what you do so long as you’re

I’m more scared of mundane things. Space flight isn’t the first time you rode a bicycle? Were you scared?

the most isolated human being?

Yes I have a Guinness World Record for that; it’s something that somebody thought of. When they

go to Mars, they’re going to be really isolated, so

somebody else will get that record then! I do have a second Guinness record for the first deep space

EVA and that is a record that will never go away

because nobody can beat that. When I received the

programme. It’s something that nobody else in the world could do, something we could do, you couldn’t

do it today. I feel very honoured to have been a part of a slice of our history.

stay young and productive is to be active and so I’ve

a point where you’re not worried or scared anymore.

There’s no reason to be afraid. You’re very comfortable

I don’t believe in retirement. I think the only way to done a lot of things.

with the equipment and you’re extremely comfortable

When I retired from the air force I taught in a college

that.

own little research company with a British partner

with mission control so you just don’t think about

It’s hard to say. You know there are still people who

You received a Guinness World Record for being

I feel fortunate to have been in such a fabulous

learn all that you need to know about it and you get to

No. You get used to it. Space flights are the same; you

training etc. When you do all of that and you do it to open.

terms of what we could do and what we wanted to do.

What have you done since you retired?

How do people react when they find out you’re an

well then you never know what other doors are going

greatest decade in the history of the United States in

Okay, when you drive a bike today are you scared?

developing your career and you’re doing what you need to do, like going to college and getting flight

the world to have been to the Moon?

astronaut?

for a couple of years. In that time I put together my

and we developed a product for airplanes and sold it to a company called BF Goodridge and I ran their Michigan company for seven years.

doubt we ever went to the Moon. But I would say

I joined the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation about

I’ve been to the Moon. If I wear my NASA jacket I

for about seven years. Charity work is what it’s all

people are very solicitous of me when they realise that get recognised on the street, if I’m announced as a

speaker at an event people would come looking for

me, they want to meet someone who’s been to the Moon. But I can walk down any street in the world

without a jacket and nobody knows who I am. It’s kind of a nice way to be.

the time I retired and became the chairman in 2002 about. I make a lot of appearances for companies and

I do consultancy work for a museum in Germany. I’ve

also written three books. I wrote one straight after my flight in the 70s, a children’s book, and then I wrote

an autobiography with a co-author three years ago.

We’ve sold 50 thousand copies so it’s doing okay.

And we’ve been asked to do three more books so I’ve always got something to work on.

first certificate I said ‘it’s a Guinness record right? The certificate is really nice but where’s the beer?’ And he

said ‘we no longer belong to the brewery anymore, we’re an independent operation so we don’t do that’.

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What did you miss most when you were in space?

Lough Gur is a perfect example of that. You have

so excited about what we were doing and looking

years ago, very smart people, and they built great

I didn’t miss anything because we were so busy and forward to the next bit we had to do that we never really thought about it. I wrote a book of poetry and that was the first book I did. People say ‘did you write

that on the flight?’ and I say no I didn’t write it on the flight, I wrote that when I got back, I mean I didn’t

people who lived here seven, eight, nine thousand things, great pottery stuff, great bronze stuff. If you go

to Lough Gur you’ll see a whole display of artefacts that age to 8,000 BC - that’s 4,000 years before the pyramids! How can that happen?

have time!

I love to help Lough Gur in any way I can so now I’ve

What was your first impression of Limerick and the

on my way back for a couple of days. Last year they

Irish people?

Paul Ryan, my friend, organised for me to come and give a talk to a bunch of schools around here, and we did a side trip out to Lough Gur: that grabbed me. If you haven’t been out there you should go, it is

unbelievable. I have a very strong feeling that we need

to know what happened in the past to know where we’re going.

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made it kind of a habit that when in Europe I’ll stop made me a patron of Lough Gur and that kind of

cemented me in a little bit more. I love Limerick, it’s a great little city. I love the Irish people. I’ve got to say

Paul Ryan is one of the nicest people, he is so helpful and so willing to do whatever needs to be done and I find that that’s generally the attitude here. People are very friendly.

Places don’t mean anything. People mean everything.

So that’s why I like it here.

Article by: Sarah Talty

Photography by: Eoghan Lyons

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Th e li me rick magazine

Culture

Tír gan tea nga; tír gan anam A country without a language is a country without a soul There are many publications and online accounts

out there that are as active as a Kilkenny hurler: they are current, witty, insightful, funny and, dare I

say it, entertaining. Amidst this excitement came the arrival of Fliuch, an online magazine that is truly

dragging our language into the 21st Century, To jog

your Gaeilge memory, yes fliuch means wet, but we're not talking weather here, unless you count the April

issue's feature on weather girls... I think you can guess the content by now! The edition is the only issue so

far of the first ever Irish language soft pornography magazine, but still it's another bit of ground broken!

Not all publications have stood the test of time, due to funding and readership levels - Foinse and

Gaelport.com may ring some dusty bells for you.

However, some print media still remains: the Irish Independent proudly includes a free publication with

the Wednesday edition called Seachtaine; which An tír gan anam muid? Are we a soulless country?

This article could turn into a history piece, if I were

not! Having dallied in the ‘Irish’ circles around me for

tongues and torn from our mouths, or the centuries in

I don’t think so, or at least, I certainly hope we are

many years now, I can safely say every person within them goes through highs and lows with regard to our

mother tongue. I myself was wallowing in a low for

some time, wary of its vitality. Then I turned on the action button and began proactively practicing the language again, and what a delight it is!

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to tell you of how our language was ripped from our which we have struggled to conserve the wonderful, complex beast that is an Gaeilge. But I would rather

we focus on the present and future, and be comforted by the progress we have made with the language.

Progress? What progress? I hear you say. It may come

as a surprise that Gaeilge has in fact moved with the times.

covers all bases from politics to sport and fashion.

Not being a native speaker, I, like many others, have to constantly work on my Irish. This doesn’t have to be

a tedious task - just make it part of one’s daily routine.

Hearing people say they don’t learn Irish or they are not active in the language because ‘it is not really out there’ does not sit with me. Tá sé. It is.

It is easily done by catching your news as Gaeilge on

TV or any of the many active online publications: nós.ie, tuarisc.ie and beo.ie to name a few.

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Beo.ie is well known amongst those who are still

With the current primary curriculum divided into

While the primary curriculum is a set curriculum for

brilliant educational edge, i.e. when a mouse hovers

speaking schools and a different set of requirements

or class. For a first year pupil to really love and use

acquiring the language, simply because it has a over a highlighted word/ phrase a translation is

provided. Another popular source, particularly with students, is the Twitter account @talkirish. It provides

illustrated words and phrases with translations, so no more excuses, you can learn as you scroll.

The resource list is healthy to say the least, and the active Irish community should be very proud of what

is available, as with each site or publication there has been much passion and hard work involved. I implore you not to use Google translate. Google translate is

two areas for teachers - requirements for English for teachers of Gaelscoileanna - all children are taught Irish (with a few exceptions). Children in

other European countries may be learning a second

language from birth, they sometimes even learn up

to five languages by the time they are finished school, between home and school life. Language is and should be a way of life. A friend succinctly summed up my own musings: “Language is a language and if treated like a subject will always remain as one”.

never acceptable. You will be spotted and outed in

Children need to live the language. Simply rhyming

ie instead.

of vocabulary on a particular topic can be beneficial

an instant! Use tearma.ie, potafocal.com, and focal.

Education. Now, we’re getting to the crux of the issue!

With every other Tom, Dick and Harry willing to throw their tuppence worth on this one, there is little

chance that the nation will ever come to an agreement on how to provide a comprehensive language

off a collection of verbs in various tenses and a list

for memorisation, but has a detrimental effect to the restoration and love of the language if it is not

practiced in conjunction with daily use in liferelevant, fun situations.

education for children. Do we even need to teach Irish

I commend the teachers who actively practice and

Does it further enhance employment prospects? A

an appropriate accessible standard for their students.

in schools at all? Are there any intellectual benefits? resounding YES is my answer to all of the above.

Incidentally, why should you pay heed to what I say?

Well, from working in Irish in media settings and having taught in a secondary school and primary

schools, you can be confident that I not only have

a keen interest in Irish but have experience of it in both personal and professional settings. And Irish is of great importance from an educational and

professional perspective, as studies have proved that

children who acquire a second language from their younger days have better cognitive and retention

abilities than those that don’t. It also enhances their ability to learn grammar and syntax in a third, fourth or fifth language, should French, Spanish, German or whatever other language be taught when they reach

secondary level, or indeed in later life. Even more surprising is the improvement in mathematics from bilingual children.

implement the curriculum in the correct way, and at It doesn’t take the brightest tool in the box to realise

that 1) you can only learn at a level you understand

and 2) that with language, you learn best through

immersion. What is more important: that a child can list off Irish translations of emotions, or that they

can express their emotions as Gaeilge? An aontaíonn tú? Another undeniably crucial point is that teachers themselves need to be proficiently educated in the

language. Having attended the Gaeltacht as part of my teacher training programme, it is clear that there is absolutely no reinforcement of a standardised

approach or programme for student teachers, who pay up to if not more than €1000 to attend these courses on top of funding themselves throughout the

academic year. It is detrimental not to have a plan, it

is utterly ridiculous to have a plan and not reinforce it.

Unfortunately, a huge struggle for second level teachers is the difference in teaching approaches for first years after they leave 6th class.

all, a lot falls on the individual experience of the child, Irish, they will need it in their home, on TV/radio, toys/entertainment and in the primary classroom.

Sounds like a lot of work eh? But it’s not, all you have

to do is turn on and tune in! A family friend recently told me his six year old daughter came smiling towards him, saying “Daddy I can count to 50 in Irish”, and

proceeded to do so. She then started spouting Irish words and phrases as she was playing and organising her school things. He was shocked because he knows that she didn’t learn that many numbers in school and

he nor his wife ever encouraged Irish use. Then the penny dropped, she had always watched Dora the

Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants as Gaeilge

ar TG4. Isn’t that wonderful? That’s how simple it is

folks, tune into Irish media and you will be pleasantly surprised at the progress made!

With many of my college friends teaching Irish in secondary schools, the lack of correlation between primary and secondary teaching of the language from a curricular perspective is a line I have heard

so often, and is something I noticed when teaching

myself. What works in primary schools is making

the language fun, appealing and interactive. Should

this be the focus for the secondary level curriculum, the prospects of student interest developing in

the language would be greater and henceforth the language itself would continue to develop. This

sounds ideal but a lot of work restructuring the curriculum would be needed, from the government and then timetabling within schools. The Minister for Education has acknowledged challenges in education

in Gaeltacht communities and a study is underway, but this has yet to translate into real overhaul.

Teachers and parents nationwide are closely watching

the proposals for a Junior Cert reform. Would it improve the quality of Irish? Noticing great conflict

in teacher unions I have watched the proposed plans closely from their initial introduction.

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I believe should they be implemented there would be

Perhaps some of you have heard of (or better yet own)

Not only that, it is pretty cool to have another

supplying in Ireland. While I can’t say much specifically

as an emblem representative of their proficiency

on some level when holidaying abroad? To remark as

a detrimental effect to the quality of education we are

about the effects on the Irish language (because even

teachers I have spoken to are so ill-informed they do

not know what the new course would entail), I fear at

a general level it would rob secondary students of the opportunity for the development of a comprehensive understanding in any subject area.

By modulating choice subjects, all that will ever be

taken from a studied subject area is a taster, with no deeper understanding and no true appreciation.

In the past few months, some national press have

published articles discussing research study results and projected beliefs that the Gaeltachtaí will be non-existent within a decade. When will the national

press get behind the people who live through, work through, talk and love the Irish language? There was a backlash on social media to these articles, many

young leaders and pioneers of Gaeilge retorted

the fáinne, a ring shaped pendant worn on ones jacket

in Irish; gold for fluent and silver for semi-fluent. I own one but honestly, I don’t wear it often enough. A

revival of sporting the fáinne would do wonders for the language. We must be conscious of it, be active

language… who of you readers has not used Gaeilge

you check out the talent, complain about prices or maybe just feel like James Bond for a moment… you are rebels to the cause!

in it and be proud of it. There is so much positive

With young Gaeilge activists and advocates there

really needed is a collective movement for people to

Kavanaghs’ twitter platform where #Gaeilgechat is

energy for Irish language preservation, all that is channel this wonderful energy.

Should the government reinstate funding that was cut with the crash, as it has with groups such as Enterprise Ireland,

Údarás na Gaeltachta would

have the means to support the existing passion for

the language. As some friends from the Gaeltacht pointed out to me “tá sé deacair maireachtaint anseo-

ní bheidh teanga phobail ann gan pobal” (“it is hard living here, there will be no community language

are always new things to tie into, check out Una

used Mondays from 8-9pm and people nationwide (and sometimes worldwide) tweet as Gaeilge.

Una, who has always promoted Irish recognises that the hashtag is in its infancy but promotes its use for

everybody; “Remember, Gaeilge is for everyone. Don’t

be ashamed to speak it, practice it, get words wrong.

It’s meant to be enjoyed and #Gaeilgechat is to be a stress free zone.”

without a community”).

I appreciate the irony of this piece being in English,

on such a consistent basis that our national media

I believe now is a more fitting time than ever to

away and started typing as Gaeilge. But it is in

advertise the strengths and progressions of Irish, a

been many commemorations to the battles of our

‘where are we going?’ It is truly heartbreaking to see rarely uses its immeasurable power to promote and language recognised by the European Union and the first named language of our country. This lack

of support is thankfully not ubiquitous, however, with the Irish Times giving voice to leaders within

Conradh na Gaeilge who work wonders for Irish.

The Irish Times have shone light on Dr. Conchúr Ó Giollagáin’s Comprehensive Linguistic Study

of the Usage of Irish in the Gaeltacht: 2006-2011 and called the government to action, stating that

“Gaeltacht communities must be empowered … to be communities with a future in control of their destinies”.

Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile, birds of a feather flock

together… but, not always. From talking to other cainteoirí Gaeilge, or Irish speakers, recognising

Irish speakers to whom we can speak with is highly problematic.

reenergise our use of Irish. WThis year there have forefathers. What better way to respect and revive

their memory than through a movement and drive for

promotion of Gaeilge… Gluaiseacht na nGael? The

and many times in writing this piece, I got carried English for the simple fact that you now understand

me, you now understand that you have the power to

develop your skills, our language and enhance the lives of everyone around you by practicing it.

Government once announced a 20-year plan, ‘Gaeilge

With passionate proclamations from Gaelgóirí,

resigned to the feeling that our language is due to fade

and multitudes of people eager to remain living

2030’, that I hear nothing of now. It seems they are away, rather than ignited by the powerful cries of so many, willing it to fight and take flight again.

