The Limerick Magazine October 2016 - Issue 13

free 2016 magazine i s s u e 1 3 October

ISSN - 2009-8650

Featuring: Weenz Cathy Davey Roisin Meaney Stacey Dineen Oktoberfest Uprise Festival The Magic of the Movies

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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 Ali Molloy Laura Duhan Christine Costello Laura McNamara Amanda Flannery Mary Kiely Rachel Flanagan Sintija Zorge Fernando Sanchez Jane Butler O’Halloran Patrick Loughnane

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

P h o to g r a ph er s : Tarmo Tulit Rich Gilligan Eoghan Lyons Kehlan Kirwin Michael Browne Dave Hunt Angela Horsefall Angles Photography COVER – Tarmo Tulit

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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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TLM contributors Editor’s Note Autumn has always been my favourite season - I still get that new school year feeling of change and

anticipation. As the leaves turn and fall, it’s a good time to take stock and look at things in a new light.

There are some new perceptions and ideas to explore in this issue: We have the ever-perceptive Weenz

talking about the link between Irish rebel music and rap, a young Limerick woman aiming to change the face of the modelling industry, and Cathy Davey speaks about resolving our troubled bonds with the

K ayl e i gh Z i ol o

natural world. Plus we have plenty of information on things to get out and do in Limerick this month, including Halloween and Oktoberfest. Enjoy something a little different…

Kayle i gh Zi olo

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M i c h e ll e C os te l l o

TA R MO T UL IT

pA UL g e a ne y

s i nti j a z or ge

Chr is t ine Co s t e l l o

L a ur a McNa ma r a

J an e Butler

Ma ry K i e ly

R ache l F l a naga n

E o g ha n Lyo ns

Sarah Lafferty

S a ra h Ta lty

A l i Mo l l oy

L a ur a D uha n

Am an da Flan n ery

fern an do san ch ez

Website Development Graphic Design Photography

FULL PACKAGES AVAILABLE INCLUDING CONTENT CREATION & COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY INVEST IN YOUR BUSINESS

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M u s ic: We enz A passionate man with a good head on his shoulders,

After that I did Business and Recreational Leisure in

What was it like for you when CampaignLK broke

himself about the work that needs to be put in and to

degree but it was a total waste of time. I should have

It was heartbreaking for me. That was like someone

Limerick rapper Weenz (Keith Ryan) is not deluding

get where he wants to be. In his songs you can hear the real emotion in his voice and expressive lyrics

about his background and hard upbringing. Weenz

started out in HipHop/Rock band CampaignLK, and has become a successful solo act since band broke

Waterford for four years as a mature student. I got a

stuck at it [the music]. After the band broke up I

thought I’m just gonna go at it for a couple of years.

It’s worked out but we’ve a way to go. I’m enjoying the success but you can’t relax.

up. This year he played his first Electric Picnic, where

Who are your influences?

We sat down with Weenz to find out more about his

Ice Cube, then Rage Against the Machine, a lot of

he went down a storm with a packed out audience. career so far.

Tell us a bit about your background and how you started rapping…

I got into a lot of trouble with the law when I was younger. I was on juvenile probation and then I got remanded in prison for assault. As a condition of that

I went to a treatment centre and stopped drinking - I used to get very violent with drink. When I stopped

drinking I started writing lyrics. About 16 years ago I

Early influences were NWA and Public Enemy, then rock rap and a lot of gangster rap. At some stage in my

the decks and he’d hand me the mic and I’d just start rapping along to an instrumental beat. Then I was in

the Market doing gigs with Nu Killa Crew, the drum ’n’ bass crowd in the Doghouse on Thursdays. Around

2003 I released the So Low EP with Joe Coffey producing, Muzzy G was on it as well. I was selling that out of the back of my car.

lot of Irish rappers I can’t understand them, and if I

can’t, how could some guy in California? Why make

music if you’re not going to be understood? Kelly has

a strong Dublin accent but you can hear everything he says.

folk?

like Luke Kelly anyway so probably not! Irish people go to hip-hop gigs, like they went to Kendrick Lamar and they’re singing ’RA songs and that. They’re

somehow making a connection in their drunken state between rebel music and hip-hop. Irish music comes from the same place, it comes from oppression. It’s

either the English or it’s the rich or it’s some woman that’s breaking their heart. If you look at a lot of folk music, they don’t have a happy ending. In Irish folk songs it’s, y’know, he meets the girl he loves and then

she dies! That’s it! That’s the fuckin’ song! It’s mad, that’s so sad, like! Some of those songs are 300 years old, the first real rebel music was Irish music, and hip-hop is saying the same thing. It’s a voice for the people with no voice, for the oppressed, the people that are up against it.

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getting this, we should be getting that and I was more

concerned with how I looked. So when I wrote the

album I decided to actually show people who I am as much as possible, which is very scary as you can imagine!

song are, “Please like me I need your approval.” Now

I dunno, maybe. At this stage with the beard I look

I started down in Docks with DJ Bono, he was on

it was like this superstar syndrome like we should be

Luke Kelly has the most amazing diction. With a

of Luke Kelly and The Clancys and Christy Moore.

I ever wrote - and then I was at it for years; it’s been

How did your career get started?

getting in the way a lot at the time. With Campaign

I wrote Family Sitcom and just went “look, okay,

Are people surprised when they hear you listen to

a long time.

dying; the grieving process and all. I think my ego was

twenties I started listening to a lot of folk music: a lot

wrote a song called Violent Streak. That was the first cohesive song I wrote - it’s still one of the best things

up?

that’s as honest as I can get,” like the first lyrics of the I’m focusing on the art of storytelling, telling my story and expressing myself. The music has become the

be-all and end-all. It’s not just the means to an end, which in Campaign was really just lots of women.

You released your debut album Selling You My Sins in March 2016. What has the reaction been?

It’s been good, but I’d like to push it as a piece of

work because I’ve listened to it all together and it’s a very cohesive piece. Each song kind of rolls into the

next one and it does feel like a story then and that the songs are little chapters of the story. The whole

album was written at a very dark time, I was part time working, money was tight, the band had broken up and I wasn’t really sure what I was doing. Billy

McGlynn was doing a Masters and he told me to write a song in a month, because that’s the way he did his thesis. So I’d have a month to write and then come the end of the month move on, whether it was done or not. That worked for me.

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“the first real rebel music was Irish music, and hip-hop is saying the same thing. It’s a voice for the people with no voice, for the oppressed, the people that are up against it”

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Was it therapeutic to write those kinds of lyrics?

The beauty of all that is that it allowed me to create

Do you have anything coming up in the next few

started telling me about stuff in their past, the shit

your best thing. Joe.ie and Rubberbandits shared the

The Dolans Christmas Party is the 19th December.

I’ve said this before but with Family Sitcom people that I didn’t realise so many people had. You kind of gravitate towards people, I suppose, and if I look at

my friends they’re all from broken homes or whatever, it wouldn’t be your family sitcom idea of a childhood.

It was fun to do a song about drinking as well because I haven’t had a drink in so long, since I was 20. I get

something that a lot of people say to me now is that’s

first video but nobody shared the Rising Too [video]

because it was too hard-hitting, it was too on point.

Ireland is a repressed society and people like to keep

to themselves. When someone expresses themselves and people get offended the talk police comes in. But

yet we’re supposed to express ourselves now, which

months?

We’re gonna try and make that as big as possible and hopefully build off the success of the last two gigs. I’d

prefer to do those gigs few and far between than just

doing gigs for the sake of it - I used to do that with my old band. Now I just want to do good gigs.

one is it? Express myself as long as you agree with it?

I’m working on new songs and now we have the live

like the difference between getting a warning off

After doing that video I don’t care anymore about

many festivals as possible and try to get to the UK, I

still might get a warning off the guards but I’m not

genuinely don’t care about the comments. The most

away with it a little bit more without the drink. It’s

the guards and getting locked up for a long time, I

doing time. I’ve always been like that from a young

age though, when I was three I used to walk around

the estate, punching people so it’s a nature/nurture thing, small man syndrome, I have a song coming up on that as well…

It’s a lot easier to live my life right now more than ever

the comments. It was cathartic and I’m done now, I

Do you find it hard being a rapper in Limerick?

there without playing it safe and being very Irish. If

people go “A’boy Weenz! Some rapper, kid!” I’m from

make, am I saying what I want to say? It’s about going I’m not taking risks in the videos and music and all that it just doesn’t seem worth it.

How was Electric Picnic?

Now I choose to believe in what I’m doing and I’m

stage and then adrenaline started flowing and then

going for it and seeing how far I can go.

How do you get over criticism and negative comments?

I did the Rising video because it was something I’d

never done and I got an awful lot of hate from that so

EP was just bigger. We were getting psyched up back

the audience got bigger.... The tent got packed out the

door, it was exactly what I’d hoped for but never in my wildest dreams thought would happen. I often used to plug a mic into DJ Leon’s decks and there was maybe four people there watching out of politeness!

I took myself away for a few days. I got a lot of love

I love being on stage because everything else in life

on the hate and want to go to war with that. So I got

what I have to do and that’s just perform; just let

too, but I’m always the type of person that will focus up and basically was like “Where is this hate coming

from, what are they saying?” It’s just an art form, a type of expression, it’s just a type of music so why this?

Why such a polarity? Why are some people going

“This is brilliant you’re nailing it” and other people…

At one stage I had people online from Dublin saying

I’d an American accent and I was like Jesus Christ,

really think we’d go down well there.

important thing is: am I making the music I want to

before because I’m really focused on being myself. For

the longest while my music wasn’t really a priority.

show down. Hopefully we’ll be set up next year for as

can be confusing, but when I get on stage I know

go. I don’t want to be in a crowd looking at someone

Not anymore. I walk around Limerick now and rural Limerick, like, a place that people hadn’t heard of. Me and Shane Davis, we feel like there is no lower

rung in accepted culture than being an Irish rapper

from a working class background and trying to get up that ladder, it’s definitely the tallest fuckin’ ladder you

can get. We have an acceptance now with Indie bands.

But the people I know are like Conor McGregor, that have that sense of humour. I don’t know people like Walking on Cars. To me it’s just, it’s a slipstream

thing and Indie music is Irish now. But to me the soul of Irish people is just kinda rebellious, d’you know?

That’s what we try to tap into.

Article by: Sarah Talty

Photography by: Tarmo Tulit

being self-conscious on stage. Mr. Chrome out of the Rubberbandits said to me “You have to be the guy having the most craic at your own gig.” Of course you do. That’s what people like, that’s what people respond to, but just keep that level of humility.

like I said it in my video, this is just the way I talk, I’ve lived in Limerick all my life and nobody has ever pulled me on my accent before.

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Theatre Studies at Mary Immaculate College Bringing third level drama to the Mid-West

The new BA in Contemporary and Applied Theatre Studies (BA CATS) at Mary Immaculate College (MIC)

is a game-changer. Defined by Programme Director Dr Michael Finneran as “a practical and hands-on drama programme”, it will position graduates as ready to enter the cut-and-thrust of the arts world, or leave them ideally placed to continue to further training or study.

Much of the uniqueness of the programme comes

learning research skills. There is also the opportunity

This is a course for students passionate about theatre,

As Mike explains, traditionally university-level drama

practical professional placement within the arts, or

right tools and mind-set to ensure they have a future

from the manner in which it has been established. programmes in Ireland have originated in English departments, where naturally the study of play texts

for students in their third year to engage in a lengthy indeed to study theatre abroad at a linked university.

but we are equally passionate about giving them the career in the profession.”

is a primary concern. The MIC programme has come

The facilities that MIC can offer students are

There’s no doubt that theatre studies at MIC is going

establishing the Lime Tree Theatre, which in a few

direct engagement with two professional venues

continued development of spaces, there are plans

about as a result of the huge success of the College in

short years has become a beacon for the performing

arts not just in the Mid-West but also nationally.

“We wanted to build upon the success of the Lime Tree Theatre and become an institution that not only

showcases theatre, but also prepares and trains young people to have professional lives in the discipline’.

Now established two years, the BA CATS is unique in a number of ways. With 50% of the time spent on practical studio work, students get an incredibly

unparalleled in the study of drama in Ireland. Having

(Lime Tree Theatre and Belltable) and the artists who visit them allows students unrivalled contact with the

real world of theatre, as well as the chance to make their own work in professional settings. In addition

nationwide, as well as a shot in the arm to the arts

students will have fantastic learning and rehearsal opportunities.

on contemporary and applied ways of using drama

history, performance theory, arts administration and

students.

and exciting teaching and studio spaces in which

of lecturers, MIC is preparing to bring in new

technical theatre, group devising and performance, students spend time in seminars exploring theatre

year, and to continue to recruit high calibre research

The legacy of this development will be a contribution

Mike goes on to explain that the programme will

storytelling and community theatre. In addition, the

to introduce a taught MA programme in the next

to having small class sizes and an experienced team

hands-on approach to drama, engaging directly with

making and exploring drama in areas such as puppetry,

places. In addition to the BA programme and the

of highly skilled graduates to the profession in Limerick and the Mid-West, with the addition of

knowledgeable and committed theatre-makers in the community.

come into its own in the coming years. “Our focus

MIC Open Days:

means that our students are equipped with a broad

For further details see www.mic.ul.ie

focus around modern ways of making theatre, and a

20th & 21st of October - MIC Campus, Limerick

strong and practical skill-set which they can bring to the workplace.

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Th e FRI ENDS P ro ject Struggling to comprehend and be there when and

However, they also welcome all supporters of those

individual doesn’t actively seek or ask for help.

time as they run support groups and other, similar

where needed can be a tough task, especially if the

If you are the family member or loved one of

somebody struggling with a mental health difficulty,

It is a free event with a light lunch included and will

The FRIENDS project are a voluntary, community

learn about recovery and being there for their loved

for exactly this reason; to provide peer support

to immediate family and loved ones of those experiencing mental health difficulties. Most support groups will often solely focus on the support of the

individual experiencing difficulties. However, they

view tackling mental health as a group dynamic and provide the tools and understanding needed to aide a mental health sufferer on the road to recovery. The

FRIENDS project initially came together as part of a pilot project funded by Genio, and organisation who work to improve the lives of people with a disability

or mental health difficulty. For 2016, they are being funded by Pobal, a not-for-profit group focusing on

social inclusion. Their co-partners are the national

mental health charity Shine, the Mid-West HSE, Often when we think of mental illness, we think

Family Peer Supporters and Aras Follain.

themselves. But those who may not be recognised

This month, they will be running a free family

tirelessly support and struggle to understand the family

Workshop will take place on October 12th in The

illness can be extremely draining and traumatising for

specifically aimed at the relatives of those experiencing

and supported enough are the family members who

recovery workshop in Limerick. The Sibling Recovery

members who are affected by mental illnesses. Mental

Maldron Hotel from 10am – 4pm. This workshop is

the family members of those affected.

a mental health issue.

