Connect Lifestyle December 2021

The lifestyle magazine for Kerry

Made in Kerry, for Kerry

Rosanna Davison’s

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Journey of hope to happiness

Kerry Horse Trainer Making Strides in the Industry

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EDITOR'S NOTE

A Good Night's Sleep.

Sleep restores us both physically and psychologically and as a lot of people will testify, a night of interrupted sleep makes us feel tired, irritable and unable to concentrate the next day. Even as little as two hours sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on our energy levels and concentration the following day.

Hi everyone

December is here and its time to get those Christmas plans in place.

I know we all thought ‘things will be back to normal’ for Christmas 2021 but alas Covid has other plans, however as I have been saying its now time to recognise its not going away so like everything else in our life we just adapt and learn to live with it, and find ways to do things and meet people while having some responsibility for ourselves and keeping ourselves safe.

We have lots for you to read this month, gift ideas, books and lots of interesting people to meet, Rosanna Davidson chats about her life and babies, and we also chat to Kerry man Michael O Callaghan, a wonderful story of a boy who followed his passion in life and has made an amazing career from it, he certainly is an inspiration to young people out there.

Cooking tips to get the perfect Christmas from our chefs around Kerry, and decorating your home with Tara, and of course all our local businesses have lots of great offers for you, and we as always encourage you to support these great businesses who are always there for us. I know people say online is easier, safer and more convenient but you know there are many local business offering online too, so just check it out before you buy.

I want to sign off by saying a huge thank you to my team, Yev on design, Cathriona on editorial, John Walsh Photographer, Pat and his Distribution team, the team at Kingdom Printers, and all our contributors who made the year possible even through the toughest of times, thank you guys, Connect has a small family operating the everyday business, but we work together and make it happen. Massive thanks to all of you our readers, without you we would be nothing, we appreciate each time you pick up Connect.

As you know we don’t do a January issue that is our down time, so have a wonderful Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all for our February issue.

Merry Christmas Mags xx Editor: Margaret Kissane Print: Kingdom Printers Graphic Design: Yevgen Kalynin Editorial Contributors: Cathriona Murphy, Lisa Curran, Romy Birdthistle, John Canty, Mairead McMahon, Pat Harmon, Marcas Mac Domhnaill For Advertising Enquiries: Margaret: 086 2408237 sales@connectpublications.ie For Editorial Enquiries: margaret@connectpublications.ie Website: www.connectpublications.ie

There are many factors which may affect our sleep, women for example may experience disrupted sleep due to hormonal influences. Stress and difficulty switching off the mind is one of the most common factors for both men and women.

Good quality sleep is essential for growth and repair, helping us to filter the events of the day and sort our thoughts and information, allowing us to wake up with a clear head. Lack of quality sleep may also leave us making poor food choices, reaching for sweet treats as a quick fix to give us energy and get us through the day.

There are a number of different stages to sleep and we move through several cycles during the night. The deeper stages of sleep are thought to be a time for growth and repair, while dreaming is thought to be psychologically refreshing – helping us to filter the events of the day and sort our thoughts and information, allowing us to wake up feeling refreshed.

TIPS TO ENSURE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP • MAKE SURE THERE IS ENOUGH FRESH AIR IN YOUR BEDROOM • EXERCISE CAN HELP YOU RELAX AND SLEEP, BUT NOT TOO CLOSE TO BEDTIME.

SLEEP

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GLASS EMEDY: O MILK S F WARM PICED WITH NUTM EG 2 BEFOR 0MINS E BED

• DON’T EAT OR READ IN BED. RESERVE YOUR BED FOR SLEEPING AND RELAXING AND YOUR MIND WILL START TO ASSOCIATE IT WITH SLEEP. • NO CAFFINE OR FOOD TOO CLOSE TO BEDTIME AS THEY WILL FIRE UP YOUR METABOLISM AT A TIME WHEN YOU SHOULD BE WINDING DOWN. Some of the natural sleep remedies you will find in-store include: MELISSA DREAM: contains L-Theanine, Magnesium and B Vitamins. Effective formula helping you to switch off the mind and relax and the muscles.

MAGNESIUM: involved in over 300 functions within the body, including helping to calm the mind and also supporting nerve and muscle relaxation leading to a beneficial night’s sleep for you.

DORMEASAN: Take 30 mins before bedtime. It helps to restore a regular sleeping pattern and most people find it kicks in quickly.

There is a large range of natural products available to help restore your sleeping pattern. Call in-store and we will advise which one suits your specific needs best.

Until next time, stay healthy.

Deirdre x

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From tiara’s to toddlers, Rosanna Davison’s journey of hope to happiness

By Cathriona Murphy I recently sat with Rosanna Davison, winner of Miss World and daughter of singer Chris de Burgh. Well known for career in the public eye, she has released a book detailing the private anguish and heartbreak that she, alongside her husband Wes, suffered through loss. Rosanna opened up to us about that journey of heartbreak and hope, to realising their ultimate dream, having a family.

Rosanna, you were very courageous in your new book discussing topics such as miscarriage and parental rights around surrogacy. How has it been received from the public?