Bród. Pride. That is one emotion I notice in everybody

that I hear speak Irish. I don’t have psychological test

results saying ‘Speaking Irish makes you happy and

proud’, but when I speak Irish or speak of Irish to people, the common resonating emotion is pride; to

have that link to our identity of the past, present and, if we continue to play our cards right, our future.

constant curiosity from those sharing the cúpla focail, and working through Irish, it is time for us to pull

together, to reintroduce, snas a chur, and use Gaeilge.

Continued lobbying for the return of funding and support for the language through education

policies, community language planning and groups

within and out of Gaeltacht areas is also necessary.

The government must also pay heed to the studies

completed and realise our country needs its language.

Ní neart go cur le chéile! (There is no strength without unity!)

Article by: Rebecca Egan

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T he li me rick magazine

Fashion

Brown Thomas CREATE Brown Thomas

launches

CREATE

2016, a

celebration of the most exciting emerging Irish design talent. Now in its sixth year, the installation

will celebrate the extraordinary work of 19 talented

designers across ready-to-wear, accessories, millinery and jewellery for six weeks, cementing Brown Thomas as the first to discover newness and develop designers

at retail level by showcasing and mentoring these bright new things.

Photography by:Leon Farrell for Brown Thomas

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T h e li merick magazine

Fashion

Autumn Winter Trends 2016

Photo Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

From disco-glitter eyelids to vintage hair accessories and smoky eyes, these are the top AW16 beauty trends to take note of...

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Photo Courtesy of Nars Cosmetics

A new mood of romance and glamour has set the tone for the Autumn Winter

2016 fashion week season, with many designers stepping away from the polished

innocence of the Spring/Summer collections in favour of eccentric, gothic style.

This was reflected with messy hair tied in a bun and adorned with dramatic

vintage hair pins, brooches and clasps. Make-up also followed the change to

a more gothic look, with porcelain skin, heavy eyeliner and pronounced lips.

Sparkling make-up seem popular, with brands such as Burberry and Holly Fulton opting for a slept-in party make-up look.

Photo Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger

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T h e li merick magazine

MensFashion Autumn/Winter 2016 Style Trends

This years style from Menswear Autumn/Winter 2016 have highlighted a reignited interest in rich, warm colours and materials perfect for inspiring our wardrobes.

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Emerald Green With its depth and versatility when paired with other traditional hues, emerald green is the ultimate staple for Autumn/Winter wardrobes. The colour works well for statement jackets

and accessories but has also enjoyed a revived popularity in suits. The trend can be adopted

in fitted suit styles or take a brighter approach on the colour to boost the modern appeal of your look. Emerald green scarves also work effectively to lend a jolt of colour to simplistic casualwear.

Shawl Neck Cardigans The ultimate staple piece for classic Autumn dressing, a shawl neck cardigan will help keep

you warm. To spruce up a casual t-shirt and jeans combination, a shawl neck cardigan will

add a novel touch. If you’re out for dinner or a movie, it will ground your look giving a bit of added character.

Novelty Sweaters Whether it is a cartooned motif or a kitsch retro advertisement, novelty sweaters have been

playfully featured on the streets, lending personality to the simplest of looks. The key to

choosing novelty sweaters is to adapt it to your personal style. You can wear them in a classic way by selecting versatile and traditional colours. Marle greys will work well to the ground

looks, making your outfits more subdued and tame as opposed to overtly wacky and over the top.

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Th e li me rick magazine

Style

with Shauna Lindsay I've been in Los Angeles for the past two weeks, and

I'm so blessed to have family over here that I get to visit every summer for a month and it just so happens to be

about this place: The weather, the people, the beaches,

and mojitos were had!

so far it's been incredible. I love absolutely everything the nightlife, you name it, it's here (I won't even begin

my sister, her wife and my nephew all have their birthday in that same month so loads of celebrations and cake

to mention the deliciousness of In-N-Out Burger).

My best friend Nnenna came to Los Angeles to party last weekend. Having both turned 21 this year and not being

I spend most of my time at the beach. My usual

Ireland. We found some really cool warehouses that stayed open until 6/7am playing all the best House and EDM

spot is Manhattan Beach, which is a must-see if

you’re visiting. I've been to them all but there's just something about Manhattan Beach that I love.

with each other to celebrate, we said we'd make up for it and go out with one last bang before we're both back in

hits. We also hit up a popular gay club in West Hollywood called The Abbey which is a known hotspot for celebs like Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Rihanna and the Kardashians.

During my last few days in San Fransisco I also got to meet a pretty cool photographer and do a photoshoot in the middle of San Fran’s streets!

Here's a sneak peak:

While I was in San Francisco I bumped into a few

Irish lads (of course) who just so happened to also be in LA for a weekend. So of course we did things the

Irish way, and partied until dawn, and the Americans definitely gave us a run for our money. One of the

nights we didn't get home until 10am! If only D'icon

Instagram: @tommymao

stayed open that late, eh?

I have some more exciting things lined up for the rest of my time here so be sure to follow me online.

We had a quiet 4th of July, my sister’s wife and family

Instagram: @shaunalindsay

came round and we took my nephew Finn to a park

across the street, where they hold an annual firework display.

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Snapchat: 'shaunalindsay'

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Th e li merick magazine

Make Up

Autumn and Winter 2016/17 Trends To see what’s ahead for next season it’s always good to look backstage at the fashion shows - that’s where

all the magic can happen. With the best makeup artists and hair stylists in the world being creative, we get to see the most amazing looks and the shape of things to come.

Some of the main trends backstage were bleached brows from Givenchy, dramatic smoky eyes with

nude lips from Elie Saab, bold glossy lips with spiky dramatic eyelashes by Christian Dior. Lots of cool

tone colours came from Giorgio Armani: matte skin, dewy skin and of course defined brows. Chanel had big brows with more cool tone eyeshadows with lots of mascara.

Here is a look I have put together inspired by A/W backstage trends, I’m going with one of my favourite

classic A/W looks which is a soft smoky eye, lashings

of mascara, defined brows, flawless matte skin, light contour with a big statement bold plum lipstick. It’s

an easy look to recreate and it will keep you on trend for this A/W season ahead.

Products used:

Complexion - Giorgio Armani Maestro UV Primer.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation. Giorgio Armani Luminous silk compact powder.

Lips - Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Front Row 600.

Eyes - Giorgio Armani Eccentrico Mascara. Giorgio Armani neutral eye tints.

Brows - Giorgio Armani Brow Maestro in Wedgwood.

Article by: Mary Kiely

Photography by: Eoghan Lyons

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M u s ic: K A T HL EEN TURNE R Originally from Tyrone, singer Kathleen Turner has

“When I first moved to Limerick, I was doing my

Kathleen always finds it difficult to describe her

2006 for what was originally only supposed to be 10

Irwin was in my class. He’s just a gorgeous pianist

I grew up with the whole singer-songwriter folk

adopted Limerick as her home since she moved here in months. Kathleen describes herself as a singer, songwriter

and community musician, who fuses her music with a bit of folk and a bit of soul.

Kathleen can’t remember the first time she began

Masters at the Irish World Academy and Dave and guitarist and he was working on Liam O’Brien’s

‘Crooning at Christmas’ jazz show in Dolan’s. Dave told Liam about me, and they asked me to do a few songs. And it just went from there really!”

singing, but being the sister of award winning singer

Kathleen has an impressive career in music behind her

that came naturally to the Turner household. “I’ve

the music community and how hard she has worked

Juliet Turner, there’s no doubt singing was something been singing since always really. Everyone in my family sings so I was surrounded by it at home and

at school. My earliest memory is singing along with the TV to ‘Name That Tune’ with Lionel Blair on the BBC… and now I feel old.”

Kathleen thinks that the first album she bought with

my birthday. I remember feeling completely amazing, being able to pay a song by myself – just the total

biz. I had completely forgotten that lovely memory!

Thanks for reminding me!”

One of Kathleen’s favourite things about Limerick is the way that the Limerick people take you into their group of friends, she remembers how she felt such a

warm welcome when she first came here, after one gig suddenly she met all these amazing musicians and her career just blossomed from there.

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guess my songs try to bring folk and soul together again in some way.”

Music and an MA in Ritual Chant and Song. She

Sistema inspired initiative in Limerick City for the

Irish Chamber Orchestra. The programme, Sing Out

with Strings, now provides 300 children annually with free access to singing, song writing and instrumental tuition.

Orchestra, instigating a number of projects that

and I was given a wee nylon string acoustic guitar for

on repeat, the entire way through my teens. So…I

since coming to Limerick in. In 2008 she piloted a

and YouTube ‘Get on your feet.’ Brilliant,” she ‘Sorry’ by Tracey Chapman. I was about 12 I think,

soul. I used to listen to Aretha Franklin’s ‘Gold’ album

Kathleen holds two Masters Degrees from the

Then from 2008-2014, she was a Community

recommends. “The first song I ever learned to play was

background, but I also have a huge love for gospel and

already, a credit to how respected she has become in

her own money was a tape of Gloria Estefan’s ‘Cuts Both Ways.’ “I urge everyone to go out immediately

music. “I think I’m a bit of a mix of sounds because

Engagement Manager for the Irish Chamber

brought live music into the classroom and community.

She continues to work for them as a singing and song writing tutor. Kathleen is the conductor of the BA

in Voice and Dance Gospel Choir and the former conductor of the Limerick Gospel Choir and the

University of Limerick Gospel Choir. She is also a

vocal tutor at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. Impressively in 2011 Kathleen performed for

the Dalai Lama, during his visit to Limerick, as both a singer and a conductor.

University of Limerick, an MA in Community released her debut EP to great acclaim in 2014 and

finished a mini tour of Ireland in late January of this

year. Recently she performed in The Limerick Lady

festival at the Milk Market in June. There’s no doubt

that Kathleen’s success will continue on in 2016 as she pursues a PhD in Arts Practice at the Irish Wold Academy of Music and Dance and a new record in

the works. Her thesis will explore the role of music in the process of social regeneration. Her PhD is

taking priority at the moment so gigs are on hold till early next year. “I’m currently working on a new

EP,” Kathleen tells us. “I’m taking my time with it but should be out early 2017.” We can’t wait.

Article By: Sarah Talty

Photography by: Tarmo Tulit

THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

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L imeri ck M us ic EP Releases

Fox Jaw – Hit it Off

Emma Langford - Debut EP

The eerie, rock sound of Fox Jaw returns once again with their new single

You may have seen copies of this EP hanging around the streets of Limerick or

then some. Provoking lyrics, chilling riffs and a bout of haunting harmonies

Harper. Since its release the EP has taken Limerick by storm. It’s a stunning

Hit it Off. The song is everything one could expect from a Fox Jaw song, and all feature, and an exciting music video is guaranteed to follow. The song is smooth, polished music that makes it appealing to every ear. Its simplicity is

its beauty. Once again, Fox Jaw have surprised us with their ability to twist

and shape the genre of rock into something both innovative and thrilling. For hardcore fans and newcomers alike, this new single will not disappoint.

on your social media timelines with its iconic cover art by Jacob Stack and Finn recipe of captivating lyrics, layered smoothly over guitar melodies, wrapped up in a leather-bound book to create the perfect story. Emma’s tales of love and woe draw the listeners in for a twenty-one minute journey that leaves you with a broken heart and broken Play button as you frantically try and listen a second time. The most

surprising thing about this EP is its professional finish and clean recording. Every one of its six tracks could stroll into the charts and top it without a bother.

Anna’s Anchor – Signal Tower

Cruiser – Hot 4 U

From the upcoming album Nautical Miles comes the single Signal Tower by

With loud, heavy, quality pop-punk, Cruiser are another fresh talent to come out

release has sparked a whole new round of interest as Anna’s Anchor returns

and defiant lyrics sprint through the album, dragging everyone along with it for

Anna’s Anchor. While the track was released in late May, the recent video from yet another trek around our stunning country. 200 locations and 1300

miles to create the ultimate Irish road trip. The song itself is a rock-based ballad with powerful lyrics and a solid melody running through. The single strays from Anna’s Anchor’s previous release, The Islands which took to a more

intimate, acoustic sound. While change can be unpredictable, this new sound

is both promising and exciting for Anna’s Anchor and their highly anticipated new album.

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of Limerick with their debut EP Hot 4 U. The harsh percussion, roaring guitars

an unforgettable four-track rollercoaster with enough loops and bends to keep you on the edge at all times. Even in these early stages, Cruiser show promise in their music through their strong songwriting and passion. With this release, Cruiser

have laid the foundation for their sound and are ready to tackle the industry head

on. This certainly isn’t the last we’ll be hearing of Cruiser, this EP is just a warm up for what great things are to come.

Article by: Christine Costello

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Th e li merick magazine

Music Liosa Murphy Liosa hails from Belfast and is one of the most exciting young musicians in modern Celtic music. She has worked on many

great musical productions and has now taken the leap and gone solo, with the help of her band, a group of talented musicians from Germany. She talks to TLM about her new album and Irish tour, which comes to Limerick’s Belltable Theatre on 13th August.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started

Why do you think Celtic folk music endures so

Tell us about the album Skylark: what’s the story

I’ve been playing the flute since I was about six years

Our traditional music is just the best in the world,

with it?

in music?

old. Music was always in our family and we were

fortunate enough to be taught music by the Nugent family in Fermanagh, who are very well known folk

musicians. From there I started competing in Fleadhs, I studied musical theatre, auditioned for Rhythm of

Dance and then started touring with various musical productions. Now I’m doing my own tour with my own band and have an album called Skylark.

Who is ‘The Band’ – how did you all meet and come together as a collective?

My manager is German and so I divide most of my time between Germany and Ireland. I was looking to work with a band and he introduced me to these

musicians. We met in the studio, jammed for a bit

and found it really, really worked, it was very exciting, we fit together very well. They’re a great bunch of guys, very professional but laid back and easy to work

with. We’ve toured together in Germany, Switzerland

and Austria: now it’s our third tour and I decided I wanted to come home to Ireland.

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strongly with worldwide appeal?

melodically and lyrically. The songs tell such great stories about emigration, lost loves and all the things Irish people have historically gone through. It provides an emotional connection to our history. I think it’s

because music is something we always celebrate and take with us wherever we go – we celebrate it in festivals and Fleadhs all over the country all year

round, it’s in the home and children are introduced to it at a very young age. Our traditional music is part of who we are. We are a very talented nation with so

many fine singers and musicians, and I think when others see the joy and energy and feeling people

experience when playing and performing the music… well, it’s just infectious, you can’t help but feel it.

behind its creation, what were you hoping to achieve We recorded in a studio just outside of Donegal. I wanted to put out an album that wasn’t your typical

‘trad’ album – I wanted to reach a wider audience.

I deliberately didn’t go to a trad music producer to

create the album – it’s contemporary with influences

from folk, world music and vocal percussion, a bit of electro-pop, there’s even trip-hop beats in there!