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workshops throughout the year.

there is support out there.

based group in the Mid-West that have evolved

of the individuals who suffer from mental illnesses

with a mental health issue to contact them at any

be an opportunity for siblings to feel supported and

one in their time of need. The workshop also aims to help you understand how mental health affects

siblings and other family members, and how you can

receive support and take time out to spend with peers.

To book your place or find out more contact Sile Walsh via email at swalsh@shineonline.ie Article by: Sarah Talty and Ali Molloy

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interv i ew: Ro is in Mea n e y We caught up with Limerick-based author Roisin to

Off she went to London for three years as a copywriter,

One of the things Roisin enjoys most about being an

the transition from primary school teacher to bestselling

headlines, “but it was still streets away from writing a

can write from anywhere." Roisin’s kitchen table is

discuss her successful career as a writer and how she made author, in the process of writing her fourteenth book.

Roisin started life as a primary teacher, going straight

from Laurel Hill to Mary Immaculate College. Born

where she loved thinking up catchy slogans and novel. I went back to teaching after that because I felt like a career in advertising wasn’t really me - they were all very glamorous and partying all the time.”

in Kerry, she confesses she’s not actually a Limerick

In 2001 Roisin took a second career break, this time

age of eight and her parents still live here too. Her

weekend writing course on how to start your novel

woman, but has lived here since moving here at the first teaching job was in Dublin and after a while she got the travel bug.

“I went to Zimbabwe teaching English for two years.

They were wonderful years, I loved Africa. Would you

believe Mugabe came to officially open the school I

was teaching in and we all lined up and shook hands with him? I’ve been trying to block that out of my memory ever since.”

Then, as luck would have it, a job became available in

Roisin’s old school and she ended up teaching there

again for another five years. Although always a reader, Roisin had never thought of writing as a career until she became restless in her job again.

Roisin had won quite a few writing competitions over

the years and her cousin suggested she try her hand at copywriting. “At 18 I entered a competition on the

back of a Cornflakes box and I actually won a car, you had to write ‘I would like to win a Ford Fiesta

because…’ and I said because my father won’t let me drive his - that was my winning slogan!”

to try to write a book. To prepare herself she did a in Killaloe - it was just what she needed to give her

author is the freedom "as long as you have a laptop you her office most of the time but sometimes she goes to

Lanzarote, “which is a nice handy hop from Shannon.

I book myself into a little apartment for a week or

two and write away in the sunshine. So it is well for me. Other times I might go up to Monaghan where there’s a writers’ residency, it’s a really interesting place if you want a change.”

enough confidence to take off. She moved to San

Roisin’s advice to aspiring authors: "Read as much

wrote her first book. And as seems to be her speciality,

don’t enjoy." She loves Willam Trevor, Anne Tyler,

Francisco with one of her brothers for a year and Roisin entered a competition and won a book deal with Tivoli publishers.

“They published two books of mine and I was getting

very confident. Then Tivoli folded before they could offer me a new deal. My agent shopped around and

nobody wanted it. It was the best thing that could have happened to me because I thought I was the

next James Joyce. I thought, that was a nice little

as you can and life is too short to read a book you Ian McEwan and Anne Enright. Roisin describes her

books as commercial fiction or contemporary fiction, with probably 97% women readership. All of her

books are set in contemporary Ireland, but sections are based on places she’s been, such as Lanzarote and San Francisco. Roisin always chooses to make up a

town instead of using real places because she feels then nobody will give out if she gets things wrong!

adventure, now maybe I should quit. Instead I actually

I asked Roisin to pick her favourite of all the books

it up. I have just published my thirteenth book with

compared it to choosing your favourite child. If

wrote another book and Hachette publishers picked them, and I’m working on the fourteenth book now!

I haven’t got a title yet but I’m about halfway through and that’s due to be published next June.”

that she has written and after much hesitation we she had to say though, she would have to pick One

Summer, which was published in 2012. “I created an

island, Roone, off the cost of Kerry, which I based

on Valentia Island. I booked a self-catering cottage

there for three weeks in June and plotted my book.

It actually flowed very easily to the point where it

was almost writing itself. I got very attached to my

characters, which I always do. But the inhabitants of the island refused to leave my head, even after I wrote another completely different book. I realised there’s only one way to get rid of them and that’s to write another book.

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Then the same thing happened after I wrote another book and I thought it’s back to Roone I go. I don’t want to overdo it but I wouldn’t rule out going back again.”

Roisin often draws on real life experiences, such as

things she reads in the paper, overhears and chance remarks as ideas for her books. “Recently I attended

a school reunion and someone casually said to me, ‘wouldn’t this make a fantastic idea for a book, with

everyone coming together and all the changes?’ I thought God, it would! And hence the idea for my latest book The Reunion was born.”

Article by: Sarah Talty

Photography by: Angles Photography

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Th e li me rick magazine

Music Album Review: Nautical Miles Anna’s Anchor

“A nautical mile is a little bit longer than a mile. I find that with everything I do, be it academically, work or music related, I always have to work a little harder to get where I want to.”

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Marty Ryan, otherwise known as Anna’s Anchor, returns with his newest

record, Nautical Miles. The act has been a staple in the music scene for the past few years now, making frequent appearances in Limerick’s coolest

café The Stormy Teacup, along with other gigs across the country and internationally.

The last tour took Anna’s Anchor from Ireland to different corners of the UK, providing inspiration and influence for his latest album. His development as an artist is notable between the last EP and Nautical Miles.

The title stands for the journey travelled during both the creation of this album, and his own life path up to this point. Tracks such as Hampton and

Do You venture down a more emotionally lyrical and musical route than the album’s predecessor The Islands. For the most part, the album sits neatly

into an alternative genre of music, varying between rock, indie and emo depending on the track. So far the two singles released have gained national

acclaim. Marty goes to extortionate lengths for the perfect music video. For the first single Signal Tower, the video saw Anna’s Anchor travel 1300 miles over four days. The video caught the immediate attention of the media and

took the country by storm, setting up our expectations of a new, exciting

sound from this Limerick artist and it goes without saying that Nautical Miles does not disappoint.

While this is the heaviest album in terms of production, taking away from

the usual solo style of acoustics and lyric-based music, Nautical Miles is

without a doubt one of Anna’s Anchor’s most personal releases to date.

The album deals with themes such as family struggles and life’s challenges

which feature in the tracks House is Full and Big Sky States. There is the contrast of a full band album combined with the personal topics and lyrics

that one would more often expect to be reserved to an acoustic only sound.

Surprisingly, it works and is one of the many factors that add to this album’s brilliance

The final track, Conclusion, is the only acoustic track on the album and provides a satisfying finish to the record. Conclusion works as a summary of the entire story, calling back the tales of coping and change to show that more often than not our bad experiences can have the most positive

influence if we let them. The tone of the track is much chirpier and carefree than the rest of the album, as if an almighty weight has been lifted from

the shoulders of the performer. Although brief, the song serves as a perfect finale to this ten-track album.

The album was released on the 23rd of September and is available to purchase on CD or download on the Anna’s Anchor BandCamp page. Download

money goes towards the Limerick Suicide Watch. The Nautical Miles Tour

starts in Galway and carries on until the end of October making stops all across Ireland and the UK.

Article by: Christine Costello

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A r ti s t Profile: Cathy Dav e y This year Cathy also returns to the stage, launching

her album at Electric Picnic last month. How did it feel? “Electric Picnic was good – the timeline was right for the album. We brought along our rescue

animals to the My Lovely Ranch area, there was a marquee and bar, and we ended with Rubbish Song Competition. We were also allowed to fundraise -

Electric Picnic has always been very good to me. The

place was packed, and with everything very tightly choreographed with band members on stage, it all felt very formal, which was a good place to come back

to when you’ve been floating around in chaos for a It almost seems reductive to refer to Cathy Davey as a singer-songwriter, even though she is one of

the most brilliant and intriguing singer-songwriters

that Ireland has produced in many years. It feels more accurate to refer to Cathy as an artist, one

who has a deep connection with the natural world, a connection that could be compared to the Romantic

poets and painters of old – though her and lyrics are another world away. She has spent the last six years

concentrating on animals, with the co-founding of animal rescue charity My Lovely Horse. But music

runs through her veins, and her new album New Forest was born as a result of that existence.

Cathy’s home life sounds like the country idyll from a fairy tale, though she is quick to say it is not without its challenges, “It’s not so idyllic in the winter time!

But the difficulties are all part of it: you’re constantly

building and fencing and protecting; that hard work

focuses the mind, and it all mixes together to form the whole happy soup.”

Cathy appeared to have been on something of a music

industry hiatus for six years, since her last album release in 2010. Was this a conscious decision? “Not really, I took a break from the public side of things but I didn’t take a break from music.

The rescue became my full time job, but all the time

it was informing the music side. Working within something that affects me so much and processing

how that fits into the world, as I am a writer of music, I had to translate and explain what I was processing, so the album was being written in my head the whole

time. It’s gone through many different stages, shapes and styles, my subconscious was explaining the world I have been existing in, and informing the person that I am now.”

New Forest explores our complicated relationship with the natural world and animals, and upon

listening we instantly feel we are trying to find our own way through that mystical forest. “We have

troubled bonds with nature; our perceived bonds with animals are misinformed.

With Ireland being a farming nation we think we are close with animals, when in fact the relationship

is the antithesis of that, I believe. We have a warped sense of being connected to the world, while steadily

concreting over it, so a lot of the writing of the album

was me trying to understand how to be after realising these things. I know there is a small portion of the human population who are trying to work in harmony

with nature… when I am dealing with the worst side

of humans all the time, I can forget to love them too.

I have to go to a magical place to do that.”

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while!”

After a taste of formality on stage, is she looking forward to taking the show across the country? “I’m

very much looking forward to touring this month – October is a great time to tour, just in time for that

crisp cold and sunny weather. I know the places and

venues very well so it will be lovely to revisit them.

It will be a different experience from before, though.

I’ve changed a lot since the last album. I feel I have much more perspective and sense of meaning behind

life; I don’t have as many hang-ups and have more

of a breezy attitude to things that would have sent me into a tailspin before. I’ll just be getting out with

friends and playing and as long as I know there is

someone at home feeding the donkeys and dogs it will be beautiful.”

Once the Irish tour is over, can we expect any more

appearances from Cathy? “We’ve not planned anything beyond the album tour; we’re just focusing

on that for now. I’ve no international dates planned; it’s nice for me to stick to Ireland as I still have my job with the rescue. This isn’t about me selling the album

to the world, it’s me scratching an itch and the album

is coexisting with the other side of my life. Home is my happy place, so I’m going easy with it.”

New Forest is out now

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Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

Photography by: Rich Gilligan

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Th e Fashi o n Hero Stac e y Di neen Stacey is young, fiercely ambitious and determined to change the face of the modelling industry. She is soon to appear as a

contestant on The Fashion Hero, a new show hosted by Brooke Hogan seeking less conventional modelling talent to launch

their career with some of the world’s biggest fashion designers. Stacey tells us her story and what we can expect when the show hits our screens.

Where are you from and where are you heading?

So from the age of 10 or 11 I wanted to pursue a

What prompted you to apply for The Fashion Hero?

I remember, but I love big cities so always felt out

people say you can't pursue all three, but so far it's

that The Fashion Hero were casting for season one.

I've lived in Knocklong, Co. Limerick, for as long as

of place, plus it means all the big casting calls are hours away. School was never my thing. Although I

was well able to achieve good grades I didn't want to throw half my life away stressing over studying. I

know education is important but for me my dream would have to come first. The way I see it is you only

have one life and I would rather spend mine trying

my hardest to achieve my dream instead of sitting in my room for years of my life to get a leaving cert. It's not for me.

How long have you been pursuing your dream?

I've been pursuing a modelling, singing and acting career since the age of three. I used to watch Disney a lot and looked up to all the big stars - Demi Lovato

and Selena Gomez were and still are my idols. I used to act out little bits and pieces when I was five. My mother said she'd often walk into my bedroom when I was very young and I'd be singing into one of her

shoes. Modelling was something that came later. I didn't realise I wanted to model until I got my first

iPhone! Me and my friends were messing around and taking selfies and I realised I loved taking pictures and was very photogenic.

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modelling career as well as acting and singing. Some

all working out. Instead of hoping for it I knew if I wanted success I had to work for it. A year ago I got signed with Take2 casting agency. My agent Pamela Hughes is the owner of Take2 and has helped me

hugely. She's given me a confidence boost; she's a

great inspiration and she's so friendly and amazing at what she does.

What support have you had along the way?

Although my parents would give a little giggle when

I would tell them what I wanted to be, they supported me every time I've had knock backs. They'd see me

going to casting calls and think I'd be wasting my time and in a lot of cases they were right, but every

time I learned something new. They've always been

there when things would go wrong and my mother

is like my sister. My family is very close which makes

me grateful. My aunt Mary is a big part of my life; I've been very close with her since a young age and she often came with me to casting calls - she is an amazing woman and my biggest supporter.

I was messing around on casting websites and I saw I automatically connected to the cause: the show is all about giving real people who don't meet typical

modelling requirements a chance to be the face of an

international designer’s campaign. Like every other girl and boy I've suffered with body issues. I never felt

confident in my own skin until I went on the show.

They've given me determination and a confidence that I would have never found without them. I always felt I was too fat to be a model. Now you even

need to be a certain height and weight just to send

in pictures for most agencies. What about the look?

What about facial features? It's sad because girls can't

feel confident, happy and proud in the skin and body

they have because the media is telling them they need to look a certain way to feel beautiful. I don't believe

you need to be slim and tall to be a model. I believe

if you have what it takes and have the drive and determination you will get there. I look up to plus size models like Tess Holliday and Ashley Graham. They

are both so stunning and they prove every day that curvy girls and boys can model as well as short girls

and boys and other body types. So many people look

at a magazine cover and feel bad about themselves, because the model on the cover is smooth and thin.

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They don't realise that the model on the cover is airbrushed and Photoshopped to extremes. It's sad

because those girls on the cover are stunning as they are and don't need to be Photoshopped! The media

thinks different. It's unhealthy, it's unfair and it's unrealistic.

What can you tell us about the experience of being on the show?

I was 1 out of 45 people chosen out of 17 thousand to be on the show. I didn't know what to expect and I was so afraid. It was my first time leaving the country

on my own and it was my first time travelling halfway

across the world. When I was on the exhausting flight all I could think about in my head was "What if they don't like me?" "What if I don't fit in?" "What

if I don't like it?” There were so many ‘what ifs’. Bu everyone instantly became so supportive of one

another and so friendly. It was honestly like a big family and even now everyone is so close. Being on

the show was one of the best experiences of my life

and I can't wait to share the journey with the world.

Of course it's a reality series so you'll have to wait to see how far we all got!

Why should people tune in? What makes the show different to other reality TV competitions?

It's all about change and determination. The show has a lot of happy tears and sad tears and drama, as

does any other reality show. It's different to other

competitions because instead of one winner there

are four. It's also different because the show is global

movement all about helping people who have been rejected to achieve their life goals. It's overall a

powerful, emotional and amazing show and I am so excited for it to air.

What have you learned from the experience?