It’s been very positive really. I wanted to tell our story for a number of reasons number 1, our children Sophia, Hugo and Oscar. I wanted them to know how they came into the world, why they weren’t born from the same womb in that I couldn’t give birth to Sophia. We wanted and fought for them so much, fought so hard for each of them. As years pass by details fade so as challenging as it was to write a book with three babies at home I somehow did it! I think when your given a deadline in the publishing world you do what you can to reach it. With the help of my Aunt and my Mum taking the kids on certain days or in the evenings, I did most of the writing in the evenings but we got there eventually.

But I also wrote the book for the many couples that are struggling or have struggled to have a family, because it’s an incredibly traumatic, terrifying and lonely place to be in when you really want a baby and you feel like time is running out or you haven’t discovered what the problem might be and everyone has a different journey whether it be IVF or surrogacy, adoption or pregnancy loss. Whatever you go through the emotions are similar where you just feel stuck in the same cycle, you feel like nobody out there understands what you’re going through because everyone out there seems to be having babies easily, I was like that a few years ago in that I was watching my friends having their second and third babies and I was just stuck in this cycle of pregnancy loss and picking ourselves up again. Going through the same thing again. It’s a really hard place to be in and I feel like I can offer advice? It’s a very hard story but our story is something I would have loved to hear about back in 2016 or 2017 when we were really in the height of our pregnancy losses. I was so desperate for 6

a story of hope, anything to give me support and comfort, I remember trawling through all the internet pages and boards looking for stories of success after repeat losses and I know my story would have given us a lot of hope. Back then it wasn’t really talked about the way it is now? There has been an amazing opening up I guess across social media and general press, just general discourse about fertility and miscarriage which has been really positive to see and I’m just delighted to contribute to that because back maybe 4 or 5 years ago it just felt like there was such a veil of silence and stigma around fertility. In the beginning I felt really embarrassed and ashamed about my body, I felt like it was dysfunctional or it was broken and I was too ashamed to tell people what we were

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going through apart from a couple of close friends and family. But after a while I began to thing why should I be ashamed? Because I can’t have a baby naturally why should I be embarrassed about this, I need to start talking about it and see if other people are going through it and that’s really what led to me building my confidence about talking more publicly and the response has been incredibly powerful. It’s been incredibly positive, the amount of women particularly that have contacted me and said the story has given them a huge amount of hope or that they can relate to what we went through. They have even messaged to say it has given them strength for the future so you know it’s only a positive thing really to be able to share your experience to support others, it’s been eye opening for me to see the response. I’m delighted to have something for the future for when I’m really old and embarrassing the kids they can read it and think oh she was young once!

What was your experience of the surrogacy like as opposed to your own personal pregnancy?

It’s important for me for Sophia to know how hard we fought for her. I want her to know that we don’t treat her and the twins any differently? In general people have been so understanding and with an issue like fertility you can only be sensitive, you can only be compassionate because you really don’t know what people are going through? I think what most of us have in common is just the desire to be a mum or a dad and you’ll understand that you’ll do anything, go through anything to have a baby. I think people are generally so much more open minded in the last decade when IVF has become more common and more talked about. Surrogacy has recently been in the headlines a lot so I think people understand that not everyone can have a family in the traditional way and you’ll do whatever you can to have one and adoption isn’t that easy either. It’s about taking whatever route you can really to parenthood an ultimately, and this is how I saw it as well, going through the surrogacy process that ultimately getting your baby is what matters so it doesn’t really matter how you get there once you get there!

Can you explain the feelings of yourself and your partner Wes when you found out you were expecting the twins?

When I did the pregnancy test and showed Wes we kind of thought it was a bit of a grim feeling really because I had just had my 15th miscarriage the previous month at ten and a half weeks so we were in lockdown at this stage and we just thought not this again. We were going to face another miscarriage but this time in lockdown without any family support maybe that we’ve had in the past so there wasn’t much excitement at the beginning, I didn’t expect anything to come from another positive pregnancy test. But it did feel different from the beginning, I definitely felt much more tired and nauseous, I really felt the symptoms more strongly, obviously now I know it was because I was carrying twins but yes I felt it was different. The feeling of finding out there was not one but two beating hearts was just extraordinary. We just feel incredibly lucky that maybe a series of circumstances came together that enabled it to happen for us because I was the girl that was told I would probably never carry a baby myself and I had made peace with that, I was okay with that I had accepted I needed medical help and support of a surrogate to have a baby. So for me to find out I was carrying two healthy babies felt like an absolute miracle and still does. I still look at the boys every day in wonder. One of the boys, Oscar, actually took his first steps today. He had been standing up a lot, he just suddenly stood up on a baby walker out of the blue and started walking along, it’s been a really exciting day They will be one on the 18th of November so to go from needing a surrogate to now seeing this it’s just amazing, we feel very lucky.

With three very small kids, what is a day in your family life like?