We’ve covered many great old folk songs, but put our own spin on them. I went into the studio with a fair

idea of want I wanted but I didn’t have anything set in stone, I wanted to let it come to life while we were recording and thankfully it did.

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What can people expect from your upcoming performance in Limerick?

Well, we’ll be rocking it up! There will be a bit of everything, plenty of jigs, some ballads - it will be full of energy and emotion, and we hope people will really

feel the music and have as much fun as we will be having! We hope to give people a really good night out and I’m very much looking forward to it.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

Photography by: Katrina Taggart

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a rts Pr o file Fusion Dance Fest

Fusion Dance Fest, a variety of dance workshops, video projects, evening events and seminars, culminating in a showcase at the end of the week, will take place in the Millennium Theatre in LIT from 8th - 13th August.

Brought to you by the dance company Fusion

Fusion Fighters was launched by performer, teacher

This has also been achieved by introducing a variety of

that Fusion Fighters are famous for, incorporating

2013. They are a performance based dance initiative

of emerging technologies.

Fighters the dance fest will focus on the dance style

Traditional Irish Dance forms into a variety of Irish

show styles, body percussion, tap & contemporary.

The dance festival currently has dancers of all ages from intermediate dance levels to professional. It

caters for almost all ages and standards so they can accommodate both people looking for a more relaxed approach to learning and those looking to venture into professional dance careers.

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and choreographer from Bristol UK, Chris Naish, in

that targets the current generation of dancers to get

popular dance styles, music genres and the inclusion

involved with a unique approach to performance.

Chris got the idea to create Fusion Fighters in 2011

traditions but Chris, the Artistic Director, also likes

several years on how to fuse a variety of dance forms

The project is anchored with Irish Dance and music

to make their work current and more appealing, to broaden their audience and create viral campaigns across social media platforms.

when he was living in New York and working for with Irish dance that he had been training in such as body percussion, tap dance and hip hop.

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“I would often arrange experimental collaborations

with this new style of dance I called ‘Irish Fusion’ with

a variety of artists in the music/dance scenes in NYC. The results were all really positive and I knew then I’d

do whatever it took to create my own company with

performance opportunities and workshops where

I could make this dance style available for others to learn. The past three years have already been an

extremely challenging journey and a huge risk but

I’m starting to see the rewards with our viral success online and believe 100% that it’ll be worth ever bit of the hard work put in.”

Chris himself began dancing at the young age of

four when his mother started him in some free dance classes. Much to her surprise he went on win several

major solo awards including All-Ireland, National and European titles. The dance classes started a lifelong

passion for Chris. When he was 18 he joined touring

Modern projects like ours have had a lot to do

For more information on Fusion Dance Fest and to

in over 3,000 shows, between Michael Flatley’s Lord

generation, because they’re able to dance to their

www.fusiondancefest.com.

of the most prestigious concert venues in the world.

not only does it make it more appealing but it’s also

Article by: Sarah Talty

Fusion Fighters has established itself in both the UK,

signatures and tempos,” Chris tells us.

Jennifer Radick.

video projects & performances by their dance crew

There are four main choreographers at the dance

Limerick because he believes it is such a hot spot for

Donnellan, two times World Champion Michael

shows and was lucky enough to perform for 15 years

with encouraging this new trend for the younger

of the Dance, Riverdance and Celtic Woman, in some

favorite kinds of music as well as traditional tunes,

Ireland and USA where they provide workshops,

challenging and productive to dance in unusual time

but Chris decided to hold the dance festival in

festival. Former Riverdance principle dancer Michael

the creative arts in Ireland.

Gardiner, Kristyn Fontanella and Chris Nash. There

Chris has a strong belief that dance is important

Davitt teaching sean nós and Tobi Omoteso teaching hip hop.

entertainment or competition but it’s one of the most

Chris tells us a bit about the student showcase, which

days so is really is great for your body too.”

Theatre, LIT. “The first half will feature our student

What kind of music can we expect to hear at the

Limerick band Arum. In the second half we are then

of music, traditional Irish music, classical, pop, hip

and dance acts to showcase their own work, including

Fighters I have always been interested in presenting

hope some of you can join us in what we anticipate to

experimenting with various musicians when living in

movements of 2016.”

social activities you can find and more of a sport these

Photography by: Gerry Collins Photoraphy and

will also have several guest teachers including Sibéal

because it encourages you to work hard, respect

others and work as a team. “Dance is not just about

buy tickets for the student showcase visit their website

will be on at 8pm on August 13th at the Millennium dancers along with music from up-and-coming

Fusion Dance Fest showcase? “We dance to all kinds

giving the platform for several guest music groups

hop, dance, the list could go on. As part of Fusion

the latest work from our own performance crew. I

my work in differently and unique ways, so I started

be one of the most progressive Irish Dance events and

New York to see which collaborations worked best.

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L imeri ck Yo uth Theatr e

Next year the Limerick Youth Theatre will celebrate it’s 20th year since local theatre practitioners set it up in 1997. Every year the LYT recruits new members who are aged between 16 and 23. The LYT offers a two year training programme in

all aspects of theatre, such as technical and lighting work, acting, writing and costume designing. Originally from Greece, Angie Smalls has been the Artistic Director of LYT since 2009.

What experience do young people pursuing the

Members get the experience of acting for the camera

What role does theatre and performance art play in

The new members start with history of theatre

project they are also encouraged to learn about all the

That’s a big question! Well first it’s a way of expressing

vocation of performance art get at the LYT?

from Ancient Greece to today so they get a bit of

understanding as to how the art form has become

what it is now. Then the next term they’re part of a big show: they create a show so they get the experience of

being on stage and being in groups and then in the third term they work on a short film project.

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and even using the camera, and while they are in a

aspects of theatre, like lights, camera and makeup.

It's hands on. Of course not everyone wants to be an

actor or a technician , but later later they’ll know why things happen.

bridging cultural and social divides?

yourself and that’s always good, to be given the

opportunity as a young adult to express yourself through the arts. As I said we have everyone from any

background, or experience, we don’t expect that the

young adults will have any experience in theatre; you could say we don’t even really encourage it.

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I suppose inclusivity is the way we approach the

This started with about 50 people - we are in our

show or event or a film project or anything else we do

involved. We started in the Belltable and moved to

membership. Then when it comes to a project like a we take into consideration the background and the

abilities and the interests of the young adults and we programme accordingly.

Can you tell us a bit about your outreach programme?

We have this outreach project because we were getting

sixth year now and we have about 170 people getting the Limetree but are now looking for a bigger space.

Through the years more organisations have started

joining in like Music Generation, schools like Laurel Hill Colaiste and Nana Nagle are involved, plus

Limerick Youth Dance. It’s very collaborative so that’s really exciting.

a lot of phone calls for work experience and the youth

How involved are you with the local arts community?

during the week there is no members, there is no life

members, so this is one way. Then of course we have

theatre. We have the members in on Saturdays and so in the studio or in our space so when young people

were calling in and asking for work experience, we were like 'oh my god they will be putting stamps on

envelopes' and that’s not exactly what they want to do.

We came up with the idea of a three week project, a theatre drama based project, and so we recruit TY students at the beginning of the year or even

December for the following year. With a professional

director and a professional crew they put a show on

We employ local artists to work with the young

years of good relations with the local venues such as

Belltable, the Lime Tree Theatre and Dance Limerick

because we stage performances there. We participate in Culture Night and always encourage our members

to get involved locally and go and see things. It’s important they get to understand how things work in real life and that they become the audience and

appreciate the art form and all other art forms too My

background is contemporary dance and choreography.

in the Belltable or we make film projects. Again it’s

Do many of them want to pursue it as a career or a

everyone is welcome but also its very concentrated on

We get about 25 new members every year and most

a very inclusive, all the schools will be contacted, school hours, 9 to 4, and then there is a product at the end. The audience is their peers, their classmates, their schools as well as their families and friends.

Then we have the creative show, this is my favourite.

It’s collaboration between the Daughters of Charity and us. It started very small, just as a pilot project to

see whether the young adults and the people with

intellectual disabilities can come together for a small period of time and create a piece of theatre and stage it.

Article by: Sarah Talty

hobby?

of them want to be actors. But there is a couple every

year that want to be writers or directors or technicians.

Of course the youth theatre started as a place for young actors to find a home but as the years went on

we realised that not everyone want to be an actor so

we try and accommodate the needs of every member.

They all have to go through everything because it is

important that everyone gets the same experience and

what they do with it later in life is their own choice.

We have many students now in third level education that are film makers or photographers or actors. It’s

very exciting. About 60% of members go and study theatre after they leave us.

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TH E DI R E CTOR'S CHAIR L ia m O’ B ri en Limerick actor, director and producer, Liam O’ Brien is

The agency’s launch hopes to coincide with the launch

Liam hopes that producers will be looking for

Chair.

of acting experience under his belt Liam feels he can

opportunity to find them locally first in his acting

setting up Limerick’s first actor’s agency, The Director’s

When Liam first heard about the arrival of Troy Studios, he decided to look around to see what he

could do to contribute and seize this opportunity.

What he saw were lots of talented actors who didn’t have any representation.

The announcement of the placement of the film

studio was what spurred Liam to think about what the

studio would need and Limerick was lacking. He says: “First of all we need a portal for potential producers and film companies, directors and the studio itself to source talent locally. From my perspective we have an

abundance of talent here, but unless it is all presented

together and we all work together and cooperate we’re not going to be taken as seriously as anyone that would be represented by an agent in Dublin or London.”

of Troy Studios in the coming weeks. With 18 years help represent actors by bringing a level of experience to the agency.

"I've worked in Emmerdale for several years, I worked in the UK, I’ve worked in Fair City here and done a

lot of feature films. I have some connections already

actors of all different looks, and they will have the

agency. In turn, he says, “sourcing actors locally will save money as there is no expenditure on flights or

accommodation, as three would be with actors from places like London.”

and experience abroad and I’ve also worked with my

Liam stresses how important getting acting training

should expect. When this film studio starts getting

if you feel you could learn those skills along the way

own agents so I know exactly the conditions that one busy you may find that actors from all over the country start moving to Castletroy, down to Limerick

city because they want to be where the action is, just

like many actors started moving to Belfast when they started shooting Game of Thrones there. With the Director’s Chair we can give actors an opportunity for

them to be seen, to be heard and to be represented, so if they do get a job somebody is talking for them on their behalf, negotiating their contract and doing everything that an agent does.”

is, if you are serious about what you want to do. “Even he feels the connections you form when studying

and being with a group of like-minded people is invaluable.

The Director’s Chair is only interested in taking on actors who are serious and professional and see the worth in investing in themselves, such as getting professional headshots.”

Liam says he will represent a couple of people with no training, but they would have to really prove their

passion and dedication to him, by doing something

for example, like showing that they had produced

The agency hopes to draw on the international

Liam says unlike some other actor’s agencies every

and get the chance to represent and work with the

they’ve done before and if they haven’t done much,

“I’m hoping that the acting community in Limerick,

Rather than reading a list of plays you’ve been in on

behind the concept so we can represent ourselves

spotlight placed on Limerick, to gain attention from many talented actors we have here in Limerick. Liam

stresses that wanting to be an actor doesn’t mean having to leave Ireland anymore. “We’re next to an

airport, Shannon airport is 15 minutes away, nobody

has to be living in London or New York anymore to

be an actor, once they’re near an airport they can fly over and follow work as it goes.”

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client will have a show reel online showing material

the company will help them to produce a show reel. your CV, film studios will be able to see what you look

and sound like on camera, something that is obviously so important in a visual medium.

successful short films.

which is really vibrant, gets behind the actors and

such better. I feel the city was missing this agency

and we have the opportunity to do something great.

Effectively this business is a service to employ people, which will mean more people living here, going to see shows, more business, and more people eating and drinking in Limerick.”

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If you are interested in being represented by The

Director’s Chair Acting Agency then please get in contact with Liam through the directorschairagecy@ gmail.com.

Article by: Sarah Talty

Photography by: Tarmo Tulit

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E l e c tri c Picnic Music and arts festival

Electric Picnic is one of Ireland’s biggest and liveliest music and arts festivals. It returns for its 12th year running this summer, taking place from the 2nd to the 4th of September

in Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois. Since its beginning in 2004, when it was

merely a one day festival, Electric Picnic has grown to become regarded as one of Ireland’s most in demand music and arts events. It is renowned for its eclectic style and vibrant atmosphere, and continues to draw in festival goers every year without fail.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Electric Picnic hosts a number of stages across the

What makes Electric Picnic different from the others

performances from a great selection of artists. The

top class performances by internationally acclaimed

location, with each of them promising unforgettable

is that it has something for everyone to enjoy. From

festival has never disappointed with their line-ups,

artists to a myriad of hidden gems offering exciting

with headliners over the years having included the

adventures, the festival is definitely not short on

likes of Sam Smith, Outkast, Paolo Nutini, Lily Allen,

activities and amusements for festival goers. The

Florence and the Machine and Blur just to name a

diversity of Electric Picnic alone is what sets it apart

few. Each act has brought something new to the table,

from all the rest, and makes it such a unique and

from genres ranging from Indie Rock to R&B. This

exciting festival.

year’s headline acts include LCD Sound System, who previously played the festival in 2010. Joining them in

the line-up for her first ever Irish festival appearance

The

festival

incorporates

a

wide

variety

of

renowned for their incredible live performances will

to silent discos. If you want to take a break from the

are no strangers to the festival, having performed at

on offer at Electric Picnic and engage with the food,

years. Other acts include HAIM, Years and Years,

festival is home to a number of zones within its setup

many more.

Within the world of Body & Soul, you can indulge

Electric Picnic is much more than your average music

while gazing upon exceptional art installations as you

is Lana Del Rey. The Chemical Brothers, who are

entertainment and arts events, from its comedy tent

also take to the stage, along with New Order who

music you can check out some of the amazing activities

Electric Picnic a number of times over the last few

crafts, theatre and social aspects it has to offer. The

Gavin James, Jack Garratt and Wolf Alice along with

from therapeutic indulgences to lively conversations.

festival.

in relaxing seaweed baths and therapeutic massages

Electric Picnic Music and Arts festival takes place

from 2nd-4th September 2016 at Stradbally Hall, Co.Laois. www.electricpicnic.ie Article by: Laura McNamara Images by: Brendan Ryan

Jamie Tanner

enjoy this relaxing retreat.

By entering the Mindfield area of the festival, you

get to experience a diverse range of conversations, debates, food demonstrations, science experiments and theatre. There’s also Greencrafts which showcases

the techniques of traditional crafts, along with Global Green, an eco-village made up of a unique community

of cultural creatives, which offers a number of workshops and classes from yoga to mindfulness sessions.