What are your plans for the future?

of days. I've learned that every *body* is beautiful and

show next year. I've left school for it and it's a big risk,

I've learned that friends can become family in a matter is capable of modelling. I've learned that you don't have to change yourself to feel beautiful. I've learned that a lot of people feel the same way I do about the industry and I've learned to love and accept my body.

What changes would you like to see in the fashion industry in terms of unrealistic modelling standards?

I would love to see short models on TV. Plus size models on billboards. I would love to see all types of people being models. I would love to see magazines

but if you’re not willing to risk all for it then what's the point? I'm currently working on some shoots and

new music, as well as applying for more casting calls.

I had the experience of being on a TV show but when home I went straight back into working for what I want. I have big plans and aims and I am going to work so hard to achieve them. I'm curious and excited for the future.

promoting everyone. Often people say plus size is

Series One of The Fashion Hero will be airing across

The modelling industry need to get it together and

thefashionhero.com

unhealthy, yet starving your models for shows is not?

realise that what they promote is wrong. If they can

promote being slim I can promote being plus size.

I'm plus size and I'm healthy. I'm plus size and I'm capable. I'm plus size and I'm strong. I'm plus size and I can be a model.

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I'm to moving to New York with a cast member of the

US TV networks and other global channels www.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

Photography by: Eoghan Lyons

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Th e li merick magazine

Fashion

Accessories, Accessories, Accessories…

Accessories are the perfect way to jazz up your Autumn/Winter wardrobe, but they might not always come from the places you’d expect

With autumn and winter style comes layers and dark colours, bundling up against whatever the Irish weather could throw at us. This can

sometimes make it harder to express your style as much as you can during the summer, leaving you opting for practicality and functionality over fashion.

You’d be surprised what a funky ring, brightly coloured scarf or unusual

necklace can do to brighten up your outfit. It’s easy to go for the usual high street stores for a few brightly coloured items to throw on top, but it is worth your while spending that extra bit of time searching around for

Quirky vintage

These three necklaces in the adorably quirky Lucky Lane on Catherine Street were

the first to catch our eyes. The copper hardware compliments the delicately coloured stones beautifully and would be the perfect addition to any outfit that you might feel is missing a little something. Pair any of the trio with a chunky knit black or dark grey jumper and dark jeans.

something unique and one-of-a-kind that you can safely say is exclusive

to your collection. TLM’s Ali and Amanda set out on a mission to find a few gems hidden in plain sight in some gorgeously unique Limerick stores.

Boutique designs

Silverwood Jewellery shop on Cruises Street is most certainly worth a visit if you’re

looking for some beautifully unusual pieces of jewellery. The first thing that greets you as you walk in the door is a collection of gorgeous silver rings. There are so many to choose from, from more simple designs to those with pops of colour.

Pair one of these with a simpler outfit like a black dress or skirt, tights and boots. It

can be surprising how you can really amp up an outfit if you let the accessories do the talking and these rings will definitely do that for you.

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This brooch and these earrings would be perfect on the breast of a dark coloured coat or even pinned to a dark coloured scarf.

As well as stunning jewellery, Silverwood also has a collection of gorgeous leather bags to add the finishing touch to your outfit.

Glitzi Bits also has a gorgeous collection of costume jewellery that will add colour and sparkle to any outfit, formal or casual.

These necklaces would again look fabulous paired with a turtle-neck or

high-necked top to add a bit of interest. And conveniently, arrangements like this are hung all around the shop, so spend a bit of time looking through

them and you’re bound to find a bargain in there somewhere, and all for a good cause!

Scarves to wrap it up

Where would any winter outfit be without a scarf? But don’t think you have to go for the dark colours usually associated with winter fashion such as greys, dark purples, muted greens and blacks.

For a night out, Glitzi Bits also has a fabulous range of clutch bags, big enough to fit everything you might need but still super stylish. This clutch, necklace and scarf trio really complement each other with the orange-red bag and royal

blue scarf each picking up on colours in the necklace. Pair this with a classic little black dress

These brightly coloured scarves from Glitzi Bits and Silverwood respectively would be a beautiful, cosy colourful addition to any outfit

Charity shop haul

…or this chunky-knit scarf and hat combo

make it even easier for you to find something to jazz up a plainer outfit or

Oxfam on William Street have their accessories colour co-ordinated to item of clothing.

Article and photography by: Ali Molloy and Amanda Flannery

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Th e li me rick magazine

Hair

with Rachel Flanagan

Hassle-free Halloween Hairstyling

October is here, which means it’s time to start

If you need another hair colour try using some hair

On the shoot we took inspiration from everything

least!). Halloween is one of my favourite times of the

without the commitment. I love Colour Rebel Hair

Mouse to create the look. It can be easily recreated

planning your Halloween costume (well, I am at year and having the right hair for your costume can definitely make or break your Halloween look.

The problem is none of us want to make long term

commitments like major cuts or drastic colour changes when it's just for one night. To make life a life easier

colour make-up or chalks to change the colour

Make-up from Redken. You can also try adding some

accessories to give you some extra spice. I love hair

rings, they are such an easy way to make your hair stand out on a crowd and these ones are Penney's finest.

from wolves and Vikings to snow queens and Minnie at home, just be sure to section away the areas you

want to braid, then start backcombing like your life depends on it! Try to dress the hair using your fingers

to keep that messed up texture that will give more punch to your finished look.

for yourself try to aim for a costume based on the

One of the main things we all strive for in our

Head over to Insatgram @rachpm_redkenartist or

to endure the sheer torture of sweating half to death

try adding backcombing sprays or powders to help

inspiration.

lovely locks you already have, this way you won't have

in a nightclub at 2.00am in an itchy wig, with your perfectly applied Halloween makeup running down your face - now that's a horror story!

It's so easy to add a different and temporary element to your look using some imagination and a bit of creativity…

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Halloween hair is volume. If your hair tends to fall flat your look stand all night – Quick Tease 15 and Powder

Facebook /hairbyrachelflanagan to see more style

Grip 03 from Redken are two of my favourites. Also,

Have a fun Halloween everyone!

the hair - do not brush them out! Shampoo and comb

Article by: Rachel Flanagan

avoid damage or breakage.

Hair: Rachel Flanagan and Vanessa Stuart

a little tip: when removing mattifying products from

through the backcombed areas using conditioner to

Make-up and photography by: Michael Browne Model: Laura Moore

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T he li me rick magazine

Make Up With Mary Kiely

Special Eff ects Make-Up Blood and Gore

Products used:

Kryolan liquid latex, tissue, cotton wool, Vaseline, Kryolan Cine-Wax, Graftobian wax sealer, wound filler, thick liquid

blood, Fleet St Drying Blood (dark), Fleet St Dirtworks Dark Dirt, Kryolan Supracolor paints and a bruise wheel.

Make-up: Mary Kiely

Photography by: Eoghan Lyons Model: Sarah O’Leary

Make-up assistant: Chloe McNamara

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H a l lowe e n events Hocus Pocus

University Concert Hall, Limerick

On Sunday 30th October University Concert Hall will have a screening of the classic Halloween film

Hocus Pocus at 3pm. The film stars Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy and follows

three witches who return to Salem three hundred years after their execution to exact their revenge.

Starcamps Halloween

Crescent College Comprehensive, Limerick

Starcamps will host a Halloween camp at Crescent College Comprehensive from the 1st to the 4th of

November for kids aged 4 to 12 between 9.30am

and 12.30pm. The camp will build confidence in children through singing, dancing and acting, with

the opportunity to showcase their talent on their final As the last of the leaves fall from the trees and the weather gets increasingly depressing, we need a bit of extra

day. See starcamp.ie for more information.

motivation to leave our centrally-heated sanctuaries. Luckily Halloween in Limerick offers people of all ages plenty

GROWN-UPS ONLY

spookiest time of year

The Asylum

of reasons to put on their best costumes, indulge in their favourite sugary treats and really get into the spirit of the

FOR ALL THE FAMILY Happy Halloween Experience Jetland Shopping Centre

The Happy Halloween Experience is returning to

Jetland Shopping Centre, opening on Friday 14th - Sunday 16th October and then on Friday 21st

October until Monday 31st October. Children can explore the witch Hattie O’Goodspell’s home, guided

by a trainee witch who will introduce them to her peers, including spooky skeletons, friendly ghosts

and ghouls, all of whom are enjoying their annual Halloween party.

Hattie will show visitors her lair, including her hat and broom collection and where she makes her magic potions. A photographer captures your moment with

Hattie and everyone leaves with a small sweet treat.

Everyone is encouraged to dress-up in their favourite Halloween costumes.

Hair-Raising Tales and More The Hunt Museum

The Hunt Museum will host ‘Hair-raising Tales and more’ on Saturday 29th October between 10am and

6pm. Everyone is invited to go on a ‘horror hunt’, probing though the Hunt collection, learning about the spookiest objects in their midst. Halloween tours

will operate at 3pm and 5pm, a Halloween pumpkin

carving workshop for teenagers and adults will take place at 3pm, drop-in ‘arts and creepy crafts’ will run

from 12pm to 1pm, children aged over 2 are welcome but parents must stay with them at all times, no

booking is required. Finally, a Halloween-themed

poetry competition for children aged 5 to 13 will also run.

Bruff Co. Limerick

Get creepy out in the county with The Asylum. Inside

the Old Convent on Convent Road, a gory fright of an experience awaits. Strictly not for children or those of a nervous disposition, you will be led through a

series of rooms each more frightening than the last.

The experience lasts for only 20 minutes, which is probably long enough.

The Scare Factory

53 O'Connell Street Limerick

The Scare Factory does what it says on the tin.

Another fright fest, the actors play their characters with relish and you will wonder whether they actually want to do you some harm… they take particular pleasure in making groups of young adults scream the house down, don’t say you haven’t been warned!

Article by: Laura Duhan

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H om e a nd lifes t y l e Autumn chilling Tiger Cushion

Sea breeze scented candle

in autumn - the air getting colder,

€60

€7.99

- and there are people who choose

colour to your living room

There are some people who revel

Debenhams

Halloween, leaves changing colour

Let this vibrant cushion add a splash of

to ignore that it’s happening until

New Look

If you’re missing summer and warmer days let this scented candle take you right back to the beach

suddenly winter is here. Autumn

officially marks the end of summer and

the start of shorter evenings and colder days so don’t ignore it: here are a few ways you can ensure your home stays bright and cosy this October.

Glass Hurricane

Furball Hats

€33

€4

to your home

when the temperature dips considerably as

Hello Cushion

Triange Lantern

€30

€27

Debanhams

Tiger

This candle will add a touch of elegance

These adorable woollen hats are perfect for it often does in Ireland around this time

Debenhams

Debenhams

Remember your holidays abroad with

This stylish lantern can be hung or placed

this fun cushion

Pale pink faux fur cushion Penneys €10

Snuggle up with this faux fur cushion

around your house to create a warm ambience and flattering shadows

Fairisle dog jumper Next €8

If you’re looking to keep your tiny dog warm and also create an opportunity to post 100s of

new Instagram photos of him then this is a must

Article by: Sarah Talty

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Travel ANANTARA INTRODUCES SURPRISING TRANQUILLITY TO FAMOUSLY VIBRANT PHANGAN ISLAND Charming Character

Comprising indoor and outdoor living spaces ranging

from 100 to 260 square metres, each sanctuary has its own charming character. In natural harmony with

the exotic surroundings, wood and stone features provide a striking backdrop to rich hand woven silks.

Luxury comforts inside range from a “blissful dreams” mattress adorned with 500 thread count linens, to a 32

inch flat screen TV with home theatre entertainment, and extravagant outside facilities include an indulgent private plunge pool.

Guests keep in touch with complimentary WiFi

throughout the resort and an extensive library with PCs, international magazines and newspapers. Light relief from the beach is also catered for by browsing unique artifacts at the boutique gift shop or an energising sessions at the gym.

Experience innovative tranquility on an island that Anantara has rediscovered and reinvented for travellers and couples who expect more than an idyllic

island lifestyle. Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villa Resort & Spa invites you to dream, journey and enjoy paradise.

In the Gulf of Thailand, north of Koh Samui, Koh

Phangan has become famed for its vibrancy, yet still boasts bountiful natural attractions and a richly expressed heritage.

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Anantara now offers a gateway to the fascinations of

island life from a hideaway that redefines barefoot luxury.

Tucked discreetly at the base of a lush mountain, amongst towering coconut palms and just steps from

the powdery sands of Thong Nai Pan Noi beach, 64 private pool suites and villas in seven distinctive layouts face the turquoise sea.

Dining at Rasananda can be a relaxed and casual affair or a creative connoisseur experience, depending

on the mood and preference that each day brings.

The resort’s restaurant Bistro @ The Beach sits

beautifully between a white sandy bay and the resort’s water gardens and pool, astounding guests with a

blend of local techniques and international trends that transform seaside cuisine into long lasting impressions.

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Understated luxury and enviable choice are the

hallmarks of The Lounge, where Phangan Island’s only sea view wine cellar features an incredible

selection of wines and champagnes to be paired with fine cigars, enhanced by weekly cocktail parties and tasting journeys.

Ancient secrets

An invitation to reawaken vital energy comes from

Anantara Spa, where the deliverance of ancient secrets paves the way toward ultimate wellbeing, whether a guest can only spare the time for an individual

treatment, or has the freedom to embark upon an extended restorative journey.

A feeling of being completely at one with nature is effortlessly achieved by open air teak wood treatment

suites and salas that surround a lagoon fed by a jungle waterfall, shrouded by indigenous Noni trees, which rise amidst gigantic granite boulders and towering coconut palms.

Crystal clear waters

Rasananda’s discreet island setting, luxurious facilities

Anantara Spa’s holistic approach offers private yoga

exploration, and the resort’s 37 foot ocean cruiser

beach weddings and exclusive honeymoons.

place on the shady poolside deck of a guest’s private

Thong National Marine Park introduces guests to one

amongst pristine sands, with the sound of gentle

reefs offer colourful snorkelling opportunities, crystal

minute lessons or extensive three, five and seven day

climb reveals an impressive panorama.

with spiritual quotes and focused intentions, as well as

Anantara’s tropical rainforest adventure showcases

The sparkling waters of the Gulf of Thailand beckon

classes for individuals or groups of two. These take

affords the perfect sailing escape. A day trip to Ang

suite or villa, on a spacious wooden platform nestling

of Thailand’s most beautiful reserves, where teeming

waves creating the ideal tranquil atmosphere. Ninety

clear waters are ideal for kayaking, and a mountain

programmes offer an inspirational approach, complete a personalised exercise plan to take home.

the island’s distinctive cultural and natural attractions

Lazy days can be spent unwinding at the beachfront

trekking, a Thai boxing show and a herbal steam sauna.

mastering the art behind one of the world’s most

through Phangan’s bustling walking street market

the resort’s dedicated activities sala, guests can choose

souvenirs, sample southern delicacies from street food

and exceptional cuisine also set the scene for dream

Do it all, or do nothing at all – discover your Rasananda lifestyle at anantara.com

in one day, by combining snorkeling, archery, elephant

infinity pool. Interactive resort experiences include

Local life can be encountered in a leisurely stroll

popular cuisines with a Thai cooking class. While at

held every Saturday, tempting visitors to browse for

from a thrilling range of water sports including scuba

vendors, and mix with fellow travellers at local bars.

diving, and book captivating excursions to suit every passion and holiday inclination.