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Th e li merick magazine

Travel The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, Thailand

Arriving at the Four Seasons Koh Samui is an

The moment guests arrive on property, they are

Situated in the tangled greens of a coconut grove, the

leads to the top of the property where a tall, narrow

Thought of as the island’s first Western player,

spectacular views of the Gulf of Siam. There are 60

experience in itself. The resort’s unassuming driveway door stands as the only entrance to the hotel, opening onto a small, overhanging deck that looks down onto

the lush resort grounds and out over the turquoise water of the gulf.

welcomed with Four Seasons hospitality and service. the resort does an excellent job of maintaining a

destination-specific vibe with thoughtful details throughout that give the property a lot of soul.

Four Seasons is built into a steep hillside, making for villas and 14 two- to five-bedroom residence villas, but because of the resort’s multilevel layout, it never feels

crowded. The villas are huge, with ample indoor and outdoor spaces connected by floor-to-ceiling sliding windows that let you enjoy the sparkling panoramas from your bathtub, bed or walk-in closet.

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Against the spectacular colour palette of the outdoors,

There’s a fabulous kids’ club, and little treats and

aesthetic: polished teak and rosewood furniture and

as s’mores offered at a beachside campfire every

the interiors showcase an elegantly understated floors, beige hand-woven carpets and the occasional fabric or décor accent in striking turquoise. Each

surprises are organized throughout the day, such afternoon.

massive stone-lined bathroom has a double vanity

Parents should book babysitting service in advance

window. It’s the kind of sexy yet relaxed jungle lair

Four Seasons’ excellent spa or to take advantage of

and a deep egg-shaped bathtub that faces the

you picture James Bond unwinding in at the end of the movie. Each villa has a spacious outdoor terrace

with an infinity pool and oversized daybeds. Tellingly, the minibar, stocked with sweet and salty treats, a Lavazza coffeemaker and Champagne and wine, is found out here.

Getting around the sprawling property on foot can be

a workout due to its steep inclines, and you need a golf

cart to get up and down the mountain (you can also use the dedicated pickup button on the room phone

to schedule a buggy transfer). Down by the lovely, long beach, there’s a cool bar/lounge where guests can nurse smoothies and cocktails while reclining on

enormous daybeds, as well as an 82-foot pool that’s

popular with families. Travelers with children (anyone under eighteen can stay in their parents’ room for no

charge) usually prefer the beach villas, which don’t

have the elevated, sweeping views but enjoy direct

access to sand and water with less privacy. Overall, the Four Seasons is extremely child-friendly, without losing its sense of romance and luxuriousness.

to make time for a pampering half-or full-day at the the property’s romantic atmosphere. There are five

spa salas, actually huge villas, each with indoor and

The breakfast buffet, which is served atop the hill at

an alfresco bathtub and a steam room. Hidden in

Western properties throughout Thailand, the chef

Sala 5 is the most remote: you get there via a wooden

the south is so well known for. In-villa dining is the

Treatments here are referred to as experiences, and the

the privacy of your terrace, you can watch the many

the four-and-a-half-hour Air Divine includes a

while snacking on spicy beef salad and wok-fried rice.

with warm coconut oil and an herbal steam. Guests

Who Should Stay:

water sports; the Four Seasons’ attentive and caring

here, as the property offers comfortable, spacious,

with a Thai kickboxing champion and a sunset cruise

service, terrific views and excellent food. It is also a

outdoor massage beds, indoor and outdoor showers,

KOH, is varied, fresh and extensive. Unlike many

the jungle, they offer privacy and time for reflection.

here is not afraid to serve the kind of real Thai spice

walkway that snakes through dense greenery.

most popular and romantic option for dinner: from

best ones combine wellness and beauty; for instance,

twinkling green lights from the squid boats at sea

private yoga session, an Ayurvedic-blend massage

who prefer to be more active can play tennis and enjoy

Couples, groups and families will all be equally happy

staff can also arrange such extras as a private lesson

well-designed accommodations, warm and efficient

on a catamaran.

perfect spot for honeymooners.

property, including KOH, perched on one of the

For more information visit: www.fourseasons.com/

There are two restaurants serving excellent food on property’s highest points, and Pla Pla, the breezy

kohsamui

beachside eatery where most guests have lunch.

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T h e li merick magazine

Drinks Vodka Cocktails – Le Grande Fizz Get that summer holiday vibe with this refreshing vodka cocktail. To be drunk on the decking or balcony - between the rain showers that is‌

Ingredients: 35ml Grey Goose Vodka 15ml elderflower liqueur 70ml soda water

Squeeze of 2 lime wedges

Method: Build ice into an oversized cabernet wine glass.

Add Vodka and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Top with elderflower liqueur and chilled soda water.

Garnish with two lime wedges and stirrer.

TIPS: For added aromatics, twist the zest of the squeezed lime wedge over the top of the drink. Add

a squeeze and a few wedges of orange, lemon or pear for different fruity variations of the cocktail.

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Th e li merick magazine

Food Asian Beef Salad INGREDIENTS 30 ounces sirloin steaks, trimmed 7 ounces salad greens (any kind) 2 small red onions, finely sliced 10 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

3 large mild red chilies, seeded and shredded (can add more if you like a BIG punch) 2⁄3 cup coriander 2⁄3 cup mint leaf

2⁄3 cup basil leaves

DRESSING 1 teaspoon soya sauce 2 tablespoons fish

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar or 2 tablespoons palm sugar

DIRECTIONS Brush the beef with a little oil and char-grill, barbecue, or pan-fry till cooked to your liking.

(I recommended medium rare for this recipe, if you

can handle a little blood.) Set aside for five minutes and slice it thinly.

Place salad greens, onions, kaffir lime leaves, chili, coriander, mint and basil into a salad bowl and toss lightly.

To make the dressing, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar.

Stir the dressing well.

Place the beef on the salad and pour over the dressing.

Serve immediately.

Photography by: Tarmo Tulit

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BE h ind the foo d Well n i ce P ops

You know the feeling. It’s a rare sunny day in Limerick

BJ ran a café and health and food shop in Kerry before

The idea for a frozen healthy treat came about when

something sweet and frozen is irresistible, and the

and Health Coaching. After qualifying with a degree

mess and hassle of juicing, realised 100% vegetable

and you’re trying to be healthy but the temptation for

kids are once again trying to convince you that they’re allergic to vegetables. Limerick natives, Trín O' Brien

and BJ Broderick, are two girls who have come up with a solution: Wellnice Pops, 100% vegetable and

going back to college where she studied Nutrition

in Engineering, Trín worked for a year in Malta and spent some time travelling before working in ship building in Portsmouth.

fruit ice pops.

It was over a catch up on a cold January day that the

Trín and BJ have been best friends for over 10 years,

who has been an avid vegetable lover all her life, feels

since they first met working together in Dolans Pub here in Limerick. Despite pursuing different things they stayed good friends.

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girls got the idea to go into business together. Trín, that vegetables get a bad rep.

Trín, after becoming increasingly frustrated by the and fruit ice pop would make life a lot easier.

The girls were excited and one of the first people they

told about their idea was their old boss Mick Dolan.

His advice? “Keep going till ye hit a wall, and when that happens, find a way to go over it or around it!”

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On the downside it can be hard to switch off ‘work

mode’. If you’re out socialising and something work related comes up, the temptation is definitely to hash

it out there and then, a temptation we’ve no doubt

given in to on occasions. Kudos to our other long suffering friends!”

Winners of the National Enterprise Award for

and without a doubt, we are more health conscious

at The Bank of Ireland Startup Awards 2016 (Food

ages. With an average of 18 Kcals, they’re great for

played on the healthiness of the ice pops. Wellnice is

entrepreneurs with an idea in their head to just go

minerals, they are a great way to sneak in some extra

there too. Plus ‘well nice’ is a phrase they associated

Innovation (Limerick Region) 2016 Silver Winners

than ever before. Wellnice Pops are suitable for all

The girls wanted a strong name that was catchy and

& Drink) the girls encourage any young budding

slimmers and as they all have some vitamins and

a play on wellness, as well as having nice and ice in

for it.

nutrients. They can even be used to flavour water.

with home, both being very proud Limerick girls.

Here in Limerick, you’ll find Wellnice Pops in Ivans,

individual dietary protocols. You rarely hear of anyone

If you’re a bit apprehensive about trying an all-

Wellnice Pops can also be enjoyed as part of many

The Urban Co-op and Barrons, as well as SuperValu

being told to eat less veg!”

vegetable ice pop, Trín and BJ suggest starting off

in other SuperValus across Limerick, Clare and

BJ and Trín are hitting up all kinds of festivals

is closest to what you’d expect in an ice pop. Then

stockists around the country too, and the list just

they’ve been very well received, citing Body & Soul,

Lemon Sucker, though it’s fairly tart and not for the

ones that have stood out. “We find that camping

What’s next for Wellnice Pops? “We’re just about to

their sweet ice pops are actually super healthy with no

scorching tent, maybe feeling a little ‘delicate’, what’s

so you can expect to find them in ice cream freezers

We find that in urban areas, people won’t bat an eyelid

that apparently they’ve revived many a reveller and

hope to be launching something next Spring. In the

in Castletroy and Corbally. They’re also available

with their 2 Carat Diamond ice pop, as the flavour

Tipperary. They have a number of other independent

all over the country with their Wellnice Pops and

if you’re feeling really adventurous move on to the

keeps getting bigger.

Knockanstockan and The Big Grill as some of the

faint hearted, they advise.

The girls get mixed reactions when people find out

festivals work best for us. When you wake up in a

launch Wellnice Pops for the Ready-To-Go market,

sugar or additives. “It really depends on where you are!

nicer than a Wellnice Pop?” The girls proudly admit

soon. We have a few ideas for other ranges and

when you tell them it’s an ice pop made from kale.

helped keep the party going.

meantime we’ll be working on bringing our pops to

in the beginning. We often get people coming back

Do the best friends find their friendship affected by

And without a doubt you’ll see us in our ‘Pop Shack’

so nice’ or parents asking what we’ve used to sweeten

“We really buzz off each other and people often

genuinely can’t believe that the pops are made of just

business terms, our individual skill sets are very

It was a harder sell in other places though, especially

asking, ‘what’s in that again? I never expected it to be

working so closely together? Hardly at all, they say.

or colour them.” Mostly BJ and Trín find that people

comment that there’s great energy between us. In

100% juice. “Apparently food is the new Rock & Roll,

complimentary, and we are definitely stronger as a

every corner of Ireland, and hopefully even abroad. at all the best festivals so come say hi!”

Article by: Sarah Talty

team.

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Opinion: with Rebelle Haze

How to be the Fat Girl in the Gym Recently I did a thing that was exceptionally scary for me: I decided to join a gym.

Now fellow fat girls, please do not throw things! I know what some

are going to say and trust me I have heard most of it already. I was not

talking nonsense when I said I loved my body, I still very much do. I do not want to be a size zero. The truth is, I am going to New York for my

30th and I do not want to spend a small fortune on my solo adventure and spend most of it wrecked from subway stairs. It sounds silly but it’s

true. I love my body, there is nothing wrong with me or how I look but the bottom line is I am unfit. And besides, just like not all slim people

are athletic not all plus size people stuff their heads with chips and sit

Find someone (a Personal trainer, coach, gym instructor) to show you what to do.

You want more than one day to learn the proper forms of the long list of movements you’ll be performing. If you don’t take your time to

learn the right moves you run the risk of having your weight loaded incorrectly and you will likely injure yourself, not to mention your

performance will suffer. I love my coaches, they take the time out to correct my form, shout encouragement, change up the routine if there

is something I can’t do and just generally be nice people. If someone

was screaming in my face they would have been told where to go quite a while ago.

on their arses all day.

Don’t wait, go as fit as you are right now!

Needless to say, my first class was horrible. During the warm up I

done pretty much zero structured exercise in the last four years and

thought I was going to die. I was in a complete heap and we were less

than five minutes in. I would like to say it got better - I didn’t die so

that was something - but about half way through I had to run out of

the class, because if I didn’t leave right that moment I was going to be

sick on top of everyone. So I went, I was sick and it sounds strange but I felt ten times better after it.

As I stood in the hall way I had a choice, I was beside the door, I could just leg it and never come back or I could go back in. I went back in

and finished out the class. It felt pretty bad ass. Now I was bright red, sweating like a pig and I had been sick, but I was buzzing.

I don’t know what I expected when I went in but I wish I had done it ages ago because now I am hooked. I did my first one handed plank

soon afterwards and I bawled like a baby, not because it hurt but

We all start somewhere and what better time than right now? I have now I am working out six days a week and I am loving it. Of course I’m

much slower than everyone else and I can’t do half the things they can, but in fairness if I could why would I bother my arse going at all? I go

at my own pace and I challenge myself. Seeing the improvements each

time and how much more you are capable of each week is unbelievable.

Leave the negativity on the gym floor

Clear your head. Leave the world behind. What happens in the gym

stays there. Your sweat (and maybe even tears) build the foundation of your relationship with the coaches and friends you’ll make. Do not

allow yourself to be distracted by outside factors –this is all about you, your strength and the perseverance and accomplishment you will have

after completing each session. I have yet to leave a session as grumpy as I went in.

because I was proud as hell that I had done it! I tried the kettle bells,

Get yourself some good shoes.

about being the fat person at the gym, or if you are just worried about

for longer because you won’t be distracted by niggling foot pains and

and I braved the battle ropes. If you are like I was, and are concerned

doing this whole fitness thing in general here’s some advice to get started:

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Do get the best shoes that you can afford - they will help you go

aches. Research online, ask the coaches, ask your mates, the sports shops and make an informed decision.

Invest in Epsom salt

The first four days of the gym I was in agony! My thighs burned constantly. Stairs

were a nightmare and going to the bathroom was something I had to mentally

prepare for. I preferred to stand than sit because if I sat I would have to eventually

get up again. I heard over and over how awesome Epsom salt soak baths were.

If you don’t have a bath, stretches, deep heat and massages are your best friend.

Oh and patience- it will leave I swear, I was told it would last four days and sure enough four days is what it was.

Invest in good workout clothes

Owners of boobs: you need a sports bra. I nearly left my first class with two black

eyes and some bruised knockers because of my carry on. Get measured, get fitted, I promise you it is worth not having to wonder where they are going, what they are

up to and eliminates the concern that one is going to spring free from your top at any moment. Wear clothes that are comfortable but that are not a hindrance. Pants

that fall down? Top that rolls up? I don’t care how cute they look, leave them at

home. A pair of leggings and a long t-shirt does the job for me. While we are on

it, please do not be worried about the size of your arse in your pants or what your arms will look like sleeveless. Nobody gives a fiddler’s! Everyone else is too busy working on themselves to care about your wardrobe or wobbly bits. Everyone is going to leave, tired, red, sweaty and in a heap.

Last but not least, properly nourish your body before and after a workout!

Please do not take the opportunity to starve yourself because you think it will help

you lose weight or be of more benefit. You have just put your body though a new

kind of fresh hell and now is the time to feed it with nutritious foods and lots of protein to repair your poor muscles. Your gym and coaches should be able to

recommend the best kind of eating plan for you to ensure that you have a positive recovery.

Go forth, be badass and happy sweating!

Rebelle

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H om e : I t’s all abo u t the Bat h r o o m

It is often said that a great kitchen can sell a house, but today it might well be the bathroom that is taking over and it is all down to our busy lifestyles, which

make a beautiful bathroom a necessity as much as an indulgence.

It is not surprising we are lavishing a lot of care and

attention on turning our bathrooms into Zen-like retreats. A tranquil hideaway at home is the perfect

antidote to the stress of everyday living. The modern bathroom is not the over-the-top luxury suite of

yesteryear. For starters, it's a lot more streamlined.

Cabinets are usually wall hung or perched on narrow

legs, so there's a much greater sense of space and

1. Freestanding bathtubs. Tubs are usually sculptural in shape, and often teamed with floor-mounted tub mixers. Many new tub models feature a black or

metallic finish on the exterior. Built-in versions have strong square lines and a very contemporary feel.

lightness.

Fittings are also clean lined and sculptural – even the basin mixer makes a strong design statement.

If you are about to embark on a renovation project it can be helpful to know about current trends. A new

bathroom is, after all, an investment, and you want to make sure it's a good one.

2. Matt black tapware and accessories. This is one of

the strongest trends this year. It helps to have one or

two other black elements in the room. Black tapware has enhanced the appeal of the black and white

bathroom, which follows the huge popularity of black and white kitchens in recent years.

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3. Return to nature. The raw, natural look also has plenty of followers. Timber slatted walls and window

6. Glamour. Luxe is back, in the form of metallic finishes, decorative wallpaper, and mirrors.

screens introduce a strong textural element creates an eco-friendly, back-to-nature vibe.

4. Frameless glass showers with sliding barn-style

doors. Nothing spells luxury as much as a frameless glass shower.

7. Shower tech. Shower technology is also very

advanced. Think multiple water jets, chromotherapy

(coloured lights), and aromatherapy and of course, there's always the indispensable soaking tubs and spa baths, also with multiple water jets. Plenty to keep you de-stressed and cosy right through winter.

5. Ceramic tiles that mimic nature. Modern tile technology means it's now possible to use ceramic tiles

that perfectly reproduce timber floorboards, marble, and even concrete as well as providing cost benefits, these tiles also have the benefit of easy maintenance.

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Health & Wellbeing With health and fitness instructor Sintija Zorge

Kids and Fitness We should all know how important is our children’s health and wellbeing is. Unfortunately looking at health statistics it seems that we are still not paying

enough attention when it comes to children’s physical activity levels and eating habits. Yes, we live in a

century in which technology is nearly ruling over us, but we cannot use that as an excuse to let children become overweight, developing diabetes, asthma and even heart associated problems in their early lives due

to poor dietary habits and lack of exercise. We have to

be vigilant and encourage a positive attitude to health and exercise.

The reality is, children love to move and be active!

Anyone who has spent any amount of time with children knows they dislike sitting in one spot for

more than a few minutes, that they get bored easily, that they need to be entertained all the time, and they want to play and have fun. Putting them in front of

a TV or game console is not the answer. This will become a bad habit, and next thing they will say that

they just want to stay home and won’t leave the house when you want them to.

Summer camp saviours

Watch those snacks

I believe that every parent wants only the best for

It’s important to control your child’s eating habits.

during their summer holidays as adult work and

they are on holiday. Remember that sugar is very

their children and it can be hard to keep them active

chores continue. One thing that is great about Ireland is that there are so many summer kids camps around

the country were the main focus is kids’ fitness and health. Kids camps are provided with professionals

that will help children’s development, and will keep

them active and entertained. They will be provided

with different activities daily starting from simple

indoor games to swimming pool and outdoor

activities. There are camps that run all summer long,

addictive making it a hard habit to break. Be a good

example to your children and clear out sugary and unhealthy foods/drinks/snacks from the house. Stack

up on all kinds of fruits and vegetables instead. Go in the yard and hop around with jumping rope and invite your kid to join in or simply kick a ball or go

to the park for a walk that can always be progressed into a run.

or you can book a place for your little one for just a

Be good to you too

availability for kids, teens and young adults to keep

Children are our future but what we do will reflect

based bootcamps around the country where your

home, with barely enough energy to even talk to

week. The main thing is that there are facilities and them active and healthy. Also there are many charity child could get their exercise in.

For the rest of the year there are so many team sports

that your child could join or individual events in the athletics that your child will start loving. Sport is for life

and will definitely lead them into the right direction.

Teach them that participating in sports, practicing skill and developing talent is more important in their

life than winning one game. Being physically active

daily helps focus in study, helps improve memory, helps brain development, helps bone and muscle growth, helps self-esteem, helps clear your mind and boosts overall health and well-being.

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Don’t let them eat whatever they want just because

on them too. Over working in the office then coming

your loved ones is a reality for many but that cycle

can be broken with small changes to your routine.

The happier you are the more able you will be for

physical activity, so look after your own mental health and wellbeing in the same way! Children are growing up and learning so much from us. If they see that

you train and eat well daily they will adopt healthier habits themselves.

Article by: Sintija Zorge

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pa r enti ng

A Bed Rail or a Co-Sleeper.

Most people will not actually tell you this but the majority of babies simply refuse to sleep

Best Baby Buys

in a cot. They prefer to sleep as close to their mama as possible, and this is perfectly normal baby behaviour! Jack literally never cried at night as he was right beside me in the bed at all

times. So instead of purchasing a traditional cot, invest in a bed rail to reduce the possibility

of baby falling out, or if you’re nervous about having a small baby in the bed, a co-sleeper can be attached to the side.

Rearward-facing Car Seat Safety is of paramount importance with newborn babies, so it is essential that a suitable car seat is properly fitted. The safest newborn car seats are rearward facing. Both Mothercare

and Smyths in Limerick have an excellent fitting service where a member of staff will help you select the best car seat for your particular car and demonstrate exactly how it should be

fitted. Make sure you know how to use it well before baby arrives - this will also prevent the likelihood of disproving glances in the post-natal ward in the event of a full blown argument When I was pregnant with child number one I was a baby

with your husband about how it works.

shop’s dream. I was admittedly, naïve and gullible in my belief

A Sling or Baby Carrier

fundamental to the baby’s survival.

As previously mentioned, babies love to be up in their mama’s arms as much as possible. This

that absolutely every single baby gadget on the market was

However I am now a well-seasoned veteran in this baby game.

This time round I am considerably wiser and realise that four

buggies is probably slightly surplus to requirements. (anyway, baby hated buggies full stop). So in order to save unsuspecting

first-time mamas a deluge of unnecessary purchases, I have

compiled a list of the baby accoutrements you will really require and use efficiently:

is where babywearing becomes your best friend. Slings and baby carriers allow you to keep baby soothed. They allow you to be hands free to eat and drink copious amounts of coffee. If you want to purchase a safe and ergonomic sling it is best to avoid the cheap high street store

slings as these are usually not ergonomically designed for baby. Some of my favourite slings include the Connecta, Tula, Ring Sling and JPMBB Wrap. These have met a number of safety

standards and are designed to ensure baby is in the most comfortable, supportive and safe

position. These slings are readily available online in a number of Irish babywearing websites, however, be warned: once you enter the babywearing world you will become addicted to

procuring the latest designs and styles! In addition, there are babywearing sling meets on monthly at Kidstown in Corbally, where you can meet other babywearing mamas and try out a wide variety of slings for a small fee!

Coffee and Cake The first few months after a baby arrives can usually be defined as a haze of feeding, crying, nappy-changing and sleep deprivation. Use whatever you can to get through this challenging time. I find that coffee can greatly aid in assisting one through this fog. In addition encourage

visitors to bring a plentiful selection of chocolate, pastries, buns, cake and ready to cook

dinners. An ample supply of confectionery is always helpful and will effectively aid the transition through the exhausting newborn blur…

Article by: Jane Butler O’Halloran

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bu s ine ss profile: Louise Lawlor, Creative Director Blink Design

Louise Lawlor is currently celebrating the 15th anniversary of her company Blink Design, so what better time to talk to her about her career to date…

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in business?

I’m originally from Gort, County Galway but I came

to Limerick to study. Fairly early on I knew I wanted to study graphic design and the course at LSAD was by far my first preference because of the college’s

international reputation and the fact they do the first

year basic in art and design. After that I worked for a signage company for a while and did a bit of freelance

work here and there. Then the freelancing kind of took over my time and I decided to take the plunge

and go it alone full time, and that’s how Blink Design was born in 2001!

Who are Blink Design? What do you feel makes the business unique?

My passion has always been creativity and with Blink

Design it’s all about creativity, precision and helping people develop their brand identity. I like to say that

we bring professional effective design with a sense of

fun and friendliness! Most important is the focus on building relationships – the value of investing time

into nurturing relationships can’t be measured. With

Blink I’ve built a strong network of printers, marketers and creatives. We have a number of long term clients

who call on us whenever they need something, no matter how long it’s been since the last project. It’s

great to know that we’re the first point of call for them.

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What did you do for your anniversary celebrations?

What is the most recent book you've read?

friends, clients and everyone who has worked with

though I would love to read more books. I most

I held a party at the Hunt Museum Café for family, and supported Blink Design over the years. So much of business involves critiquing and being a bit hard

on yourself so it’s important to take moments to

celebrate your achievements too and thank those who have helped get you there.

I tend to read more blogs and articles than books, recently read Steve Jobs’ biography, he is a major

source of inspiration for many in design, where would we be without the Mac! I’m also reading Nelson

Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, now that is a story of resilience and overcoming hardship.

What have been the biggest challenges you've faced

Who are you biggest business inspirations and why?

them?

Richard Branson is someone I greatly admire. He

in your work to date and how did you overcome

I think the biggest challenge by far was keeping the business going through the recession. At the best of

times you have to be willing to continually review business and strategise, but in bad economic times it

is constant, it is daily asking yourself ‘how much is this costing, is this working, where can we save?’ just in order to survive, let alone grow. I had to make some

Authenticity in business always inspires me, and is brilliant at what he does and comes across as a

genuine and conscientious person at the same time.

Gina London, who we were lucky to have speak for us at Network Ireland Limerick in February, is another brilliant mind who is just so genuine and lovely to talk to.

extremely difficult decisions during that time and try

What does a day off look like for you? Do you find it

so. That’s a difficult balance to strike. The worst part

I’m much better than I used to be, I’ve had to be

to cut costs without strangling the business by doing was having to cut the hours of my full time designer, and then making the very difficult decision to let her go. That was hard.

What is your experience of Limerick as a place to do business? How important has Network Ireland Limerick been to your career development?

Limerick is a great place to do business. I have always

made an effort to put myself out there and network, and joining Network Ireland Limerick was life

easy to switch off?

strict with myself but I will set the odd reminder if

something pops into my head. The nature of what I do means I spend of lot of time in front of a screen

at home, so I like to get outside as much as possible.

I often drive to Lahinch and Liscannor, or go home

to Galway to visit family, they are always full of fun.

I enjoy being out in nature whatever the weather. I also love photography so I always take my camera out with me when walking.

changing – I’ve made great connections and lifelong

Do you have a favourite quote/business mantra that

amazing and inspirational speakers.

“Just keep getting better every day at what you are

friends out of it and been able to learn from some

Tell us a bit about your role as Network Ireland Limerick President for 2016? What's coming up?

It keeps me busy! I was delighted to take on the role

of President; it’s pushed me out of my comfort zone in many ways with things like public speaking.

We’re currently preparing for the autumn and winter

keeps you inspired?

doing.” I think that more or less says it all. That and

“give yourself credit” – we all need reminding of that from time to time.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

Photography by: Shauna Kennedy

season of events so there is a lot to look forward to before the year is out.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

bu s ine ss Ar e b u s i n es s e s s pe n d in g to o m u ch t i m e on s o c ia l m e d ia?

Even though the likes of Facebook and Twitter have been in our lives for a number of years, there is still

the tendency to treat it as something undiscovered, an enigmatic code to break. Like any other communication or marketing channel there is no formula, and no guarantee of success.

Businesses need to remember to look at the whole picture, and not neglect other channels in their

quest for the social media holy grail. Remember that likes don’t equal sales, that a viral post won’t turn you into the next big thing overnight. Social media

marketing requires a patient and measured approach, just like everything else. Forging and maintaining

relationships with customers and clients is the same as it has always been, just with a few more methods of

communication thrown into the mix. There is also a greater risk of alienating customers on social media – If you search for anything to do with business and

It can be all too easy to be sucked into the social media

reports and blogs advising how companies can do

brands simply *must* harness – but is it worth doing

social media, you will find a ream of articles, guides, more, more, more with social media. And with an

ever-changing range of platforms, marketers and business owners are continually re-strategising and trying to stay ahead of the curve.

But are we losing sight of what’s important? After riding the wave of the social media revolution for

so long, perhaps it’s time to look at it another way.

It could be that companies, particularly SMEs are focusing too much of their time on social media for it

to actually be effective. There is evidence that the tide

is turning – an article on entrepreneur.com reports that in 2015, Vertical Response conducted a survey of

small businesses and found one-third of CEOs and small business owners wanted to spend less time on social media.

hype – Snapchat is currently the hot new tool that when half your target audience don’t even know how

to use it themselves? It’s also worth bearing in mind

that with the rise of social media, there has also been the rise of a whole industry purporting to provide expertise and social media management services

to take the burden off busy business owners. This

industry is unique in its very nature – the openness and accessibility of social media is that practically

anyone who’s been near a Facebook page can declare themselves an expert strategist (or more irritatingly, a ‘social ninja’) in order to make themselves a bit more

money. In other words, perhaps it is best not to ask a social media service provider if you need to do more

with your social media as of course they are going to say yes, and they may not always do it with the specific

needs of your business in mind. Similarly, don’t let over enthusiastic blogs tell you that by simply joining a new platform you will magically increase leads.

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people can become easily tired of repetitive posts and

intrusive advertising, and it is all too easy for an off the

cuff tweet to be misconstrued as something offensive.

Sometimes, less is more, and people appreciate a well thought out campaign and useful nuggets of

information far more than a daily bombardment of memes and links. Ironically, the more time spent on

social media, the more anti-social we risk becoming.

Don’t lose sight of your brand identity and business aims in the never ending stream of newsfeeds.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

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bu s ine ss CATHERINE DUFFY

Charming, professional and a woman on top of her

Tell us a bit about your background?

Can you tell us more about your role in Northern

Chamber and General Manager of Northern Trust

and two sisters. Back in the day, my mum had to retire

I am the General Manager for Northern Trust in

game, Catherine Duffy is president of the Limerick Limerick. Originally from Terenure in Dublin, Catherine came to Limerick in 2008 to manage

Northern Trust’s operation here. Back then, the

financial services firm employed just 19 people.