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

Th e li merick magazine Ten Spots for After Work Pints in limerick city

Got that Friday feeling after a long day at work? Hungering after some great tunes and chill vibes? Want to impress your colleagues with your knowledge of the coolest bars in Limerick? You deserve to relax and unwind with your beverage of choice, and this handy guide will make sure you find the perfect bar for any occasion. Suit up!

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

If vino is your tipple of choice, Limerick’s coolest

Newly-refurbished Mother Mac’s, ‘the mother of all

port of call. If your colleagues’ conversation skills are

serving unusual craft beers. Their rotational tap allows

wine bar The Copper Room should be your first lacking, you’ll find no end of entertainment in your surroundings, as this hidden gem was once the servant

quarters of a Georgian house on O’Connell Street.

An excellently preserved historic façade combined

with a modern twist provides for possibly the most

you to discover a new craft beer every time you visit.

It’s the perfect spot to watch the world go by in a friendly, chilled out environment.

Address: 10 High Street, Limerick

interesting interior décor in Limerick. On top of this

For the younger crowd, Charlie Chaplin’s is always

your friends one of the complimentary postcards they

designated cocktail bar should have something to

are bathrooms so nice you’ll consider sending all of so kindly provide. A chill vibe, plush seats, candle-lit ambiance and an atmospheric smoking area top off an effortlessly cool bar that’s a winner year-round.

Every Limerick native knows that at the slightest hint

Address: 100 O’Connell Street, Limerick

so that “Great day for the Locke!” is the Limerick

If you’re looking for an intimate corner for deep

the proud owners of Limerick’s largest outdoor beer

Located just off Thomas Street, it attracts people

great views of the Medieval Quarter, making it the

classic rock soundtrack. A photogenic smoking area

riverside barbeques are not to be missed. In winter,

out spot.

of sunshine, The Locke Bar is the place to be, so much

pubs,’ formerly The Roundhouse, pride themselves on

a good choice. Their wide selection of drinks and

suit everyone’s tastes. Spend your evening people-

watching the shoppers perusing Cruise’s Street, then head inside when the DJ starts up for a night of dancing to the best club tunes.

Address: 42 Cruise’s Street, Chapel Street, Limerick

translation of “Nice weather we’re having.” They’re

conversations, Mickey Martin’s is the place for you.

Music lovers are always drawn to Dolans. Unwind

garden, which overlooks the Abbey River and provides

from every walk of life to enjoy a craft beer to a

with a Rock’n’Roll twist. Reminisce about concerts

perfect place to cool down on a summer’s day. Their

and interesting installations make for a great hang-

cosy up to the open fires and enjoy some traditional

Address: 1 Augustinian Lane, Limerick

some of their award-winning pub grub.

The Curragower is probably the most well-known

Irish music and dance. Don’t leave without sampling Address: 3 George’s Quay, Limerick

Address: Curragower House, Clancy’s Strand, Limerick

eclectic ornaments and delicate chandeliers while

chilling out on the mezzanine with their signature

mojito. Don’t forget to drop by their ever-popular flea market to seek out a vintage treasure!

Address: 15 Patrick Street, Limerick

a hot, hearty meal is only an order away.

Address: 4 Dock Road, Limerick

of wine, signature cocktails, craft beer, live music and

seafood.

Check out their infinitely interesting assortment of

minute tickets to an upcoming gig. If you get peckish,

including King John’s Castle, Limerick City Hall, and

sun go down over our most celebrated landmarks,

over drinks and their award-winning locally-sourced

style with vintage furnishings to excellent effect.

perform thus far and maybe even score some last-

If you’re looking for a little bit of everything at once, go

locals mingle with tourists from all over the world

Red Hen, whose unique interiors combine industrial

past, start a contentious debate about the best act to

pub in Limerick, and the ideal place to watch the

of course the eponymous Curragower Falls. Venerable

Those seeking a modern, funky vibe should head to The

to traditional Irish music in a traditional Irish pub

If you fancy an anything-can-happen kind of

evening, head to Costello’s Tavern. Costie’s is always

to Smyths Bar, where delicious food, a great selection all the big sports games are at your disposal. If closing

time comes and you haven’t had your fill, head next

door to d’Icon, Ireland’s top nightclub, where the party can continue until 2.30a.m.

Address: Denmark Street, Limerick Article by Laura Duhan

Photography by: Tarmo Tulit

filled with interesting characters, from international exchange students to local Limerick celebrities. Start

at the ground floor pub, but if after a few drinks the night is still young, head upstairs to the nightclub to show off your beer-pong skills or sing your heart out to the best rock anthems of every decade.

Address: 4 Dominic Street, Limerick

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Th e li me rick magazine

Food Autumn Foraging

October is a prime month for getting out into the woods, fields and tracks and picking the delicious Autumn delights that Mother Nature has conjured up. Berries, nuts and

mushrooms, they are all ripe for the taking, just remember to leave some for our animal friends!

Sweet chestnuts

These are worth seeking out, even if they are not as prevalent as the similar yet inedible horse chestnut. Sweet chestnut cases are much hairier than conkers, and the leaves of the tree are smaller, pointy, and grow singularly rather than groups of three like

the horse chestnut leaf. Quietly wish for some high winds to bring them down to the

ground and make your search much easier. Score and roast in the oven (or an open fire, if you’re so inclined), add to cabbage with bacon, or root vegetable soup.

Blackberries

The classic Autumn activity, what better way to spend a fresh sunny afternoon than gathering blackberries along the hedgerows? Mind those thorns, try to pick areas away

from busy roads as much as possible for reduced pollution (plus peace and safety), and take care not to stray onto private land. Optimally ripe blackberries are deeply dark

and soft yet firm when plucking, perfect for jams, crumbles, cocktails, and even as an accompaniment to savoury dishes.

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Sloe berries

Wild Mushrooms

berries can be used to make Sloe and apple jelly, or if you’re thinking ahead to

are looking for when picking wild mushrooms. Do your research using

While out for blackberries be sure to take an extra container for sloes. Sloe stocking the Christmas drinks cabinet, sloe gin and whiskey make for some

gorgeous festive liqueurs. Gloves at the ready - watch those blackthorn spikes!

One for the seasoned forager only: It is vital you know exactly what you photos, books, and advice written by experts on Irish mushrooms. How

a mushroom is shaped, smells, colour, stains, and where it grows must all be taken into account when identifying. Learn to identify the dangerous ones you won’t be picking as thoroughly as you learn the ones you intend to forage. The golden rule is never taste a mushroom unless you are 100% sure you know what it is.

Seeking out edible mushrooms is definitely worthwhile, as they are delicious

and incredibly good for you. Wild mushrooms are rich in vitamin B1, minerals including iron and potassium, and vegetable protein. At this time

of year, our fields and woodlands are full of fungi that are both fascinating

to look at, with many that are delicious to eat. Ceps, porcinis, chanterelles and oyster mushrooms are just a few of the varieties that can be found in October. Once you’ve read up on safely identifying varieties, the next part to research is how best to eat them, be it fresh, dried or cooked.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo Rose hips

The use of Rose hips was something of a thing of the past and were once

used as a medicinal syrup, but they appear to be growing in popularity again.

Rose hips can be used to make tea, jam, cordial and even cake. Get out there

quick as they are not going to last long into the month, particularly as they are popular with the birds.

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Th e li me rick magazine

Food &Drink Oktoberfest

We may go for the beer and bratwurst now, but did you know that the Oktoberfest started with a royal wedding and horse racing? Have you ever wondered how you should tie a dirndl apron? And where can you celebrate closer to home? Find out more about the festival here...

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A potted history

Oktoberfest in Limerick

in October 1810 started an annual event which gave rise to the tradition of Oktoberfest. The nuptials

Thursday 27th to Monday 31st of October. This

The celebration of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen’s wedding

were marked five days after the wedding with a large festival held in front of the Sendlinger Tor, one of the gates to Munich. Horse racing was a major part of the fest up until 1960, and an agricultural fair

was always part of the festivities even before the beer pubs were brought in to proceedings in 1818. On

Oktoberfest’s 100th anniversary it is recorded that 120,000 litres of beer were consumed. Fast forward to today and it is currently estimated more than 6.9 million litres of beer are consumed annually, which gives some indication of how large the festival has grown.

In Munich today, Oktoberfest is celebrated at the end of September, before the weather turns too cold.

Across the world Oktoberfest events occur between September and December, with the majority held

in October. The tradition has reached all corners of the world with festivities taking place as far afield

Oktoberfest Beag returns to King John’s Castle from

year will see a special ‘Spooktoberfest’ as Halloween parties take place over the bank holiday weekend. The festival is a celebration of all things Bavarian from

tasty beers to authentic German dishes, including

rotisserie chicken, freshly baked pretzels, brezel, schnitzel and schweinebraten. Bavarian Oompah bands will perform along with DJs and various other entertainers to keep the 2,500-person strong party going.

as the Phillipines.

The Clarion Hotel will also be holding an event, Prost

Traditional dress

German style buffet with an Irish twist, spot prizes

Lederhosen and dirndls began to be worn at Munich Oktoberfests from 1887. A parade was introduced, in which the mayor and civic leaders, bands, breweries and townspeople would all dress in costume and parade down the streets. There are many modern interpretations of the dirndl dress, including

the cheap costume all-in-one variety that is often seen at fancy dress parties. Traditionally the dirndl

to Oktoberfest on Friday 7th October, featuring a and novelties and DJ playing til late.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

comprises of a white blouse, embroidered bodice, below-knee skirt and apron.

It’s also said that the way the apron is tied around the waist has traditional significance: A bow tied to your left indicates you are single, to the right means taken, front middle indicates virginity, and a bow at

the back supposedly means you are either a widow or a waitress. During Oktoberfest, some locals wear

Tirolerhüte (a style of Bavarian hat) with a tuft of chamois (goat-antelope) hair. Historically chamois hair was highly valued and prized. The more tufts of chamois hair on one's hat, the wealthier one was considered to be.

Food and Drink

Some examples of the traditional German food you can expect to see are as follows, though global versions of Oktoberfest are likely to put their own culinary spin on the dishes available: Brezen - pretzels

Hendl - roast chicken

Schweinebraten -roast pork

Schweinshaxe - grilled ham hock

Steckerlfisch - grilled fish on a stick

Knödel - potato or bread dumplings Käsespätzle - cheese noodles

Reiberdatschi - potato pancakes Sauerkraut - fermented cabbage

Obatzda - a Bavarian delicacy: spicy cheese-butter spread Weißwurst - white sausage

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Th e li me rick magazine

Food W in ter Wa rme r s on a B u d ge t: Ten Inex pe nsi v e Lu nche s i n L i m er i c k

Bring the heat with some spicy curry from LANA, then cool down with the free scoop of ice cream offered with every meal. This restaurant transports

you to Asia by emulating traditional street food style, from the ingredients to the packaging and dishes.

If you’re in a rush, food is available for collection

from 12.30, proving that fast food doesn’t have to be unhealthy.

Addresses: Dublin Road, Castletroy, Limerick & Courtfields, Raheen, Limerick

A glance at the litany of awards displayed in the window immediately declares what’s in store for you

at Café Noir. Excellent fancy food at a fraction of the price, with friendly staff and a great atmosphere at every location to boot.

Addresses: Dairy Gold Co-Op, Raheen, Limerick

& Park Point, Castletroy, Limerick & Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL, Limerick Winter is coming, and with it comes the desire for a hot, hearty lunch to keep you warm and energised for the rest

of the day. But with Christmas looming, you don’t want to break the bank. Do you eat a miserable, wilted sandwich at your desk every day, or do you splash out on yourself, leaving barely enough for a pair of socks for your loved ones come December? Fear not, you can have the best of both worlds as we’ve complied ten delicious and inexpensive options for you to choose from. Dig in!

Those looking to dine in a classic Limerick pub with

a vibrant, friendly atmosphere should visit The Horse

and Hound Bar. For the early birds, breakfast is served from 7.30am, whilst the night owls can order

lunch until 9pm. Whatever time you swing by at, one

thing is guaranteed: A generously-portioned, piping hot, hearty meal.

Address: 1 Mulgrave Street, Limerick

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For simple, great-tasting food with no frills, Caffe

Insomnia Coffee offer a great range of soups, salads,

and a great selection of sandwiches, toasties, wraps,

as coffee, tea and hot chocolate all at very reasonable

Waffe is always a good choice. Offering big portions

and bagels with fillings of your choice, as well as waffles and crepes for those with a sweet tooth, your only difficulty may lie with finding a seat.

Address: Lower Mallow Street, Limerick

sandwiches, wraps, rolls, toasts and focaccia as well

prices. If you’re a regular, download their app and

the savings will soon start piling up. Go on, grab a brownie or a flapjack to nibble on later, you deserve it!

Address: 9 O’Connell Street, Limerick

Escape the rain and take shelter underground at

Avail of a starter and main course for €15 from

with plenty of variety. If Thai or Indian food is more

There’s something to cater for everyone’s tastes, from

lunch from 12-3pm weekdays with a wide selection

chips. Centrally-located, with a beautiful modern

looking for a quiet corner in a chilled-out atmosphere

is the perfect restaurant to sit back and relax post-

hands.

the Texas Steakout, which offers a €10 lunch menu

to your liking, there’s no need to brave the cold, just slip through the door at the top of the stairs to neighbouring Bambu.

Address: 116 O’Connell Street, Limerick City As Trip Advisor’s highest-rated Limerick restaurant, Bobby Byrne’s is always a good option. “Limerick’s

12.30-5pm Monday to Saturday at Chocolat.

Smyths Bar offer a very reasonably-priced carvery

Moroccan vegetable humbas to the classic fish and

fresh food, ideal if you’re strapped for time and

interior, laid-back atmosphere and friendly staff, this

in which to fill your belly and restore feeling to your

lunch with your complimentary tea or coffee.

Address: Denmark Street, Limerick

Address: 109 O’Connell Street, Limerick

If you’re looking for a certain French je ne sais quoi,

take-away

Petit Paris is for you. This intimate little café serves

convenience. Order a hearty, filling main course for

vegetarian options. Follow your meal with a traditional

bread for just €3.95.

chocolat chaud.

friendliest

foodie

corner” offers

a

corner store as well as their cosy pub for maximum

large portions of authentic French food, with lots of

€10, or get a piping hot soup with homemade brown

French pastry or crepe and a rich, luxurious coffee or

Address: 3 O’Connell Avenue, Limerick

Address: 21 Henry Street, Limerick Article by: Laura Duhan

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Th e li me rick magazine Co ckta ils in Li m e r i ck Ci t y Because who doesn’t want to feel like

the cast of Sex and the City every now and then?

There’s a few of us who are lucky to remember the joy of the 2 for 1 cocktail deal that Charlie Chaplin’s pub used to offer. Hobbling down the cobbled hill outside in a pair of way-too-high-heels, newly born into adulthood with a fresh, crisp age card under your belt, you ordered the €7.00 deal loudly and proudly. Although they were mostly made from sickly sweet orange juice (and very little alcohol), that didn’t stop you feeling super fancy, making sure to document the moment on all forms of social media available -

even more so if you managed to wangle a mini umbrella from the barman. If you’re now a ‘proper grown-up’ or feel you’re far too sophisticated for a Woo-Woo, where is there to

go for super delicious cocktails in the city? Here’s our list of the top ten spots – in no particular order – for cocktails in the city that are bound to make you feel like the mature, fully-fledged adult you are... we’ll still take a mini umbrella though, thanks!

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The Buttery

‘Fire’ at Brimstone Steakhouse and Grill

The Buttery is a truly fantastic all-rounder. They’re

Brimstone Steakhouse and Grill has a prime location

10 Bedford Row, Limerick City.

Riverpoint, Bishop’s Quay, Limerick City.

open from 8am till 10:30pm and cater equally for

overlooking the magnificent River Shannon. The

all meal times; breakfast, brunch, lunch, and wine

bar, Fire, located on the ground floor, has a funky

& tapas. Newly refurbished, The Buttery has also

atmosphere with mood lighting and a great drinks

launched a great new menu, including a range of

menu. Sip on your favourite cocktail as you wait to

lush cocktails. Start off your night in style or opt for

be seated at your table or just pop in for a few drinks.

a chilled, laid back evening with friends, good food and drink.

Chocolat

The Texas Steakout

Since its opening, Chocolat has never failed to impress.

109 O’Connell Street, Limerick City.

116 O’Connell Street, Limerick City.

The lavish décor and extensive menu doesn’t come

A true classic, The Texas Steakout seems to be around

with the designer price tag. Top off your evening meal

for as long as most people can remember. However,

perfectly with one of their delicious cocktails. You’ll

even though they might not be best known for it, The

truly feel like a high flyer as you dine in style, and it’s a

Texas Steakout has a fabulous cocktail menu. From

perfect spot for a birthday of special occasion dinner.

old favourites to new concoctions, the menu even has a more grown-up version of those famous WooWoos!

The Cornstore

The Savoy Hotel

Like The Savoy, The Cornstore is a little more pricey

The luxurious five-star Savoy Hotel is the place to go

food and a comfortably formal setting will go along

and your crew together and head here for gorgeous

excellent selection in the menu. The restaurant also

to choose from - including equally delicious non-

night, girl’s night out or even a hen party. Another

Thomas Street, Limerick City.

Henry Street, Limerick City.

for their cocktails but yummy all the same! Superb

if you want to feel super fancy. Get your glad rags on

perfectly with whatever cocktail you choose from the

pre-night out cocktails. There’s a pretty good selection

offers cocktails classes at the bar, a great idea for a date

alcoholic options. Although slightly on the more

great spot for pre-night out dinner and drinks!

taste and feel marvellously posh too.

The Red Hen

Coqbull

The Red Hen is the perfect spot if you’re looking for

Relatively new to the city, restaurant Coqbull has

after work pints and lunchtime grub but the star of

their amazing cocktails. Though not solely a bar, if

above the bar. There’s one for everyone in the audience

reasonably priced drinks and some of the best chicken

mood takes you, take those cocktails upstairs to the

vibe. And if you’re not in the mood for cocktails, they

a Cosmo. Fabulous!

pricey side, you’ll definitely find something to your

15 Patrick Street, Limerick City.

Thomas Street, Limerick City.

a relaxed, laid back atmosphere. It’s great place for

made a great reputation for itself – one reason being

the show is definitely the cocktail menu hung proudly

you’re peckish too, this is the place for you. With

here and the price tag is very reasonable also. If the

wings ever, you’ll feel right at home with the relaxed

dancefloor and dance the night away while sipping on

also have a great selection of craft beers on offer.

Marco Polo

38 O’Connell Street, Limerick City.

Another joint that has beautiful décor and plush

furnishings at a decent price, Marco Polo not only has a great food and wine menu but, possibly less well-known, also has a great selection of cocktails

that are made behind their glamorous bar. All the classics and then some, Marco Polo’s cocktail menu

even includes dessert cocktails. The perfect addition

to your experience, there’s certainly something for everyone for anytime of the day – did someone say early lunch and Mimosas?

The Old Quarter

Little Ellen Street, Limerick City.

Located just off Cruises Street, The Old Quarter has really become a staple in the dining/night life experience in Limerick. There’s live music throughout

the week, great food during the day and for the night owls, a really great bar – it’s a one stop shop. The cocktail menu at The Old Quarter is really impressive

with some hilarious names and creations thrown into the mix – Electric Smurf anyone?! The bar even offers

cocktail classes which include a free shot on arrival.

Yes, please…

Article by: Ali Molloy

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Health & Wellbeing With health and fitness instructor Sintija Zorge

Apple cider vinegar – elixir or exaggeration?

Almost every day a new superfood or miracle health

Apple cider vinegar, therefore, can aid with weight

of this is apple cider vinegar, whose properties are so

Combine cider vinegar into food with good levels of

ingredient seems to be declared. One recent example celebrated one would be led to believe it is a nearly

magical home remedy that can combat ‘flu, kill

warts, protect against cancer, help to lose weight and is generally fantastic to include as a part of healthy lifestyle. Sounds awesome! But are we getting carried away by these claims?

There are many types of vinegar, from regular table

loss due to its beneficial value of reducing sugar levels. carbohydrates and it will make you feel fuller, and you will consume fewer calories than you would without

the vinegar. So go ahead, next time you are prepping your meal add a splash of apple cider vinegar to help

with your weight loss plan. Just remember, our bodies

can quickly adapt and the effects may not last forever, and for some it may have no effect at all.

vinegar to balsamic, and even coconut vinegar. Vinegar

Cider vinegar also could improve health of the heart,

including vitamins. It is made through fermentation

blood pressure and bad cholesterol. However, it hasn’t

consists of acetic acid, water and other substances

which is a very slow process. Apple cider vinegar is made from apples or apple cider and unlike other types of vinegar it is not filtrated or pasteurised.

Apple cider vinegar has been used in the past as a

according to some studies that suggest it can reduce yet been tested on humans to prove that it could reduce heart problems, so I wouldn’t advise to count on only this as a medicine to improve your heart health.

healing elixir for wounds and later on to treat different

For digestion, apple cider vinegar is sometimes

promoted for weight loss, and to improve heart and

lacking acids in the gut. But you should be 100% sure

kinds of illnesses. Today, apple cider vinegar has been overall health. So what has been proven?

There have been multiple studies that appear to prove apple cider vinegar normalises sugar levels. In some

cases it improved sugar levels in Type 2 Diabetes sufferers. It hasn’t been conclusively proved how

exactly this vinegar does it, but research shows that it could work by slowing down the enzymes that turn carbohydrates into sugar. This process helps to reduce sugar levels in the body not just for people with Type 2 Diabetes but for any one of us.

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recommended to reduce digestive problems if you are

that lack of acid is the problem – vinegar consists of

acid and too much acid in your gut could worsen the problem. Consult with a doctor if you are unsure.

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It has definitely not been proved that cider vinegar can reduce risk of cancer. Tests that have taken place

are not backed up and, in some cases, they even

showed an increase in the risk for bladder cancer, though some have seen a reduction in digestive track

cancer cells. There may be some evidence that apple

cider vinegar has an effect on some types of cancer cells but more research needs to be done. We all want

to believe there might be a miracle cancer curing

ingredient out there but the reality is that this kind

of research is still very much an exploratory work in progress, and the key to combatting cancer still lies in

overall healthy living and highly developed medical treatment.

Overall I do believe that apple cider vinegar is beneficial for our health, but it’s not really that

mystical or so powerful to make you 100% immune

to any illness. My advice is that you need to exercise daily to get rid of toxins and reduce stress and fat

growth, worry less and eat better to make sure that

your health is priority. Follow and believe in a healthy lifestyle every day in every way to reduce the risk

factors for physical and mental illnesses. Don’t rely on that one magical product to be discovered!

Article by: Sintija Zorge

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Health & Wellbeing Mind Your Mind Reiki Whether you suffer from achronic conditions or find

Reiki is a process that must be administered by

is a part of your body that needs attentive care and

It involves the application of healing hands, whereby

yourself feeling stressed from time to time, the mind nourishment. Not every lauded coping mechanism

and new ‘fad’ will cure all our head’s problems, but there are many methods that contribute to your health

and wellbeing, specifically for calming techniques to alleviate emotional and mental stress.

One technique in particular which has taken off as a remedy is Reiki. Reiki is a healing technique

that focuses on relaxation and healing in the body, originating from Japan. It is essentially a method for stress reduction and used for relaxation and relieving

tension in the body. The word ‘reiki’ is Japanese, with ‘rei’ translating to “the higher power” and ‘ki’ meaning

“life force energy” with the complete word meaning

“universal life energy.” Reiki is spiritual in its nature, but is not a religious method or associated with sacred methods; it is merely spiritual in terms of it being a natural process. Reiki is a practice that promotes peace

and harmony and encourages the idea of developing the body in natural ways. It deals with healing and pain relief through energy forces in the body.

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somebody trained and experienced in the practice. the person administrating the reiki on the patient, uses their hands to relieve pain and give energy, with the hands acting as a channel. The administrator is essential taking out negative energy and inserting

positive energy. “Chakras” are the seven centres of the

spiritual powers in our bodies. Each of these seven

chakras have a place in our bodies: the crown (head), the third eye, the throat, the heart, the solar plexus

and the sacral (both in the abdomen) and finally, the

root (the base of the spine). Each have an assigned colour and deal with different elements: the crown

dealing with thoughts, the third eye with awareness, the throat with sound and identity, the heart with

love, the solar plexus with knowledge, the sacral with creativity and the root with support. These chakras

must be balanced in order for the body to be at its best. Reiki is about re-balancing the chakras, which in turn brings balance to your body.

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Reiki focuses on releasing pain and tension, rather than injecting the body with something. It is a process of

letting go, rather than receiving anything in particular, such as medicine. The primary principle of reiki is to

move energy out of the body and put in new energy.

These practices are often quick to be dismissed but there’s definitely something to it, considering it is a practice that has been used in the western world alone

since the early 1900s, and is still evidently relevant and popular today. A high percentage of people who have experienced reiki find that it has made them feel

lighter, more relaxed, with more clarity and reduced pains. Research is, of course, required medically

to prove the efficiency of any practice, and studies have shown that it reiki has succeeded in improving

fatigue, depressive symptoms and inducing relaxation

throughout the body. It’s definitely something worth trying for the good for our mental wellbeing.

Article by: Laura McNamara

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pa r enti ng Hypnobirthing

Despite having read a deluge of birthing books in the

History

The Birth Partner

not have been more oblivious to what lay ahead of me

through practicing deep relaxation. It also involves

strategies, the role of the birth partner is significant in

months prior to my first born baby’s arrival, I could in the labour ward. I endured a heavily medicated and intervention-led birth and delivery. One intervention

led to another intervention resulting in a less than

Hypnobirthing involves mental preparation for birth developing the skills to negotiate the birthing process and skills to stay calm and relaxed.

In addition to developing relaxation and breathing the hypnobirthing process. Some practical tips which the birthing partner can keep in mind involve:

enjoyable episiotomy and suction delivery. This time

The origins of hypnobirthing can be traced back as

•Be familiar with and respect the wishes of the birth

order to mitigate the likelihood of instruments and

hypnosis to induce labour. During the 1920s a doctor

•Encourage breathing exercises

however I was keen to explore other options in incisions, if possible.

Through my investigations I discovered the practice of hypnobirthing, which can facilitate and promote a positive and peaceful birth experience. The Limerick

University Maternity Hospital happened to be running a series of hypnobirthing workshops so I was

eager to sign up and learn more. The workshops ran

over two Saturdays and were thankfully free of charge.

far as 1845 to a man called James Braid, who utilised known as Grantley Dick Reed worked in London’s

East End and picked up on the practice too. He noticed that women’s expectations of childbirth tended to play out. For example, the women who

expected to have an easy, stress free birth tended to do so. Grantley Dick Reed was a radical throughout

his career and was expelled from the obstetric society during this time.

Private instructors can charge hundreds of euros for

Benefits

for most of us to justify when there is already so much

abdominal breathing is one of the best strategies to

hypnobirthing sessions. This can be a difficult expense

expense involved in pregnancy, birth, and purchasing for the new arrival.

Hypnobirthing is all about the breathing. Deep

•Know where everything is in the labour bag

•Have snacks and a sports top bottle on hand •Stay calm and supportive

•Avoid phones and tablets in order to stay in the

birthing zone without the distraction of social media.

•Have a playlist of relaxing music prepared.

•Help with relaxing massage techiques

The birth partner can also read a series of relaxation

scripts and affirmations which can help to calm and soothe the birthing woman.

employ during labour. Breathing in through the nose

So does it work?

seconds is a basic hypnobirthing technique that can

left to go I am practicing my breathing exercises. I

for three seconds and out though the mouth for five have significant benefits. This will help to: •Oxygenate the baby •Oxygenate oneself

•Increase blood flow

•Help to keep you calm •Reduce pain

•Reduce the flow of adrenaline (adrenaline can tense the uterus and cause pain) •Promote relaxation

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intentions or birth plan

I have yet to go into labour. With a couple of weeks

am reading Judith Flood’s Hypnobirthing book

and listening to the Calm Birth Hypnobirth CD. Hopefully the techniques and strategies which I have

developed will assist in promoting a positive and

peaceful experience. So to my followers, you will have

to wait a few weeks to discover what happened next…

Article by: Jane Butler O’Halloran

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Bu s ine ss: Upris e Fes tiva l What led you from Limerick to Amsterdam?

I have a background in art illustration, and studied at LSAD. In my second year was doing a bit more business, working in Fine Wines as a manager for a while, then I decided to leave that and concentrate back

on graphic design and digital communications. After that, I wanted to find out more about international

design, so decided to up sticks and moved to the Netherlands - I didn’t have a word of Dutch, a place

to stay or a job lined up, so in hindsight I could have prepared better! But taking that risk allowed me to

dive into their design industry, where I had access to companies trying to solve problems, and the flexibility you could never have in an agency. For me, design is all

about problem solving: designers are often treated as

add-ons in companies, when actually a good designer is instrumental in a business. I’m always flabbergasted there aren’t more designers as company founders.

When did you first see an opportunity for an event like Uprise?