Now, it has 650 employees and staffed by a growing dynamic and vibrant workforce - a truly positive tower of strength for employment in the region. The

Limerick Magazine chats with Catherine about her work and her life in Limerick.

Well, I was born in Dublin and have seven brothers

from the Central Bank once she got married, and my father was a Garda Sergeant before he retired from

the force. I married Eugene McWey, a farmer from

Laois in 2000 and we have four adorable children ranging in age from 5 to 12 years old. My children are

very involved in the local GAA club, so that keeps me busy going to matches!

Trust?

Limerick. Northern Trust is a leading global financial

services institution, proving investment management, management, asset and fund administration, banking

and fiduciary services to corporations, institutions and affluent individuals worldwide. When Northern Trust

acquired Ulster Bank Investment Services in 2000,

I joined Northern Trust as part of that acquisition.

We opened the Limerick office in 2006 with 19

employees, today we have just over 650 employees across two offices. I love the job - no two days are the same.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Northern Trust’s Limerick offices, together with our

What tools do you use to get the job done?

How do you manage your time?

and are at the core of our business activities. We

vital – and never is it more vital then when it goes

and urgency required. I like to see tasks/projects

Dublin office are key centres of fund administration support global multi-national clients and fund

managers with complex and sophisticated regulatory, reporting, fund accounting solutions. My role can be

as diverse as working with the University of Limerick

and Limerick Institute of Technology to source

talented graduates, dealing with client enquiries, meeting with staff, attending board meetings, hosting

all partner meetings, attending Chamber forums, and meeting with other financial market participants.

What is your work environment like?

I have to say we have a fantastic work environment in the office, and it is one we are very proud of. Work

is about people and an integral part of my role is to

know our employees, know what they enjoy doing, where they require support and what motivates them.

It is all about communication. Communication is

wrong. I was helping my husband Eugene move cattle recently, with our four children, and needless

to say a communication breakdown whilst following instructions resulted in the animals ending up

everywhere except where they were supposed to be! It’s times like these when things go wrong an

to engaging and giving back to the communities in which we live and work. We offer each employee two

key is an ability to see the non-verbal aspects of communication. It is often what is not said that needs

to be acknowledged. The ability to recognise and act

upon this kind of communication is an intuition that comes with age, being a mother and listening to my gut.

recruiting?

recruiting LinkedIn, Facebook etc but in my opinion

and rewarding.

something you enjoy, something you are good at or

something you can expand your skills in. Sharing these experiences and remaining focused on continuing to

learn will position you well both in life and in your career. Also, put yourself in others shoes – trying to understand the challenges, the goals, the aspirations

of those you interact with every day offers a different perspective and an opportunity to grow as a leader and inspire others to achieve their goals.

cannot be underestimated, especially in our business.

business report rated Limerick among the top ten

a career is about far more than that and is enjoyable

a unique learning experience. You may uncover

of our graduate needs.

the University of Limerick on our doorstep solve all

employees to take up this opportunity.

It was my father who taught me that work isn’t 9-5,

Say “yes” to any opportunities they arise – some will

We are blessed with two ears and one mouth –

Is Limerick a good place for companies to invest?

Most crucially, it’s important to enjoy what one does.

balance is important.

nothing beats an internal referral. Having LIT and

days out of the office each year to engage in corporate

volunteering projects and I always encourage all our

a need for time out. To achieve a healthy life work

work out and some won’t, but each experience offers

These days there are many tools to help with

and education, and Northern Trust is committed

need to be productive with our time while recognising

written and verbal communication approaches, the

listening and understanding. Aside from the obvious

here in Limerick, it’s also about listening, engaging Ireland is a dynamic hub of investment, research

produce. I like to keep myself busy and believe we all

What is the one piece of advice you would share?

With such a large staff, how do you do your

and being actively involved in the local community.

through so I can see the impact and the results they

assertive approach can be needed, but vital as always is

Our workforce in Limerick is young and dynamic and

as much as my role is about leading our operations

I prioritise my tasks each day according to the time

Yes, most definitely. In 2014 a significant international

the importance of listening, really truly listening, Listening to our clients and working with them to

deliver solutions that fit their unique requirements is at the heart of our role.

metropolitan areas of Western Europe to invest in.

What is the best advice given to you?

by Site Selection, an international magazine focusing

Patricia and Gerard Duffy were leaders and managers.

The 6th Global ‘Best to Invest Report’ was compiled on corporate real estate strategy and area economic

development. The report cites Ireland as the best

Western European country to invest in and includes a list of the top ten metropolitan areas which includes

Barcelona, Birmingham, Dublin, Madrid, London, Vienna, Erfurt, Athens, Limerick and Antwerp.

Coming from a family of ten children, my parents

They taught us all to “give it a go”. You may not always

succeed or end up where you thought you would be, but the most important thing both in life and in a career is to be honest, be fair and try new things.

Article by : Michelle Costello Photography by: Tarmo Tulit

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Th e li me rick magazine Rio Olympics 2016

This year’s Summer Olympics will take place in Rio, Brazil from 5th to 21th August. The anticipation has been building over many months, though this has not been without controversy.

The Russian Track and Field Team have been subject to individual bans after news broke that many of their athletes had been using performance-enhancing

drugs, in what was said to have been an institutional practice and far reaching cover up. At the same

time, several Irish medal hopefuls, such as golfers Rory Mcllroy and Shane Lowry, have withdrawn

from Rio 2016 over fears of the threat of the Zika

virus. However, the World Health Organisation has

deemed the risk of international spread of the virus as a result of the Olympics as "very low".

It’s not all doom and gloom though, and there is a great

deal of excitement surrounding Ireland’s competitors in both the Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Fiona Doyle is one of Ireland’s medal hopefuls at

this Summer’s Olympics. Fiona, 24, grew up here in Limerick. She went to school in Dooradoyle before moving to Dublin in 2009. She started swimming

from a young age with Saint Pauls Swimming Club, which was founded by her grandfather.

She had many offers of scholarships after an impressive youth spent breaking Irish records swimming in many European competitions, including the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2005 and the European Junior Swimming Championships. She chose to go to

the University of Calgary, which was ranked number

one in Canada and North America this year. We chatted with Fiona to discuss the biggest moments in her career so far.

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How long have you been competing as a swimmer?

Tell us about your training with St Paul's and

What keeps you moving forward and motivated to

but only moved to competitive swimming when I was

My dad was actually the one who had the idea to

I have always been a very driven person. For the last

I have been involved in swimming since I was five, 10. I have been on the Irish team since the age of 13.

How does it feel to be on the verge of your first Olympics?

Honestly, it has not really hit me yet. As I type this I am four days from leaving for Rio and it does not

seem real. As I am still in Canada it means I am a little removed from the hype. However, I think that

is good as I can just focus on what I need to do, try

and treat it like any other international meet, and hopefully not stress out too much.

You're originally from Raheen: Tell us a bit about

your upbringing - did you always have ambitions to be an athlete?

I have always been involved in sports. I grew up running and playing gaelic football when I was younger. I loved football but swim training eventually

Limerick Swimming Club:

found St. Paul's SC so it was inevitable that I would start my swimming there. They were absolutely

fantastic. I loved going to the pool, and got excited

every time I was moved up a group. I still remember particular key moments from my time there. I moved

needed to move as the coaching was not working for me in Limerick. I moved to Dublin then and did my last year of school at the Institute of Education.

come true.

setbacks. How you choose to deal with those setbacks

her a hard time about that but I think it was the

right decision in the end. We were so excited when we finally got to move up. I was always the kid who wanted to lead the lane. Every time I got in the pool

I gave it 100%. I moved up through the squad system

pretty quickly. By the age of 12, my twin and I were

In almost everything in life you are going to experience is what defines you as a person. I have learned in

my swimming career that it is okay to be upset, and disappointed, even angry, but to not dwell on it. I try to look for at least one positive thing from the setback so that I can use it as a learning experience.

in the top group and were one of the youngest in it. I

Who are your biggest inspirations/role models?

LSC. I met two of my best friends there.

people I look up to most are those that have impacted

have a lot of really good memories from my time at

plan to stay long term?

education. The summer before my 6th year I decided I

was going to do whatever I could to try to make it

did not think it was a good idea. I remember we gave

actually asked to move up a year sooner, but my mom

for me was always what I enjoyed most. I attended Comprehensive for the majority of my secondary level

was what has kept me going. It was my dream, and I

How do you deal with setbacks?

How long have you been living and studying in

St. Nessans NS for primary school, and the Crescent

number of years, the thought of going to the Olympics

to Limerick SC when I was ten. My twin and I were

got in the way. I also played field hockey in school

for a while, but never really enjoyed it. Swimming

achieve?

Canada? How different is your life there? Do you I have been in Canada almost 6 years now. Life in

Canada is not that much different than in Ireland. The weather is just a lot better in my opinion. I do think

there are a lot more opportunities in Canada though.

At the moment, I am looking into studying medicine but being an international student in Canada really

Growing up I never really had any heroes/idols. The

my life. My parents have been really great role models, as well as a number of coaches I have worked with in the past. They have all encouraged me to pursue

my dreams. They never said I couldn't do something.

They always supported in no matter what. For me, that was super encouraging. It made me want to go out and do them proud.

Article by: Sarah Talty and Kayleigh Ziolo

reduces the programs I can apply for as not all

schools accept international students to their medical program. I will apply to universities in Ireland too, so it will depend on where I get in. I would love to stay in Canada though. I really love it here.

53

THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

D iscov e ri n g THE PAS T Limerick and the Olympics

The modern Olympic Games began in Athens in

John Flanagan (1873-1938), born in Kilbreedy,

The Leahy family from Cregan, near Charleville, had

nine sports. Only men competed in the first games.

winning gold in the hammer throw for this and the

(1877-1927), who took home silver in the high jump

1896 when 14 nations competed in 43 events in It was four years later when women were allowed to compete in a small number of events.

There was no Limerick participant in the first games. Prior to 1924 Ireland did not compete as an independent country so participants competed

under the flags of other countries, with the majority competing for Great Britain. Even after Ireland held a flag at the games many Limerick-born competitors still chose to participate for their adopted counties.

54

represented America in the 1900 Olympics in Paris, following two Olympic games. This accomplishment

included setting two new world records, first in the

1904 St Louis games, a record he then broke four years later in 1908 London.

not just one but two Olympic medallists. First Patrick

and bronze in the long jump at the Paris 1900 games.

Then four years later his brother, Con (1876-1921), came joint-second in the high jump. Both brothers left Ireland for the United States in 1909.

THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

At the 1908 games Limerick men gained another two

Tom Comyns competed at the Sydney Olympics in

medals. First, Tim Ahearne (1885-1968), who was

2000 as part of the Irish 4×100-metre relay team,

born in Athea, received gold in the triple jump, also

while Rosemary Ryan of Bilboa A.C. ran the 5,000m.

known as the ‘hop, skip and jump’. He also competed

Though Andy Lee was born in England, he was raised

but did not receive a medal in the hurdles. Second,

in Castleconnell, and he competed in boxing at the

William Russell Lane-Joynt (1855-1921), a barrister

2004 Athens games. Sean O’Neill rowed for Ireland

and the son of a Limerick Mayor, gained the silver in

in 2008 Beijing and for his adopted home of New

‘running deer shooting’. Both of these Limerick born

Zealand in 2012 London.

Olympic winners competed under the British flag.

In total ten medals were won at the Olympic Games

Denis Carey (1872-1947), born in Kilfinane, and a

by Limerick men and women. This year the Olympics

cousin of John Flanagan, participated in the hammer

will be held in Rio de Janeiro with Sinead Jennings

throw for Britain. He placed sixth in 1912 Stockholm.

nominated to take part in the Lightweight Women’s

When not competing, he worked as a member of

Double Scull. Though she was born in Donegal,

Dublin Metropolitan Police.

she has made Limerick her home and rows with

St Michael’s Rowing Club in the heart of the city.

Patrick James Ryan (1881-1965), born in Old Pallas,

Sinead’s husband, Sam Lynch, was born in Limerick

competed for the United States in 1920 Antwerp and

won gold in the hammer throw and silver in the 56

and rowed at both 1996 Atlanta and 2004 Athens.

pound weight throw. He was a member of The Irish

James Hogan (1933-2015), born in Croom, ran in the

given to a group of Irish and Irish-American athletes

and ran it again for Great Britain four years later in

two decades of the 20th century. Also representing

to win the Boston City Marathon, competed in two

was Dan Ahearn(e) (1888-1942), the younger brother

Munich and then marathon in 1976 Montreal, placing

earlier.

(1955-2015) in Montreal, who took part in the 800m

Whales or "The Whales", which was a nickname

10,000m and the marathon for Ireland in Tokyo 1964

who dominated weight-throwing events in the first

1968 Mexico. Neil Cusack (1951), the only Irish man

Limerick under the flag of the United States in 1920

Olympics. First, he took part in the 10,000m in 1972

of Tim Ahearne, who had competed twelve years

fifty-fifth. Cusack was joined by Niall O’Shaugnessy

The inaugural flag bearer representing Ireland as an

Fiona Doyle.

Article by: Sharon Slater

and 1500m track.

independent participating country in 1924 Paris was

Michael O’Shea ran the 5,000m in 1980 Moscow

He participated in the shot put, which he threw a

educated at St Munchin’s College, competed in three

There is a large monument to this achievement on the

and Barcelona 1992. Gerard Mullins participated in

John O’Grady (1891-1934), born in Ballybricken.

where he ranked tenth. Frank O’Mara, formally

distance of 12.75 metres, placing him seventeenth.

Olympic Games; Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988

Ballysimon Road outside the Munster Fair Tavern.

the Equestrianism section of the Olympics riding

Denis Cussen (1901-1980) became a qualified doctor

in 1988 Seoul. Also at Seoul was Barbara Johnson

in 1925 and had his first appointment in St Mary's

Limerick is also represented in the swimming by

Rockbarton in 1984 Los Angeles and Glendalough who competed in the 400m hurdles.

Hospital in London. He later represented Ireland

in 1928 Amsterdam. He won his heat of the 100m and came fifth in the quarter final heat. Many years

later Cussen returned to the Olympics as the Medical Officer to the British team in Melbourne 1956.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

In t e rvi ew Dr Christian Moretti

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Limerick-based teacher, writer and activist Christian Moretti, originally from Italy, has always been vocal about his passion for his adopted home, and the importance of continuing to strive for LGBTQI equity across the world. As an author

he also writes vividly about love, overcoming obstacles and acceptance, themes which all occur in his recently published novel.

He is now bringing his voice to an even wider audience after being crowned Mr Gay Limerick 2016/17 in July.

Congratulations Christian! How does it feel?