I started to look at startups and was helping with development of products, as well as working with communities to create events. It started with small

types of events, and I wanted to do something new, something that encouraged more interactions, not

just speaking events but something people would find

worthwhile and develop themselves. I was hoping for it to take off across the Netherlands, but that didn’t work at all then! Europe in general has been a little

slow to embrace that kind of thing. That was when

I founded Dutchstartupjobs.com, which is now the Limerick man Paul O’Connell has been working to change the face of the European start up scene, with the founding of

Uprise, a new startup festival that began in Amsterdam in March of this year. Going against the grain of other prominent

tech fests, Uprise is all about putting emerging business talent in the spotlight and helping develop essential skills for the tough realities of the start up world.

We caught Paul in Flannerys Bar, where the Uprise Limerick Regional Pitch Battle was about to begin, and asked how he came to rise to the challenge of Uprise...

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largest platform in the Netherlands. What makes

it work is that it has a particular way of looking at recruitment – placing the emphasis on vocation and passion rather than career and stability. It is better for startups to focus on culture and mould it; culture will happen no matter what so take control of that.

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A couple of years ago colleges were coming to me to say that students wanted to get into startups, but

there was no single entry point for them, so that got me started on setting up an event again, one that would provide accessibility and an opportunity for startups, potential employees and other interested

parties to interact with each other. I didn’t have a huge budget for equipment, I ended up setting up stalls using wooden pallets, the focus was much more

on experience and interaction and that’s how Uprise has developed.

What can we expect from Uprise when it hits Dublin later this month?

As I mentioned, it’s all about the interaction between people there – we’ve made a point of not having any

public wifi available, we want people to connect with

what’s going on in front of them and the people around them. We’re trying to put people first and tech

second – the big tech events often lose sight of that.

Uprise also puts the spotlight back on the companies

in attendance – at the more traditional business events

it becomes all about a big name speaker who jets in, has their moment on stage and jets out again – there’s no real benefit to people in that, I don’t really like

it. Overall I’ve tried to create an event that I would want to attend, that provides value and something to

take away. We have workshops and panels throughout the day to help people develop their skills, and those

taking part in the final pitch battle stand the chance of winning funding and development opportunities

– and they are voted for by the audience, not just an expert panel.

Is there much difference between the Irish and

Despite the laid back atmosphere, Paul and the judges

The main difference is expectation: Irish start ups are

tough questions and specific feedback designed to

companies are more likely to expect to be hosting the

and how they had just presented themselves. “I don’t

get Irish companies to push themselves, to be a bit

just how it is in the real world; you have to be able to

themselves.

we’re trying to get across about the day to day realities

Dutch start up scenes?

weren’t there to go easy on the contestants, firing

only delighted to be asked to an event, while Dutch

really make the pitchers think about their business

thing… by bringing Uprise to Dublin I’m trying to

think I was being mean,” he said afterwards, “that’s

hungrier and grab the opportunities that present

answer those hard questions off the cuff. That’s what

Have the types of startups you’ve seen in Ireland

of growing a startups.”

varied from county to county?

The winner on the night was Wellnice Pops, who

Dublin has a lot of hardware companies coming

a problem and solution. However there was also good

you go the more food and drink companies there are

announced as one of two wildcards to get to the

generally shouldn’t be surprising though!

out of six Irish companies pitching for Team Green

The Limerick Regional Pitch Battle

October. If you want to go and support them, tickets

There are some patterns that seem to have emerged.

were praised for, their confidence and identification of

through, Galway lots of games, and the further south

news for Cybersmarties, as they were subsequently

– the amount of food and drink companies in Ireland

Uprise final, meaning that Limerick has two startups

As Paul went to fulfil his judging panel duties, we

sat down to watch the proceedings. As it turned out, the Limerick startups pitching were all very different

against six European Startupsat the RDS on 20th for Uprise are available at www.uprisefestival.co Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

Photography by: Kehlan Kirwin

from one another. First up was Cybersmarties, a

social network especially for primary school children and young adults with special needs, allowing them a completely safe and secure introduction to social media. Next there was huggnote, a music app that

allows you to send a song to a friend to boost their mood, with mental health and issues of loneliness

affecting more and younger people this aims to

provide a new way to create emotional connections with one another. LoveGuru had a slightly different

approach to emotional connection, focusing on finding romantic love by allowing your friends to find

a match for you. Third was an An Olive Branch, an

online mediator allowing businesses and employees, clients or customers to resolve their disputes without confrontation. And finally, the only thing lacking from healthy ice pops makers Wellnice Pops’ pitch was some free samples…

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commerci al pho to g raph e r FOOD AND BEVERAGE Most people will go through life without ever having to hire a professional photographer. Unless we are talking about wedding photographers, or portrait photographers who photograph our kids for school, most folks just never have a need for a commercial photographer.

Commercial photographers usually deal with other businesses, a B2B approach that makes Graphic Designers, Ad Agencies, Magazines and Corporate Communications their main points of contact for work. Those entities are usually working on behalf of another company that is needing photography to promote their business, product, service or craft.

Images create a dialogue between you and your customer, they don’t say a picture is worth a thousand words for no reason. Each client has a special story to tell and Commercial Photographer Tarmo Tulit will work with you to tell your story with a creative flare that is unique to your business.

Tarmo is a professional photographer based in Limerick City, Ireland, with main focus in portraiture and commercial photography. Characteristics of his style lie within the lighting, working with and bringing out the interesting element in his subjects’ character while using colour, texture and tone as the means of visual expression.

Studio: 74 O’Connell Street, Limerick, Ireland tarmotulit.com tarmo@tarmotulit.com +353.(0)87.683.7250 @tarmotulit @ tarmotulitphoto @ tarmotulitphoto @ TarmoTulit @ tarmo-tulit

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O P I N ION Should Limerick aim to be ‘Stag City’?

A comment by the new Failte Ireland chief Michael

of knowledge of what makes Limerick for so many

Reducing the city to only its pub culture not only

caused something of a furore amongst Limerick City

visit it, and that he might even take a different view

but ignores the visitor opportunities created by other

Cawley last month at a tourism board meeting in UL dwellers. Looking at ways of boosting the tourism

business in the area, the suggestion that Limerick

who grew up, moved to, passed through or regularly himself with more time spent in the city.

should be actively pursuing the stag and hen party

However, perhaps this reaction is too hasty. Stag and

O’Hanlon.

Many are more focused on great shared experiences,

market was supported by Mayor of Limerick Kieran

The idea was met with some strongly worded criticism

when it hit the headlines online, though the proposal was also welcomed by Dr James Ring Chairman of the Limerick Chamber of Commerce.

hen parties have themselves evolved over the years. culture, and creating memories, rather than memories

that are probably best erased by alcohol. It is a market

that have been made. If culture is the beating heart

of a city’s economy, surely we should be looking after

its health, rather than chasing the party market that could potentially undermine the cultural reputation

we’ve worked so hard to build? By his own admission, Cawley is not familiar with Limerick attractions

other than sport. Many felt there was a distinct lack

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What about heritage as part of the mix? We have some fantastic story tellers and historians who alone could encourage people to stay just a little longer.

feeling is we can surely aim a little higher. Welcome

biggest city, not the focus. The fact remains that

a disservice to the great cultural and creative strides

start up festival held here in the not too distant future?

overnight stays for local hotels.

to potentially be explored in terms of generating more

as well as some TDs who felt the comments were

There is a sense that to chase the stags, we are doing

scene, would it be unrealistic to see a weekend long

Particularly as we have just seen the €500m investment

That said: stag and hen parties should be only a small

insulting to the city.

groups in the city. Look at our burgeoning start up

that is opening up and growing up, and is something

So, what are we to make of it? The strongest opposition

to the idea came from Limerick’s creative community,

grossly underestimates Limerick’s cultural potential,

fraction of the cultural experience of Ireland’s third while not all stag and hen parties are raucous, vomit-

spattered affairs, there is no way of filtering out the

parties that will go too far. Let’s face it, even those of us who go out with the best intentions have let booze get the better of us. So by specifically encouraging that market, we invite the inevitable problems and have no

control over that. Perhaps we should be including stag

parties as part of a broader conversation about how to generate a better nightlife, and attract the weekendsaway market that is so desperately lacking still.

for Limerick 2030 plan officially announced, the the parties as and when they come, but is it something

we should actively pursue as priority? We need to focus on the bigger picture, the creative and social

energy that makes Limerick what it is - don’t let the promises to build on what we started fall by the wayside by chasing the unruly stag.

Article by: Kayleigh Ziolo

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B U S INE SS Start up Profile: I Spy Clothing At weekly training sessions, Louise had noticed

Recently we’ve seen a huge burst in businesses

teammates. They both knew something needed to be

supermarket chains. This is another step closer to

some of the same problems occurring amongst her done, so when Louise completed a 'Start Your Own

Business' course in 2014, the women joined together to start the basis of a women’s sports clothing line

focused around providing comfortable and practical

clothing for women partaking in sports, leisure, or just for going out and about.

With full support from friends, family and The Local

Enterprise office, the two were never short of help.

supporting women in sports, mostly from large

stamping out sexism in the sports industry and putting women on a level playing field with men

when it comes to both national and international competitions. Boxer Katie Taylor is one of the many

women breaking down the barriers for women as she took gold in the London 2012 Olympics, inspiring

thousands of young women to follow their passion and achieve their goals.

Last October, they attended a marketing course with

The geometric design on the clothing was created by

Theresa Mulvihill with nothing but their name and

year, this company has jumped from being just an

Marketing and Business Development Consultant, brand. Eight months later, I-SPY is fully up and running with their first sports range. “From the very

start it all just seemed as though it was meant to be,” they tell TLM. “We met the right people and Dynamic duo Paulette and Louise Egan have

everything simply fell into place. On saying that, we

Combining both experience and innovation, this duo

we have met and who have helped us along the way.”

their stylish and comfortable running and yoga gear

World show in Dublin, I-SPY has come on leaps

Limerick designer Anne Marie McCarthy. In just a idea on a page to a successful sports clothing company with an ever-expanding market and clothing range showing that anything can be achieved when you set your mind to it, all you need is the idea.

founded Ireland’s first yoga sports clothing company.

couldn't have done it without the amazing people that

Quick fire Qs with Paulette and Louise:

are taking Ireland's sports industry by storm with

After launching their first line in June at the Women’s

What is your number one fitness tip?

made by women, for women.

and bounds. The sports line is now stocked across

outside every day no matter what and just enjoy

The idea for the company was born out of personal

Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh sports uniform for senior

and her daughter Louise, a camogie player/runner.

audience, Paulette and Louise are also reaching out

by women in her classes from ill-fitting leggings and

duo hope to expand their range and open up an outlet

comes to inappropriate yoga clothing.

where thermal wear is highly sought after.

What's a good healthy snack?

While comfortable clothing is their priority, the

glass of milk makes a great post workout snack as it's

Dublin, and as of September, it will serve as the new

Our number one fitness tip would be to try to get exercising in the open air!

experiences from both Paulette, a yoga instructor,

girls. While women in yoga are their main target

Favourite song to exercise to?

Paulette has witnessed first-hand the struggles faced

to runners. Over the course of the next five years, the

and Louise loves 'Stadium Pow Wow' by 'A Tribe

poor quality sports bras to general discomfort when it

in Kildare Village along with an outlet in Scandinavia

main goal for the pair is to support all female sports

in Ireland and ensure that female athletes get the recognition they deserve.

Paulette's would be Kygo for her SportsYoga classes Called Red’ because it has a great beat to run to.

A peanut butter and banana or apple sandwich and a full of protein. A fruit smoothie with natural yogurt and peanut butter is also a great healthy option.

Article by: Christine Costello

Photography by: Angela Horsefall

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D iscov e ri n g THE PAS T Limerick Walking Tours Many visitors to the city and county come here to trace the Irish ancestry and The Broken Heart Memorial

on Lower Mallow Street gives me the opportunity to tell the story of Limerick's connection to An Gorta Mor 1845-1850.

Where the City Centre Hotel now stands, once stood a vast warehouse. It housed refugees, desperate to board coffin ships and exile themselves to the New

World. I tell the story of the Willis family from Co. Limerick. Abandoning their farmstead they arrived into the city a family of six but by the time they get

to salvation in Toronto only the mother was still alive.

Is it just tourists who go on the tours?

I would say visitors from North America make up 70% of my clients followed by the U.K and Australia. This

summer my clientele has been very varied. I've met

tourists from about 30 different countries. Iceland, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Russia

and Israel, just to name a few. They all have one thing in common, they all love the city. However this year I The best way to get to know a city is by walking

What are your favourite Limerick landmarks?

more about the history that shaped the streets you are

the city as a backdrop. Besides the usual suspects, King

around it. But to really get under its skin, to find out walking on today, it’s worth calling on the services of

a guide. Limerick tour guide Declan Hassett explains why walking tours are not just for tourists…

How long have you been doing walking tours for?

I started the tours three years ago. Naturally, like any new business, things were slow in the beginning. I nearly gave up. I was at a tourist conference organised

by Shannon Development and the guest speaker was Mary Fitzgerald from the Woodlands Hotel near Adare. I remember she said that if you’re in the tourist industry you should be proud of your business and

boast about it - great advice and I've been doing that ever since.

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noticed a large rise in the number of domestic visitors

It's easy to be a tour guide in Limerick when you have

to the city. I guess 'staycations' are getting popular.

John's Castle, Saint Mary's Cathedral and The Hunt

Locals come on the walks too, though. Usually if they

Museum, the city has so much more to offer.

have visiting relatives or friends they'll book them on

The People's Park is a gem. Lush greens, mature

walks to give as birthday and Christmas presents. I

the colours of roses. In fairness to the City Council,

it's usually the locals who come.

native trees, imposing monuments, sprinkled with they keep the park immaculate, and they plant for the

season. So when I bring tourists there in the winter time, the trees may be bare but there is always some colour throughout the park.

a tour and tag along. I've had locals buy vouchers of have often done walking tours for charity and then

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Which stop on the tour do tourists find the most

Today the building houses the private collection of

They are most fascinated by St Mary's Cathedral. I

art and artifices. It's the second largest collection of

fascinating?

walk them around the grounds and up to the West

doorway, the oldest part of the cathedral. I tell them

it was founded in 1168 AD as a cathedral but was the parish church in 1111 AD and the Vikings built

John and Gertrude Hunt. 2,000 priceless works of

European antiquity in Ireland. I think we’re so lucky

to have a museum of international standards in our city.

their settlement near the cathedral in 922 AD. I

What is something interesting about the history of

process those dates in their heads. 'Is it really that old?’

A European Prince is buried here in Limerick. Prince

smile to myself because I can see visitors trying to they ask. Standing there looking majestic, ancient

and imposing, however it's the interior that is truly

breathtaking. I tell tourists that a visit inside is a must and instantly they'll step back 850 years in history.

Do you ever discover something new about the history of Limerick?

Not a week goes by without learning something new about the city and its chequered history. The history

of Limerick is the history of Ireland. I'll never stop discovering new things about the city and it's people.

But I've only learned some of the city’s history from

books. The best stories are the ones I've picked up from locals. Limerick people are natural storytellers

and I've been very lucky to hear fascinating stories about Limerick and her characters of locals.

Limerick that people living here may not know?

Milo Petrovic-Njegos of Montenegro 1889-1978.