I came here after living and teaching in the UK for

It’s not erotically written, its romantic and passionate.

Limerick. It is a great honour for me, an Italian guy

haven’t looked back since and I really love Limerick, it

the rest of the story is the protagonist’s quest to find

I am tremendously thrilled to have won Mr. Gay who arrived in this beautiful city six years ago, and I

want to thank the judges and all the people who voted for and put their trust in me. I deeply love Limerick

and I love its people, and it is a privilege to represent the LGBTQI community for 2016 and 2017.

You are also using the platform to help Pieta House, why did you choose them?

I chose Pieta House as my personal charity for a

fundamental reason: I am sick and tired of hearing and seeing that helicopter flying over our beautiful

river. It just breaks my heart to think that there is a

poor soul out there who cannot see another way out.

Every single life matters and every life is important.

We all need to realise that we have a role in our

society: it is never someone else’s job, to help, support,

be kind and take care of each other. We need to talk, we need to open up about any issue because there is a solution to everything and there are a lot of people ready to help us.

What else do you have planned?

Being a teacher and a LGBTQI activist, I also would like to work with the institutions and eradicate homo and transphobic bullying in schools in Limerick

city and county. We can all create a better future for ourselves and our beautiful city, so let us all get

out there and start a peaceful fight for progress, acceptance, compassion and support.

Tell us about your latest novel. What got you started and what inspired the story?

I wanted to write something about the connection between my adopted home in Ireland and Italy.

while - and day just decided to move to Ireland! I is my home. I had already published literary criticism articles, and three years ago decided to start writing novels.

A year ago I published my first book, and I really

didn’t expect it to be as successful as it was, so I decided to keep going, and focus the next story on

Limerick as a setting. The first 70-80 pages is set

in Italy, the rest is in and around Limerick. It’s the story of a young Italian boy, who’s about 15 when he

comes to Ireland. His father has died recently and the

family – he, his mother and father had been living on a remote island just off the Italian coast. That island is

real, and it is beautiful and remote, with about only 50

people living there today. But it has a dark history - it was a prison during the fascist regime, not just any

The two don’t see each other again for 20 years and his love and bring him back, via a letter he writes to him. The ending is romantic but bittersweet and heart

breaking. I don’t tend to write about personal things but I’ve included many references to aspects relevant

to my own experiences such as the Italian community in Ireland, romantic relationships in unaccepting societies and the endurance of love.

The letters from the boy’s father were inspired by real letters from the island that were found, though I

didn’t take anything from the content of those. And

of course I wanted to bring Limerick locations like the Milk Market and Garryowen to life – I observe

Limerick life and little details go into descriptions in the book.

prison but a prison for gays. It’s not something that

The book is currently published in Italian - do you

were sent there to keep them away, to keep society

Absolutely, I am in the process of arranging a

is well known in Italy, let alone anywhere else! People

‘clean’. That was how the boy’s father had come to be

there, and he had remained there after he was freed.

He married and had a child but people never forgot

his past and so one day he was killed. The boy doesn’t

know any of this, he only starts to find clues after he is gone. Then he moves to Ireland – there is a history of many Italians coming to Ireland, many would have

opened fish and chip shops. The boy’s aunt invites his

mother and him over to Limerick. He’s 15 years old, has lived on a remote island all his life and doesn’t speak the language, he doesn’t know what to do. So he meets another boy who is half Irish, half Italian

and they form a friendship that turns out to become

romantic as they grow together. Of course, Ireland wasn’t exactly welcoming to gay relationship so the

have plans to get it published in English?

translator. I would love to be able to bring the story to a wider audience, and in particular all the people

in Ireland and Limerick as this is where so much of the story takes place. It’s a story about two people but there is so much in it that so many people can relate

to, I hope for it to touch as many people as possible.

Meanwhile if you can read Italian I hope you’ll give it a look, and there is more information about my work on the website www.christianmoretti.net. I’ll also

be updating everyone about my Mr Gay Limerick activities on my Facebook page.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

Photography by: Angles Studio Photography

relationship plays out in secret for many years until the other young man leaves for Dublin.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Literary Review Every Mum Has Magic Kisses by Ber Collins Ber felt that there was an important broader message within that, that would help these people do better

for themselves and their young ones: That parenting is much simpler than we often think. The message was

that all children need from their parents is security, attention and love. When parents are in a positive state of mind, it is much easier to provide those basics

needs and bring up healthy happy children. Every Mum Has Magic Kisses tells a story of hope, that

one can overcome extreme difficulty and the loss of

a childhood. But it also serves as a user manual for parents to find their ‘spark’ again and be the happy

parents their children need them to be. Every Mum

Has Magic Kisses is written without judgement by

someone who has been through the darkest times and

has found a way to turn it into something positive.

Ber has such a way with words that as a reader you feel she really can relate to you, even if her story is There have been many books published by individuals

That was a turning point for many reasons, but it was

different from your own. Every Mum Has Magic

and tragic childhoods. Many write as a form of

realised that due to her past she was not being the

the more important things in life, and that love will

who have experienced the most unimaginably abusive catharsis: Through a need to show that one can come

through the other side, and a desire to help others

who may have been through similar circumstances by continuing to talk about those experiences and break the silence and taboos that often surround childhood abuse.

Ber Collins had a broader motivation. When she

was eight years old her father began sexually abusing her, and she was bullied and dismissed when she

attempted to speak up. She carried this burden

throughout her adult life until, when she was in her early thirties, she found herself in a very dark place spiritually and emotionally.

58

her children that spurred her to make a change. Ber

Kisses will ignite emotions and remind readers of

mother she wanted to be to them. The feeling was

always conquer.

of complete love for her family, she began to heal

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

overwhelming at first, but by channelling her feelings

herself. Step by step, she realised that the past cannot be changed, the only thing she could do was to change how it affected her and her children’s future.

She wanted to put that message out there in order to try to help others overcome their past. As Ber works

as a holistic therapist, she sees many people struggling with a past, or feeling generally overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a parent.

Photography by: Vig Gleeson

THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

P o e try fr om sta nza s

Statistics in Perspective

By Emer Hayes We have been told – you and I – that we are the 99%.

But according to whom? Tumblr? some other forgotten preacher?

A flock of idealists

looking to change the world just like the rest of us.

You might have heard of this Occupy thing.

They held protests. A lot of protests.

Over 920 cities protested.

And their actions were splashed all over media – social and otherwise. But what did they achieve?

I have yet to see.

We are not the 99% We are the 0.03%.

Of life, squatting with other earthlings, 99.07% of those who also exist.

Unlike them we can think.

For we are rational things,

or at least that's what we’re told.

We are the 50%.

Of smokers who have not yet died, the 50% addicted

and trapped by the pockets of greed.

Emer Hayes, is originally from Limerick but currently lives in Cork where she studies

Social Science. She has had numerous pieces published in Stanzas monthly Chapbooks.

Emer has an unsayable love for coffee, chocolate and daffodils and spends her free time indulging in these.

Stanzas takes place monthly in Hook and Ladder just down Sarsfield Street. The group

aims to encourage and develop new and emerging writers. The August event takes place on the 19th at 7pm. All events include a large open mic section, so bring your own poems, or go and have a listen.

To be featured in the Stanzas September Chapbook, send poetry, prose or artwork with the theme Washed Up, by September 7th to stanzas.limerick@gmail.com

We are the 57%. Of drivers and fliers and industrialists and all that is forcing the planet to warm up to us.

We are the 75%. Who can read and write and share, but don't.

We are but numbers.

Any and all, at any time.

We are not the 99%. We are the 100%.

Who let the 1% be 1.

And 100% the reason why the 1% has won.

We are the 100%.

That can make the world a whole.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

F IL M - The F inal G irl Breasts, brains, and brawn in the horror genre The sexual (or, asexual, depending how one looks at it) element sets the Final Girl apart from all those

surrounding her. Indeed, her apparent lack of interest

in sexuality is the one facet piquing the audience's

interest, garnering their support and sympathy. She also may share a common past with the killer/s, as their lives may have intersected at some point in their

respective timelines. And the Final Girl is usually the story's narrator.

The moral aspect to the Final Girl is directly related to her disinterest in the sexual activity that typically

becomes the downfall of all those around her. She is

seen as righteous in keeping herself 'whole' for the right person, or until the right time, rather than giving into wanton sexual activity like her peers.

To better understand the issue of 'sex equals death'

that can be inferred by watching these movies, one

must look at the conservative view in American

culture in relation to the family unit, and particularly We've all seen them, been on the edge of our seats

The Final Girl role usually represents the morality

in relation to pre-marital sex. Christian faith in

when the bad guy finally kicks the bucket. Well, until

intrinsically linked to slasher movies back in the 70s

teenagers would be raised with the traditional idea

90s. It was Carol J. Clover, a well respected American

interest comes along. It may sound like something

1992 book Men, Women and Chainsaws: Gender in

many parts of the United States today. This is perfectly

and social aspects of an era, and though it became

general opposes it vehemently, and many American

and 80s, the actual term did not emerge until the early

that they should wait until their true, lifelong love

professor of film studies who first coined it, in her

from a past century, but such views remains strong in

the Modern Horror Film.

exemplified in Halloween (1978), the quintessential

It is a common trope in horror films, particularly in

The Final Girl is lean, smart, nimble, crafty, and

the sub-genre. From the very first scene, in which the

her easily falls foul to the killer's blade one by one

repressed.

girl engaged in sexual activity, the idea is hammered

for them and we've all cheered for them, right on cue, the inevitable sequel comes around, that is. We know who they are, but few probably know that the breed of

resourceful women that somehow survive to the end reel and manage to outwit their nemesis actually has a name in the horror genre: Final Girl.

the slasher sub-genre. While everyone else around she survives to the very end, ready for the final

confrontation, where she either succeeds in bumping off her pursuer, or gets rescued, usually by a man or team of men.

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crucially, sexually disinterested, virginial or downright

slasher film, the movie that set the gold standard for audience is made to witness the savage murder of a home, and such theme pervades the entire movie.

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Halloween features Laurie Strode, the 'all American

She is not ‘conventionally’ beautiful, as other girls

Jamie Lee Curtis. Laurie is modest, motherly and

look. And she usually has a unisex name, too. It's this

girl,' portrayed with delicious aplomb by a very young wholesome, with strong moral values, everything a

Final Girl has come to be. While her friends are off getting off with each other, she is indoors babysitting

children. She is the poster girl for Conservative America, and thus she ‘deserves’ to prevail.

Seen in the context of slasher films of bygone decades, the 'sex equals death' axiom always rang true. Any character engaging in carnal antics soon met their

doom. If you dared to get merry inside your car, in the middle of the woods, you had very little on screen time

left. The formula soon became cliched and tiresome, however, and it wouldn't be until the 90’s that Wes Craven infused some new life into the slasher/Final

Girl concepts with Scream (1996). The film was

rightly praised for many aspects, one of them being

the concession for the Final Girl (Neve Campbell, in this case) to enjoy sex and survive.

around her, but instead sports the 'girl next door'

'tomboyish' slant that enables her to be more resilient, and to succeed where others easily succumbed. She is not someone who needed a male counterpart to support her and get her out of trouble: The fainty lady

with a high pitched scream, the damsel in distress.

The Final Girl did away with this archaic concept in one fell swoop, empowering the female to fight

back on her own ability and strength, thus no longer

requiring a male helping hand to succeed. We see this empowerment time and time again, from Laurie Strode's ferocious fight against Michael Myers in

Halloween to Nancy Thompson's smart resilience in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Laurie first stabs Michael with a knitting needle. Then, she turns a coat

hanger into a hand-held weapon. Her will to survive is resolute: Nancy Thompson (played by Heather

Langenkamp) sets up an elaborate trap to lure Freddy

Krueger out of the dream world so he can be defeated.

Still, The Final Girl is a complex and endearing

When one casts a feminist eye on it, the Final Girl

But on the other hand, the prevelance of the sexually

cinema history, and one that also perfectly exemplifies

hand, feminists would agree that she is spared the

much of the slasher film genre is abhorred by the

becomes a rather problematic quandary. On the one stereotypical 'dumb blonde' role, pure eye candy both for the male cast and the audience. She is not the

big breasted bimbo whose only purpose seems to be

arousing the lust of both her male counterparts, and the killer's, and thus suffer a horrible fate in the hands of either. As well as the asexual, even virginal nature of

the Final Girl, she displays traits that do not befall her

peers. She is equipped with more intelligence, self-

conservative narrative remains a sticking point, and feminist audience, as they can be nasty vehicles for

the objectification and degradation of the female, usually in a gratuitous manner. Directors traditionally

use the gaze shot in this type of scenes, forcing the

character, full of texture and significance within

the empowerment of women to overcome adversity -

even if she can’t overcome conservative America just yet.

Article by: Fernando Sanchez

audience to watch the murderous act from the point of view of the killer, thus adding to the voyeuristic nature of the crime.

control, and an ability to think rationally, particularly when under pressure.

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F il m I nterview: Jay Red da n Limerick director known as Jay Red recently won the prestigious Judges Award in the My Rode Reel Short Film Competition

for his 3-minute film Streetlights. We caught up with Jay to find out a bit more about the film and how he’s feeling after such a win.

How would you describe the film?

What does it mean to you to have won the Judges’

Finally a quick tip, if you’re writing a script and

photographic memory who psychologically reflects

The Judges award is the highest award in the

and locations you have absolute access to. It sounds

The film follows the story of a man with a on his own traumatic past. So we relive his childhood

experience through the eyes of his older self. Basically it is a dark drama with a twist. Or as Tony Tormey

(Paul Brennan) of Fair City would describe it, an "Absolutely Terrifying Short Film.” One of the leading Judges Shane Hurlbut, who was the cinematographer

Film?

competition. The judges alone are at the top of their game in the film industry. To be picked as the best short film coming from them and their background

in the world of cinema is an absolute honour and a privilege that I will embrace and cherish as a

making a film with no budget, always write scenes

simple but it is very much overlooked, writing your

availability of locations into the script this will save you loads of time and will help your film get made that much quicker.

filmmaker.

Can you tell us the most challenging aspect of

a difficult amount of time to transport a person, to

How did you celebrate the win?

I don’t think I had any challenges apart from taking

twist at the end.”

and if we win I would cycle in his house at 4am and

on Terminator Salvation said, “Three minutes is move, to emote. This film does it so well; I love the

How did the idea for Streetlights come about?

I love cityscapes, especially at night, when the

streetlights come on there is a sense of calmness and tranquility overlooking the city, but in that the

scenic beauty I wanted to write a dark horrific story, so Streetlights is basically a combination of these two

ideas, so the story is based around the functionality

of a streetlight, as it is designed to help people see

Funny story: I told my friend Nigel Shinnors when

party for three days non-stop. That was the plan. This is what happened: he rang me when the announcement

happened online, I didn't believe him, when I saw it

myself, I jumped up, woke up my family, hugged my

sister and my mother, then hopped on a bike at 4am and cycled from Kileely into town. When I arrived at his house, we realised we had no drink, and worse no milk for tea.

in darkness. I loved the idea of using the streetlights

Do you have any advice for aspiring filmmakers?

own traumatic past. That’s why I gave the kid a

production of something professional. This will give

to help someone escape from the darkness of their

photographic memory, this way he can locate his

abductor through flashbacks of his childhood trauma.

What filmmakers do you look up to, that inspire you?

Internationally: Stanley Kubrick, Spike Lee, The

Coen Brothers, Frank Darabont, Ron Howard to name a few. Locally: Limerick production company

RedPawMedia and Two Hungry Fish from Galway

always inspired and gave me little opportunities along the way.

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Apply for free work experience on a film set or

you experience of how films get made. Treat people

with respect along the way and you will make contacts

by simply been part of a production crew. This might help you down the line if you have great ideas for films

and you need advice. If you’re entering a competition

or festival, study all the winners that have won it before and don't feel discouraged by the quality of

other films: this will broaden your knowledge of film technique and it will force you to be more creative as a growing filmmaker.

filming such a short film?

considerable time to edit the film - no way was I leaving this story leave the edit room without it been

as precise as I planned and envisioned it. I believe we told a feature film in three minutes with a twist, I am

quite confident with the three minute structure; I just apply the structure of a feature and strip it down to frames.

What do you hope people will come away with after watching the film?

For Streetlights I wanted to make the audience suffer along with the characters, I wanted people to question

their own perceptions and views of the world and the situation that is presented to them on screen and

hopefully teach them something about the world around them.

The connection between the old man at the start

confused people at the end when the twist happens, because they have been emotionally connected to the

two characters, and when they find out, they refuse to

admit they emotionally connected with someone evil

- that why the end scene is the way, it is simple justice.

That’s the power we have as filmmakers.

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What’s next for you?

I’m shooting a new short film next month with

Red Paw Media then I am back to Mary I college in September. During college I will be preparing for New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, so I am

off to Hollywood for a month to study film at the

academy, all thanks to Rode Microphones and the My Rode Reel Short Film Competition, and most of all thanks to Streetlights.

Article by: Sarah Talty

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Th e li merick magazine Essential box sets for the Summer lull August is traditionally a month when television series are on their summer holidays and we're left wondering what

to watch. While the weather flits between glorious sunshine and cool, wet evenings, it's a great opportunity to catch up on some box sets and to check out some shows on-demand. As we ready ourselves for the annual onslaught

of brand new shows and series in the coming months, August is easing us in gently with some great Netflix and

box set releases. With an impressive selection of drama, comedy and horror, the final evenings of the summer are looking even more enticing.

Stranger Things

Peaky Blinders Season Three

Recently released on Netflix, the eight-part series has already won

Also on Netflix is the most recent season of "Peaky Blinders". Those

Guillermo del Toro. Starring Winona Ryder, the show follows the story

it's a wonderfully grimy crime drama. Season three picks up the story

the approval of two masters of the horror genre - Stephen King and

of a young boy's disappearance under supernatural circumstances in the

1980's. As events unfold, the community begins to realise that things aren't always quite as they seem. With inspiration drawn from the works

of King, del Toro and Steven Spielberg, Stranger Things has also received

praise for its eighties soundtrack which features artists such as David Bowie, The Clash and New Order. As an eight-hour series, it is short

enough to watch between sunbathing sessions, ideal for August viewing.

Touted as an homage to eighties horror movies, it is the perfect show to indulge in some nostalgic suburban supernatural horror..

following the exploits based on the real life Peaky Blinders gang know

two years after the end of the second season, beginning with a wedding.

The family drama escalates as the gang become involved with Soviet gangsters and gypsy curses. Season three has recently ended but rest

assured, BBC have been so impressed that they have already ordered

two more seasons. The writing and directing team behind the show have an impressive collective resumĂŠ, with previous credits including "Ripper Street", "Sherlock", "Criminal Justice" and "Shameless". Clearly, this is a crew that know how to write compelling crime dramas. Combined with

the onscreen talent of our very own Cillian Murphy, it's the ultimate can't-miss show. As we await the season four premiere, treat yourself to all three seasons which are currently available on Netflix.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

The Walking Dead

Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23

In terms of DVD/Blu-Ray box sets, we can look forward to the release of

Meanwhile, if you're feeling the urge for some ascerbic New York comedy

"The Walking Dead" Season 6, which is released on August 23. Season 6 was rife with twists, turns and a cliffhanger ending, and is well deserving of a second look. "The Walking Dead" box sets are famous for their great

bonus features and while details are as yet a bit scant; fans of the comic book series can look forward to a full, uncensored f-bomb filled cut of

Negan's infamous speech. "The Walking Dead" has become the pinnacle of cult shows to binge-watch and in anticipation of season 7, indulge your zombie desires and give it a watch.

check out Krysten Ritter ("Jessica Jones", "Breaking Bad") and James Van

Der Beek (yes, Dawson of "Dawson's Creek") in this modern twist on the odd couple scenario. While it was cancelled after two seasons, you'll get

your chance to check it out and have a few giggles on 1 August when it is released on Netflix.

Article by: Sarah Lafferty

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE EVENT GUIDE SHAD OWED WOMEN

LIMERICK'S GOT TALENT '16

Wednesday 20th July - Thursday 18th August

Saturday 6th August @ 8pm

The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City

Lime Tree Theatre, Mary Immaculate College, Courtbrack Avenue, Limerick

SHANNON HERITAGE SUMMER CAMPS JULY & AUGUST 2016

THE LEMON SUCKERS

July 25th - July 29th and August 15th - August 19th,

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

Saturday 6th August @ 11pm

10am to 2pm

STARCAMP SUMMER CAMPS VILLIERS

SUNDAY NIGHT DANCING WITH JIM DEVINE

Tuesday 2nd - Saturday 6th August @ 9.30am -

Sunday 28th August @ 8.30pm

Villiers Secondary School, North Circular Rd,

Adare, Co. Limerick

Limerick

DESIGNER MINDS – PRIMARY SCIENCE, DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY NEWCASTLE WEST SUMMER CAMP

Fitzgerald's Woodlands House Hotel, Knockanes,

CURATOR'S CHOICE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST: ANDY MCCARTHY Monday 1st August - Wednesday 31st August

The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street,

Tuesday 2nd - Friday 5th August @ 10am - 2pm

Limerick City

Limerick

TWELVE AT THE HUNT CAFE: HELENA GRIMES

HUP NA HOURA – TRADITIONAL MUSIC, SONG & DANCE SHOW

Monday 1st August - Wednesday 31st August

Tuesday 2nd August @ 8pm

Street, Limerick

Desmond Complex, Gortboy, Newcastle West, Co

Old Chapel Rooms, Kilfinane, Co. Limerick

DICK VALENTINE Friday 5th August @ 9pm

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

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Sunday 7th August @ 8.30pm

Fitzgerald's Woodlands House Hotel, Knockanes, Adare, Co. Limerick

FUSION DANCE FEST 2016 Monday 8th - Saturday 13th August

LIT Millennium Theatre, Moylish Park, Limerick

King John's Castle, King’s Island, Limerick

2.30pm

SUNDAY NIGHT DANCING WITH MOSSIES COUNTRY ROAD SHOW

The Hunt Museum, The Custom House, Rutland

GREYBRIDGE HARVEST DAY Sunday 7th August @ 12pm

Dempsey’s Cross, Meanus, Co. Limerick

SUMMER PANTO CAMP WITH RICHIE HAYES - AUGUST Monday 8th - Friday 12th August @ 9.30am - 2.30pm

University Concert Hall, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick

CODE CRAFT SUMMER CAMPS Monday 8th - Friday 12th August from 10am 3.30pm

Rathkeale, Co. Limerick.

SUMMER ART CAMPS AT LIMERICK PRINTMAKERS - 4-7YRS Monday 8th - Friday 12 August @ 11am - 2pm

Limerick Printmakers, Bridgeland House, 3 Johns Square, Limerick City

TECHKIDZ SUMMER COMPUTER CAMP: LIMERICK CITY Monday August 8th - Friday August 12th

Mary Immaculate College, South Circular Road, Limerick

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Follow u s on Face book & Twitte r for more daily e v e nt lis ting s

D.S.A. SUMMER SWIM CAMPS

RECORD & CD FAIR

HERITAGE WEEK

Monday 8th - Friday 12th August @ 4.45pm, 5.30pm

Sunday 14th August @ 10am - 4pm

Saturday 20th - Sunday 28th August

or 6.15pm

Childers Retail Park, Childers Road, Limerick

VIVALDI MOZART PAGANINI Thursday 11 August @ 8pm

St Mary's Cathedral, Bridge Street, Limerick City

PROJECT WEST Friday 12th August @ 8pm

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

LIMERICK FC V CABINTEELY Saturday 13th August @ 6.30pm

Limerick Milk Market, Cornmarket Row, Limerick

MILFORD HOSPICE HARVEST FAIR

BOAT TOURS ON THE RIVER SHANNON

Limerick

5pm

University Arena, University of Limerick, Castletroy,

HORSE RIDING EQUESTRIAN SUMMER CAMP Sunday 14th - Friday 19th August from 1pm - 1pm

Clonshire Equestrian Centre, Clonshire, Adare, Co. Limerick

BAD REPUTATION IRELAND PRESENTS: SICK OF IT ALL

IMELDA MAY LIVE AT THE CASTLE

Tuesday 16th August @ 8pm

King Johns Castle, Kings Island, Limerick City

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP: INTER MILAN V CELTIC Saturday 13th August @ 7pm

Thomond Park Stadium, Limerick

Limerick City

Sunday 14th August, 11am - 4pm

Limerick Football Club, Market Fields, Limerick

Saturday 13th August @ 7pm

The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street,

Saturday 20th - Sunday 28th August from 10am The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City

MIRIAM LAMBERT PUPPETEER PRESENTS THE THREE LITTLE PIGS HUFF AND PUFF. Saturday 20th August @ 3pm

Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

IRISH YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

Saturday 20th August @ 6.30pm

HUP NA HOURA – TRADITIONAL MUSIC, SONG & DANCE SHOW

Castletroy, Limerick

Tuesday 16th August @ 8pm

Old Chapel Rooms, Kilfinane, Co. Limerick

University Concert Hall, University of Limerick,

BALLYHOURA WALKING FESTIVAL 2016 Sunday 21st - Monday 22nd August from 10am -

FRANKIE GAVIN AND DE DANNAN

SEODA SHOWS PROUDLY PRESENTS GUN OUTFIT

Saturday 13th August @ 8pm

Tuesday 16th August @ 9pm

Kilfinane, Co. Limerick

LÍOSA MURPHY AND BAND

ANIMAL FARM

CURRAGHCHASE 10K RUN/WALK 2016

Saturday 13th August @ 8pm

Wednesday 17th - Friday 19th August @ 8pm

Sunday 21st August @ 12pm

Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick.

3pm

Ballyhoura Trailhead at Glenosheen Ardpatrick,

Kilcornan Community Centre, Kilcornan, Co. Limerick.

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REMEMBERING THE PAST AT THE IPA HERITAGE CENTRE

RACE AROUND IRELAND

Sunday 21st and Sunday 28th August from 2pm -

approx.

Monday 29th - Wednesday 30th August @ 6pm

5pm

Passing Through Limerick City

Buildings, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick

LLOYD COLE PROUDLY PRESENTED BY SEODA SHOWS

TEACHING A NEW GENERATION HOW TO CARE FOR TREES

Wednesday 31st August @ 9pm

Irish Palatine Heritage Centre, Old Railway

Sunday 21 August @ 2pm

Broadford Village, County Limerick

LIMERICK SO HOCKEY SUMMER CAMP 2016 Tuesday 23rd - Friday 26th August @ 10am - 2.45pm

Villiers Secondary School, North Circular Rd, Limerick

ROOM Wednesday 24thy August @ 8pm

Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

THE DAMNED Thursday 25th August @ 8pm

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

BBQ FIESTA Friday 26th August @ 7pm

Clarion Hotel, Steamboat Quay, Limerick

LIMERICK AGRICULTURAL SHOW 2016 Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th August. Gates open 10am

Limerick Racecourse, Greenmount Park, Patrickswell

A WEEKEND AWAY Saturday 27th August @ 7.30pm

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

ABSOLUTELYFAB LES VINTAGE & RETRO REVIVAL FAIR Sunday 28th August @ 2pm-6pm

Castletroy Park Hotel, Dublin Road, Limerick

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Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

v i s i t w w w.t h e l i m e r i c k m a g a z i n e . c o m

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Closing Time 1 0 min ute s wit h‌ A oi fe M cNa m a r a

Aoife was crowned Miss Limerick in June, and since then has become an ambassador for local charity Clare’s Wish Foundation.

She is also a passionate advocate for improving mental health services, and is studying to further her career in healthcare.

Name: Aoife McNamara

Occupation: Healthcarer and Miss Limerick 2016 Share one fun fact about you:

I'm the tallest person in my family. That includes all aunts and uncles and cousins!

What motivates you in the morning?

A lot has changed in the last few weeks, I have such a

busy schedule now because of the Miss Limerick title.

Do you have any hidden or lesser known talents?

Who is the person you most admire and why?

cool and people tend to take a while to grasp it.

She's had breast cancer and recently got the all clear.

I can do this kind of shuffle with my feet. It's quite

As a child what did you want to be?

Growing up I always wanted to be like my mam.

Watching her caring for others has had a big impact on what I want pursue in the future. My mam is also a qualified healthcarer. I always wanted to be a nurse.

My mother definitely is the person I admire the most.

She still took care of me, my brother and sister while she was sick. She shows us every day how strong she is. She is the perfect example for my quote.

Describe your ideal day in Limerick:

My ideal day in Limerick would be going shopping in a variety of shops Limerick has to offer, then having

But knowing I get to do incredible things with the

What is your favourite quote?

these recent weeks.

end; If it's not ok then it's not the end.'

Happiness is...

What do you never leave home without?

The most recent book you read?

boyfriend.

being locked out of the house at least three times a

book as we get the insight to two best friends from

title definitely is what motivates me in the mornings

Well I always leave home without my key and end up week! However I never leave home without my hand cream as I have really dry skin!

How would you sum up your life in 6 words?

Fun, busy, exciting, adventurous, loving and caring.

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It's a well-known quote! 'Everything will be ok in the

'How many miles to Babylon?' I really enjoyed this different classes of society going to war.

Are you superstitious, do you have any rituals or good luck charms?

Yes I am superstitious. I always have to touch wood after I say something that I don't want to happen.

lunch by the beautiful river Shannon.

Spending quality time with my family, friends and

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

Photography by: Eoghan Lyons