We've all heard of Rags to Riches stories but Prince Milo's story is one of Riches to Rags. Well almost.

As a young man he lived a pampered life, surrounded by wealth, privilege and opulence. His every need

catered to by the palace staff. In the end he had nothing, not even a burial plot. When he died the communist

regime behind the Iron Curtain in Montenegro wanted nothing to do with him. However his final

resting place in Limerick has the best view. But to find out where His Royal Highness is buried you'll have to come on a walk with me!

Article by: Sarah Talty

Which historical site in Limerick is your favourite and why?

It might not look historical but the Hunt Museum is an important historical building. Originally designed

as Limerick's Custom House, an Italian architect named Davis Ducart designed this elegant Palladianstyle Georgian building in 1765.

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P o etry from sta nzas Grosz After Wisława Szymborska, for Zo.

By Patrick Loughnane

Fallen from your pocket

This odd forgotten nothing

Already belongs to the past.

This single gold coin

Lighter than any future

In a depressed man's mind

That I hold in my hand To destroy this silence:

The only thing you left behind

Patrick Loughnane is a poet and translator from Galway. He has recently read his

work in Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain). After living there for two years, he is currently completing a master's from UCC.

Stanzas takes place monthly in Hook & Ladderon Sarsfield Street at 7pm. Stanzas aims to encourage and develop new and emerging writers.

The October event takes place on the 21st and is fancy dress in honour of Halloween.

Prizes for Best Dress will be awarded, as well as face-painting and general tom-foolery.

All events include a large open mic section, so bring your own poems, or come and have a listen.

To be in the November Chapbook, send poetry, prose or artwork themed ‘After All This Time, That Day Stains Yellow’, by November 11th to stanzas.limerick@gmail.com

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Author Inte rvie w : B r i a n J. S how er s Un cer ta inties Tell us about the premise behind this book?

I suppose the simplest way to put it is: Uncertainties is an anthology of new fiction by Irish, British, and American authors in which each story in some

way deals with the uncanny, the unexpected, or the supernatural—and those moments when reality takes

a sharp left-hand turn into territory less recognisable.

If you're looking for a more fashionable modern term

I suppose "non-realist literature" would work, but in fact these types of stories take their cues from a much older tradition.

Where did the inspiration for these short stories come from?

That's really a question for each author to answer, but broadly speaking I'd say most contributors to

Uncertainties owe debts in varying degrees to the

macabre set pieces of Poe, the pleasing terrors of M.R. James, the weird menace of Lovecraft, the strange

stories of Robert Aickman, and the ontological rattlings of Thomas Ligotti. There's a whole two

centuries' worth of tradition to explore in this list alone. However, the stories in Uncertainties aren't

simply pastiches or homages to past masters of the genre. Uncertainties is very much borne of modern sensibilities and themes: Maura McHugh's "The Light at the Centre" contemplates the darkness that

fills voids created by the Irish ghost estates; Rosalie

Parker's "Homecraft" concerns two runaway children and the superstitions they invoke to survive; and then there's "Closing Time" by Emma Darwin, in which a retired photographer experiences a sort of concurrent bleed of both past and present.

Brian J. Showers specialises in all things delightfully supernatural. Having had a number of articles, short stories and books published, he is now ready for Uncertainties: Twenty-Two Strange Tales to keep readers gripped on the

supernatural and eerie stories yet to be told. These are not just mere ghost stories, but are filled with modern themes and issues pervading each page that are all too familiar for readers. Speaking to TLM, Brian J. Showers talks about the inspiration behind this latest anthology, what readers can expect and how his work came to be.

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What is it about this anthology that makes it

What first got you interested in writing?

M.R. James, who is considered by many to be the

when I was growing up. I had free reign there and

“strange”, as included in the title?

master of the ghost story, once wrote down his rules for writing tales concerning the strange and uncanny. There's one line that has always struck me as particularly canny in its observation: "It is not amiss sometimes to leave a loophole for a natural

explanation; but, I would say, let the loophole be so

narrow as not to be quite practicable." I've always felt this to be such an important comment because it's in

that loophole that we find ambiguity—that seed of uncertainty that takes root in the reader's mind long

after the book has been set on the night stand and the light switched off. I think the stories in Uncertainties

each do that in their own way. They present situations or encounters that cannot be sufficiently explained one way or the other.

Your work primarily focuses on that of gothic fiction

and the supernatural. What is it that interests you about these genres?

I've been asked this question loads of times, and

My mother used to take me to the public library

gravitated pretty quickly toward the horror section (by way of science fiction and fantasy, not to mention

those books on Big Foot, lake monsters, and the occult). I remember taking out the 1960s Arkham House edition of Lovecraft with that great gonzo

cover by Lee Brown Coye; and the young adult novels of John Bellairs were also favourites, particularly the

ones with Edward Gorey’s illustrations. Although I wouldn’t recognise it until much later, Bellairs’s The

House with the Clock in Its Walls transplanted the

European gothic aesthetic to my native Midwest, which of course I was more capable of identifying with at that age. And where would I be without copious amounts of television? Rod Serling was my personal guide to the works of Richard Matheson

and Charles Beaumont via The Twilight Zone, while The Ray Bradbury Theater filled my head with jack-

o-lanterns, Martians, and dandelions. God bless Saint Ray, if you ask me. And my mother.

the truth is I was born this way. I can trace my

Would you like to venture into other genres of

If you could give advice to aspiring writers interested

the Halloween masks and plastic dinosaurs of early

Not a chance. Sorry, but no. I like it here. What at first

Firstly, read. Read the old stuff and read the new

really quite varied, and I’ve much exploring left to do.

editors, and publishers out there, many of whom are

the fantastical seems to be gaining increasing traction

not stuff you’ll find in your local bookshop either, so

superb rural gothic The Loney recently picked up both

fun. There’s not enough space here for me to list my

of the Year; and although not strictly fantastical, the

to write to me if they’re looking for where to start.

debut novel Eggshells had me thoroughly captivated.

meet these authors, editors, publishers, and other

Wanderer, which sounds quite promising—Tim’s got

not take part? Attend festivals and conventions, go

genres? No, I’m quite happy where I’m at.

is the Friends of Arthur Machen). Believe it or not,

interest in the broader fantastical aesthetic back to childhood. I like a good jolt as much as the next person, but that sort of shock—fun though it may be—is for me the equivalent of empty calories. The best horror, at least the stuff I enjoy most, appeals on an intellectual level. We think we know the world

we live in, but we don't—we very much don't—and supernatural tales are a reminder of that.

In some ways the supernatural tale is the antithesis to the classic detective story, which relies on a mystery

that usually is solved by the end of the narrative.

What begins as a tale of the unknown is inevitably

explained; there's a satisfying catharsis when you find

out whodunit. On the other hand, the supernatural tale celebrates the mystery itself. These stories start

out in the recognisable world, the every-day, and slowly move into less familiar terrain.

writing?

in this area of writing, what would it be?

sounds perhaps like a narrow literary scope can be

stuff. There is an international community of authors,

The uncanny crops up all over the place in fiction, and

producing engaging and thoughtful work. And it’s

in the literary mainstream. Andrew Michael Hurley’s

you’ll have to do some digging. But that’s part of the

the Costa First Novel Award and Best British Book

recommendations, but I invite any of your readers

un-real whimsy of Caitriona Lally’s warmly-received

The second thing I’d suggest is to get out there and

I’m just about to start reading Timothy J. Jarvis’s The

readers. Fiction is a dialogue, a conversation, so why

a story in Uncertainties as well. Venture into other

to book readings, join a literary society (my favourite horror writers are among the nicest and very often the warmest people you’re likely to meet.

Article by: Laura McNamara

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Fi lm : O f f b eat a n im atio n Dark themes and undertones Animation films have evolved in sync with the times, both in terms of technological advances and the stories

they tell. Long gone are the days of painstakingly hand-drawn full-length films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937), Pinocchio (1940), or Dumbo

(1941), to quote but a few. Today, powerful computers do a lot of the hard work.

Animation films have traditionally been associated with the younger audience, and though there is a great

portion of such movies that caters directly for this demographic, there are plenty of examples throughout cinema history where an animated film has stood out for its relevance to a more grown-up audience‌

Akira (1988)

Coraline (2009)

Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, Akira is based on

Based on Neil Gaiman's eponymous book, Coraline

technological tale involving espers (people, usually

alternative world that represents everything she longs

Otomo's own eponymous manga. It is a complex children, gifted with psychic powers), struggling to comprehend and control such powers. Akira itself is a

mythical psychic entity, an incredibly powerful esper that caused the entire destruction of Tokyo in times past, sparking World War III in the process.

Akira's highly stylised motif was wrapped in cyberpunk overtones, and soon became a worldwide hit. As seen in many other Japanese books, comic

books, and a myriad of other printed media, the theme of utter destruction features prominently

from the outset. This may be a residual imprint left

in the Japanese psyche after the nuclear bombings of

Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of the Second World War.

No other country has ever experienced nuclear

annihilation at such unprecedented scale, and ever

since then, it has been a constant and recurring theme.

There are signs and symbols scattered throughout

this, and many other works, that convey sickness and

decay similar to that caused by radiation poisoning.

In Akira, some of the espers appear to have aged

considerably, though they are only children. And Tetsuo, one of the main protagonists, suffers from

indescribable pain because of his own powers.

Overall, Akira became a landmark piece of work, one that would inspire a whole new generation of both readers and film makers.

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is a dark and creepy tale where a child enters an for in the real one. Alas, all is not what it seems, and there is a heavy price to be paid. Coming from Gaiman, whose gifted mind conceived the Sandman

tales, American Gods, and many others, we always knew that Coraline would be something special and very dark indeed.

The entire movie is laden with magical symbolism and

tokens of occultism, which are sometimes subtle and

hard to spot. The issue of mind control runs through the entire movie, symbolised by the creepy doll with black buttons for eyes. The buttons themselves are a powerful symbol. All characters in the alternative

world have them, turning the bearer into a puppet, a

slave to a higher mind or entity. This entity attempts to lure Coraline into its twisted world. Though branded as 'children's' movie, Coraline is a dark tale that goes

well beyond the comprehension of most children, and will rather appeal to a more mature audience.

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Spirited Away (2001)

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

The Plague Dogs (1982)

Few would dispute the fact that Spirited Away

Set in the Japanese city of Kobe, Grave of the Fireflies

A little-known film, The Plague Dogs tells the

masterpiece of animation. It is a rich and gorgeous

It is based on the semi-autobiographical short story

a fox terrier, respectively). After escaping from a

(Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi in Japanese) is a film, full of memorable characters and settings that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Spirited Away has a rich plot, rich environments, and rich characters indeed. And it also has a very dark and

sinister undertone to it, one which may go unnoticed by many.

If one delves right under Spirited's glossy skin, one may uncover some hidden and disturbing allegories.

Upon entering the spirit world, Chihiro wanders into

the Yuya, a bathhouse/leisure centre owned by a greedy and ugly witch, Yubaba. She runs the establishment in a tyrannical fashion, and while she has given herself

an opulent living space, Yuya workers have to endure cramped conditions. Also, Yubaba prizes gold over

anything else, obsessing over material riches almost

to the point of madness. This can be interpreted as an obvious denunciation of the sheer capitalism that engulfs much of the Western world today. There are

many social issues, as director Miyazaki is an old pro.

He's both an outstanding animator, and a cunning social commentator.

deals with the horrific effects of war on children.

Grave of the Fireflies, by Akiyuki Nosaka, and it tells

the story of two young siblings (Seita and Setsuko)'s desperate struggle for survival during the closing months of the Second World War.

When the movie opens, Seita is seen dying of starvation inside Sannomiya Station in Tokyo. Later

on, a janitor rooting through the children's possessions finds a tin of candy, which he throws away into a

nearby field. Immediately, the spirits of both Seita and Setsuko spring from the tin, and Seita's ghost begins narrating the story in flashback form.

Their tale spans the last few months of war in Japan, after American bombers severely damage the city of

Kobe with incendiary bombs. The children's mother

is killed in the raid, so they are forced to move in with their aunt, who soon grows resentful of the extra

food she's forced to procure and cook. The children leave their aunt's house and move into an abandoned

story of Rowf and Snitter (a Labrador mix, and research lab in Great Britain, the pair endure the

realities of life in the wild, and the relentless pursuit of military elements who believe the dogs carry a

deadly disease. Based upon an eponymous novel by

Richard Adams (who also wrote Watership Down), The Plague Dogs soon became a poster movie for groups opposed to animal experimentation. The ending is left deliberately ambiguous, as it is not made

clear whether the pair lives or dies. The Plague Dogs brought to light the cruel realities of animal research

and vivisection, though the movie's director, Martin Rosen, always maintained that the film was meant as an 'adventure' film, rather than a deliberate attack of animal experimentation.

Article by: Fernando Sanchez

bomb shelter, where they release fireflies for lighting.

However, the insects die, and the siblings bury them.

After running out of food and be forced to loot and

forage, Seita and Setsuko grow increasingly desperate, and Setsuko dies soon after. Her brother cremates the body and puts her ashes inside the candy tin, which

he begins to carry everywhere with him, until Seita

himself dies of malnutrition some weeks later, as seen at the start of the film.

Despite its grim depiction of the effects of warfare on society, Grave of the Fireflies received almost universal praise, and it currently ranks very high in many all-time animation films.

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Th e li merick magazine TV: OCTOBER 2016 The autumn schedule is in full swing with

a host of new shows coming to our screens,

along with the return of some old favourites.

As the nights get darker and colder, it's never been so nice to curl up on the couch.

Black Mirror Black Mirror is a bizarre, clever series from Charlie Brooker (Screenwipe) tackling dark, satirical themes on humanity and technology. Now entering season three on Netflix, the show has recently

received international success, since joining Netflix and the critical praise it's received after premiering the first two episodes of this season at Toronto International Film Festival. Season three

has appearances from Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Alice Eve (Star Trek) and Bryce Dallas Howard

( Jurassic World) and looks to be as intelligent and strange as ever when it is released on 21st October.

The Exorcist Just in time for Hallowe'en, this new series based on the book and movie will premiere on Syfy UK on 19th October. Starring Geena Davis, this ten-part drama set in Chicago is a seperate story to the one we're all familiar with. Creator Jeremy Slater promises that there will be nods of homage to the

original, but the new characters and story will have you throwing up pea soup at a whole different set of scares and thrills.

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Class

Scream Queens

A spin-off from Doctor Who on BBC3, “Class” is set in Coal Hill School which has

From the man who gave us “Glee” and “American Horror Story”, Scream Queens

and teachers, it will deal with teen-oriented struggles such as school, parents, sex

Devil seemingly behind them, Dean Munsch ( Jamie Lee Curtis) purchases an

been featured in Doctor Who since the orignal 1963 serial. Focusing on the students and friendship. And of course, there will also be conflict and drama resulting from

the inevitable fallout of the stretching of space and time. Featuring Katherine Kelly (Coronation Street), it's also rumoured that the current Doctor, Peter Capaldi, will make an appearance. Produced by the show runner of Doctor Who, it's a must-see for fans of the sci-fi cult classic.

returns to our screens on E4 for season two this month. With the trauma of Red abandoned hospital to help fix the failing healthcare system. Enlisting former sorority president Chanel Oberlin (Emma Roberts), they'll receive some unusual

patients with bizarre ailments. The funny, if murderous, antics are likely to continue as strange things begin happening once again.

The Big Bang Theory

The Walking Dead

Kicking off season ten is a proper wedding for Penny and Leonard, with their families

Finally, after months of speculation, fans of The Walking Dead can find out who

and Jack McBrayer (30 Rock), the wedding is primed for drama and laughs in true

abound on the internet, little is known about season seven. What is known is that

and friends. Guest starring Keith Carradine (Fargo), Laurie Metcalfe (Roseanne)

sitcom style. Meanwhile, the gang awaits the birth of Howard and Bernadette's baby,

and Leonard and Sheldon contemplate life as potential step-brothers. Airing on E4, the laughs are sure to continue as marriage and parenthood cause both problems and giggles for the group.

fell victim to Negan and his notorious baseball bat! While rumoured spoilers Negan's presence is a villainous one as he dictates a list of rules that Rick and his

group must follow. Fans of the comic books will delight to know that Ezekiel and

his pet tiger, The Kingdom, shall appear and perhaps even provide the antithesis to Negan. Starting on Fox UK on 24th October, this zombie apocalypse is about to become even more enthralling.

Article by: Sarah Lafferty

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Th e M agi c of the Movie s Ir i sh Chamb e r Orc h e st r a The Magic of the Movies, an event where the Irish Chamber Orchestra will showcase some of Hollywood’s best film music, from classic movie scores to today’s most popular soundtracks, takes place in St. Mary’s Cathedral on 6th October. Director Kathering Hunka tells us more.

Can you tell us a bit about The Magic of the Movies?

Why do you think the music from movies resonates

It’s horrifying. That film was made a long time ago

great audience reaction - it is all these tunes that make

There are two things: one is that people have seen

soon as we did it some people in the audience laughed

We did a tour with it a few months ago and we had a people well up straight away, without really knowing

why. We have these deep connections with these films like Schindler's List and these things they just go very

deep with people so they just sit there and find it very moving, but also it’s a fun concert.

Who is the concert aimed towards?

It’s for kids and adults - we’re doing some Harry

Potter. I have two sons and I ran all the tunes past them because they’d know Harry Potter better than

so much with people?

those movies so they have those images in their head so when they hear the music. Even if it’s something

What’s next for the Irish Chamber Orchestra?

everybody and I think there’s lot of power when you

called Jörg Widmann, he is an extraordinarily famous

knows the stabbing scene. Music is so familiar to have an image that goes with the music.There’s such

a range, there’s the weepy tunes but it’s somehow not cheesy or over sentimental, it’s just brilliant; these tunes make your stomach turn.

Was it hard deciding which classic movie scores to

They’re tunes that everyone knows. The orchestra has

It was impossible - the programming took ages. We

a few great singers so we’ve got some people singing

as well and we have a male barbershop quartet in the orchestra so they had to be used. The whole concert is just over an hour. So you can sit there at 8pm and by 9.30 you’re in the pub, you know? It’s also good when concerts are in places without many toilets, I think it’s

important people can sit down and enjoy the concert and then leave.

Why did you choose St. Mary’s Cathedral as your venue to perform?

play, how did you choose?

could have done 30 of these concerts and still not

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that he loves the ICO and he’s our Principal Artistic

Conductor so we’ve worked with him quite a bit. He’s bringing his sister in December and she’s a wonderful

violinist. So he’s going to conduct us and we’ll play

one of his pieces and then she’ll play with us as well.

That will be extraordinary.

worked with him, He's also very well known in the

things like the song from the love scene from Cinema Paradiso, which is just extremely moving and weepy

kind of music. Films mess with your heart and pull

you this way and that and we’re trying to do the same with the evening, so you have a laugh and then you have a cry.

Cinema Paradiso does it for the audience every single

acoustics are gorgeous, and it’s pretty central in town.

orchestras are asking him to write music. We’re lucky

feeling horrendous. We have Psycho but then we have

balance of mood, we can’t have everyone leaving

place to connect with the audience. It’s not like the good connection with our audience there. Also the

composer in Europe at the moment and all the best

We then have John-Cristophe Spinosi coming to

What’s your favourite piece of music?

theatre where it’s very dark; we’ve always felt a very

We’ve a lot of exciting things going on. There’s a guy

run out of music. So at the end its about making a

We used St. Mary’s because it’s a very intimate place, it has a sort of golden glow about it and it’s a good

and others were just stricken.

you haven’t seen, like the music in Psycho, everyone

me and they told me the ones that everyone would

know. You’d enjoy this concert if you were 8 or 80.

and it still sends shivers down everyone’s spine. As

I don’t know if I have a favourite piece but I suppose time. I actually played it at a concert last night and as soon as you start it people go ‘ahh’. There’s something

about it that works its magic every time. I love causing a ripple when we do the shower scene.

conducts us in December and it’s the first time we’ve

scene of classical music and he’s coming to do a Christmas programme with us in December called

War and Peace. We’re going to play Shostakovich’s

string quartet and people will recognise it, it’s really very dramatic. He’s very dynamic.

We do something completely different than the oldfashioned looking down and separating yourself from

the audience. It’s quite exuberant. I think everyone will have a fabulous time because they’ll all be playing the screen in their heads as they’re listening.

THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE

The Magic of the Movies takes place in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick at 8pm on Thursday 6th October and in Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, Birr at 8pm on

Friday, 7th October. Tickets can be found on the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s website.

Article by: Sarah Talty

Photography by: Dave Hunt

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THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE EVENT GUIDE TWELVE AT THE HUNT CAFE: MEG KENNY ART EXHIBITION

52ND LIMERICK BRIDGE CONGRESS

POLISH ARTS FESTIVAL: VOICE ENCOUNTERS

Saturday 1st – Monday 31st October

Friday 7th - Sunday 9th October

Greenhills Hotel, Ennis Road, Limerick

Sunday 9th October @ 8pm

OPEN HOUSE LIMERICK

PATRICKS DAY SCREENING FOLLOWED BY Q&A WITH TERRY MCMAHON

The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City

STORYTIME WITH ROISÍN MEANEY

Friday 7th - Sunday 9th October

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

Monday 10th October @ 8pm

Saturday 1st October @ 11am

JOYCE BROTHERS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Limerick

Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

Tues 11th - Fri 14th @ 8pm & Sat 15th October @

CALLBACK THEATRE PRESENTS FRED & ALICE

SEODA SHOWS PRESENTS PINEGROVE

Lime Tree Theatre, Mary Immaculate College,

Saturday 1st October @ 8pm

Kasbah Social Club, 4 Dock Road, Limerick

Limerick City Library, The Granary, Michael Street,

Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

COLM WILKINSON Sunday 2nd October @ 8pm

University Concert Hall, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick

AN TRIAIL Monday 3rd - Tuesday 4th October @ 10.30am & 12.30pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

GUIDED TOURS OF GRISTON BOG Wednesday 5th October @ 10:30am

Griston Bog, Ballylanders, Co. Limerick

SEE FOR CINEMA – MUSTANG Wednesday 5th October @ 8pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

NEVEN MAGUIRE COOKERY DEMONSTRATION Thursday 6th October @ 6.30pm

Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Road, Limerick

Friday 7th - Sunday 9th October

Friday 7th October @ 8pm

BAGATELLE Friday 7th October @ 8pm

Lime Tree Theatre, Mary Immaculate College,

2.30pm & 8pm

Courtbrack Avenue, Limerick

SING STREET Wednesday 12th October @ 8pm

Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

Courtbrack Avenue, Limerick

BUALADH BOS CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL: BLOWN AWAY

TWO DAY MUNSTER WEEKEND OF RACING

October 11th @ 6pm – Festival Opening Night &

Saturday 8th - Sunday 9th Oct first race @ 1.05pm

Limerick Racecourse, Greenmount Park, Patrickswell

OVERSHADOWED Saturday 8th October @ 8pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

THE URBAN RUN 2016 O'Callaghan Strand, Limerick Sunday 9th October @ 1pm

October 12th & 13th @ 10am & 12pm – Schools Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

SEE FOR CINEMA - HIGH RISE Wednesday 12th October @ 8pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

MEGADOJO 2016 – TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS Limerick Institute of Technology, Moylish Park, Limerick

KEANES JEWELLERS LADIES DAY

Saturday 15th October @ 9am

Sunday 9th October

BUALADH BOS – GRAFFITI CLASSICS

Limerick Racecourse, Greenmount Park, Patrickswell

SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ SESSIONS Sunday 9th October @ 4pm

Mother Macs Pub, 10 High Street, Limerick

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THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE

Friday 14th October @ 11am & 7pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

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Follow u s on Face book & Twitte r for more daily e v e nt lis ting s

BUALADH BOS FAMILY WEEKEND Saturday 15th October

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

REIMAGINING LIMERICK - INTERCULTURAL WEEK Monday 17th - Sunday 23rd October

BUALADH BOS – A FEAST OF BONES Monday 17th October @ 7pm & 18th October @ 10am & 12pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

CASTLECONNELL CONCERT SERIES – VAN KUIJK QUARTET Tuesday 18th October @ 8pm

All Saints Church, Castleconnell

Wrongheaded by Liz Roche Thursday 20 October 8pm

Dance Limerick, St John's Square, Limerick

SEE FOR CINEMA – ATLANTIC Thursday 20th October @ 8pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

MARC O’REILLY Friday 21st October @ 8pm

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

PARKLIFE – A TRIBUTE TO BLUR Friday 21st October @ 8pm

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

MARIO LANZA – THE LOVELIEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

VLADIMIR AND ANTON

Friday 21st October @ 8pm

University Concert Hall, University of Limerick,

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

THE GOD BOX Saturday 22nd October @ 8pm

Lime Tree Theatre, Mary Immaculate College, Courtbrack Avenue, Limerick

CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND Saturday 22nd October @ 8pm St. Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick

AN EVENING WITH JOHNNY MCEVOY Sunday 23rd October @ 8pm

Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

SEE FOR CINEMA – A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT Wednesday 26th October @ 8pm

Belltable, 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick

THE RICHARD HARRIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th October

OKTOBERFEST BEAG 2016 Thursday 27th - Monday 31st October

King John's Castle, King’s Island, Limerick

BELL X1 Friday 28th October @ 7pm

The Big Top - The Milk Market, Limerick

Friday 28th October @ 8pm Castletroy, Limerick

MICHAEL HARDING – TALKING TO STRANGERS Friday 28th October @ 8pm

Lime Tree Theatre, Mary Immaculate College, Courtbrack Avenue, Limerick

26TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF ONE ACT DRAMA Friday 28th - Sunday 30th October @ 8pm

Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

ALL TVVINS Saturday 29th October @ 7.30pm

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

AN EVENING WITH JIMMY WEBB Saturday 29th October @ 8pm

Lime Tree Theatre, Mary Immaculate College, Courtbrack Avenue, Limerick

COOK MEDICAL WOMEN'S MINI MARATHON Sunday 30th October

University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick

SIEGE OF LIMERICK - SAMHAIN 2016 Sunday 30th October, 3pm - midnight

Dolans Pub & Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

KATE RUSBY Monday 31st October @ 8pm

University Concert Hall, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick

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Closing Time 1 0 min ute s with…A oi fe M cL ou gh l i n Occupation: Broadcast news journalist at Limerick's Live95FM.

What is your favourite word?

Magniloquence.

Fun fact about you: I was raised in a house that was

Favourite quote of all time?

in the night. And I have a nickname and most people

the stars." - Oscar Wilde

over 150 years old and things used definitely go bump

I know call me by it. It's Squiffy, I have it since I was a

"We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at

child. My dad used to call me Squiffy or Squifferito...

What is the most recent book you have read?

What motivates you in the morning?

that I bought in a second hand shop in Mayo, it was

My job motivates me in the morning as everyday is

different, it's challenging, it's fulfilling and it's about

real life and people. Besides that, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, the birds singing outside my bedroom

window and the sense of urgency that dawns on me to leave Ringo (my second fur child) out to the loo.

The most recent book I read was a book about yoga printed in the 70s. I can’t think of the name of it but it has a very trippy 70s style cover and was about the

practice of yoga and how it took off in New York.

Right now, I am reading "The girl with all the gifts" by M. R Carey and desperately trying to get it finished before the movie comes out this month!

What one thing do you never leave the house

Are you superstitious/do you have any personal

I never leave the house without my phone and

I wave at magpies. I have no idea why.

without?

headphones. I am completely co-dependant on my phone. I don't think I am alone on that one!

Any hidden or lesser known talents?

rituals for good luck?

How would you sum up your life in 6 words?

Kidults, two dogs - living the dream.

I used to dance years ago. I was very good but self-

Describe your ideal weekend in Limerick?

warmers! If you leave me in the kitchen with a

after a week at work, hit up Tom Collins for one or

conscious., maybe it was the luminous green leg-

sweeping brush and Prince on the wireless, I would give Strictly a run for its money if I do say so myself.

As a child what did you want to be growing up?

A singer/dancer/astronomer/criminologist and April

O'Neill from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

My ideal weekend would be, come Friday evening two. Saturday morning I would be up and at 'em I don't sleep in, I can't, so it's time to head to the

Milk Market to buy some plants for the garden, local

produce and maybe a bowl of curry for brekkie! You

I love my job and am lucky to work in what I have

always wanted to do. But at weekends I like to shut

off from hustle and bustle sometimes and retreat a bit, so next up its taking the dogs to Curragh Chase forest

park which is one of my favourite places in the world.

I go there almost every weekend. Feed the ducks, get a 5k walk in and head home. I love to spend as much time as I can gardening (weather permitting) and if

it's sunny, sitting in the garden reading a good book listening to the birds singing in the trees. Sunday is

lazy couch day for a bit and then a swim and Jacuzzi in the Maldron Gym. My other half and I love movies

so another favourite thing to do in Limerick on a

Sunday evening is head to Showtime Cinema for a “fillum”, or if Neil is gigging; a bite to eat with pals in Pappaz or Aroi and off the Nancy's to listen to some blues from 'Mrs Henry' band.

Favourite place to grab a bite?

There are so many great places to grab a bite in

Limerick. If its lunch of a Saturday breakfast I treat myself to Canteen on Mallow street. My dad lives in

Japan and I adore Japanese food so Taikichi Japanese restaurant is one of my favourites. The Cream Room

Curry House in Raheen is also one of the best around.

Best drink in town? Tom Collins for a Monkey 47 gin with Fever Tree Tonic!

Favourite people?

My family and friends.

can't beat a mosey around town. I love going into

Happiness is...

window shopping.

and dogs.

O'Mahony's book shop for a browse and maybe some

Singing and chilling out with my boyfriend, family

Article by: Michelle Costello

Photography by: Tarmo Tulit

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