Thankfully they are all good sleepers so they’re all usually asleep by seven, apart from tonight! They usually sleep through until around 6.30am in the morning so luckily we are getting our sleep now, it hasn’t always been like that. But yes, we are usually up with them at 6.30am the boys have a bottle, everyone’s sitting down to breakfast by about 8am. We usually get out for a walk if it’s a nice day, I love heading out to the park and we bring them to the playground. The boys are at the stage they are really enjoying the swings now and we will go down the slide. Of course bringing them out and running them around means that they go down for their nap a bit easier if they are a little

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With your line of work there are promotional commitments and events to attend, how are you finding all of that with 3 young babies?

bit tired! The day is just a series of trying to juggle a few different routines because the boys are in the same kind of routine as each other but Sophia is nearly 2 so she has one nap a day and the boys have 2 so trying to juggle them and mealtimes, they all have their three meals a day and about a million snacks! The boys still have their bottles; they eat so much I think it’s just a boy thing! We do have a playroom at home so they do have their space to play and we are in there with them playing and practicing walking and crawling. The days are busy it’s just endless cleaning up, I try to keep the kitchen as clean as I can as I go? Otherwise id just be left with a gigantic mess by the end of the day when you’re tired and not in the mood for cleaning. It’s just me and Wes at home, we don’t have any hired help. Mum comes over around 5pm and helps with dinner and bath time and bed time because that’s when its busiest and definitely when we need a third pair of hands in the house! We do manage even though it’s a massive juggling act. We are so lucky that my mum is energetic and healthy, she just loves them and someday we say “Take a break, stay at home, don’t come over?” and she’s like “I love them and love seeing them”. So we are lucky, she waited a long time to be a grandparent and all of a sudden three came along in the space of a year!

Christmas is upon us and with the children, especially Sophia, being that bit older and more aware of Santa, what are your plans for the festivities?

So far, we are probably going to head over to my mum and dads house in Wicklow with the gang! We are there with them most weekends anyway because it’s nice to have a change of scenery from our house and mum has everything there for the kids, high chairs, cots etc. So probably just do that for Christmas, I’ve bought their Christmas pyjamas already because I found last year everything gets sold out very quickly I try to organised as much as I can. We just keep it simple, we always do anyway keep Christmas low key because it’s such a busy time of year anyway, there is so much pressure on people and suddenly it’s over. People get so stressed in the lead up to it and then it’s over so quickly so we just try to keep it fairly relaxed. I’ve got their presents mostly bought, again just trying to be organised, we keep hearing of delay in supply chains and all the rest so I have presents bought. We’ve been teaching Sophia about Santa and Christmas so she recognises pictures of Santa, I think she will get excited about it. We are hoping to bring them to see Santa maybe at one of the new drive through experiences.

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It’s tricky at the moment to get out, to even find someone willing to babysit for you so to be honest we haven’t even tried to plan a night out plus the fact we are woken anytime from 6am onwards there is no point! To be honest though at the moment I don’t go out to events, I just can’t because you need two adults at least at home at all times. So if my mum isn’t available, and I don’t want to be dragging her over all the time, so if she isn’t available then we can’t do anything or go anywhere, for example, tomorrow I have a magazine shoot but it’s just a half day, my mum is going to take Sophia and bring her out somewhere and Wes will have the twins at home but I can only really leave him a few hours because it’s so full on that’s just how it is at the moment. But to be honest I think we are all so used to not going out that much anymore, maybe it’s just me but we’ve gotten used to not going to restaurants or events. Everything I do is online at the moment.

From winning the coveted Miss World crown, you’ve always been admired as a glamorous young woman, on your Instagram you show the “Insta vs Reality”. How important is to you that women see the reality of being a mother?

If you could see me right now I’m in a pair of ugg boots, there’s chocolate all over my leggings from one of them getting hold of some chocolate today and smeared it all over me. Hair up, no makeup on walking around mopping the floor. It’s easy to show the glamorous side and I think we’re all guilty of putting up the more glamorous stuff on our social media because they’re the ones you feel good in; you want to show off a nice outfit if you’re proud. I think it’s normal that we all show the highlights of our day and not the mundane side! I don’t want anyone to think we’re finding this easy or that we have loads of help or that I have my makeup perfect every day. I am quick at pulling myself together and I think that goes back to my Miss World days when I would have to get off a flight and go straight to a red carpet event so I would have to be quite good at putting my hair and makeup together very quickly, so that is something that I can do in 10 minutes and be presentable. Apart from that everyday life is not glamorous and I don’t want anyone thinking motherhood is easy, I think that’s more the media representation was you’re off out for coffee with friends every day, babies in cute little outfits but the reality is far different.

Babies need changing plenty of times a day, they get dirty and nothing stays perfect.

You would be demented following them around trying to keep them clean whereas they’re just happy as they are. Once they are happy and healthy that’s all that matters.

Rosanna’s book, “When Dreams Come True” is available in all good book shops now

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Tralee Trailblazer,Michael O’ Callaghan’s

story of perseverance and determination to become one of Ireland’s most successful horse trainers

By Cathriona Murphy time helping my dad build the house where they are now.

I remember fondly being given days off school to help with the labour and dad putting it down as practical Construction Studies experience! After a year in Coolmore I completed the Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding course and knew straight away I wanted to continue into a horse racing career, but not coming from a horse racing background I didn’t have any direct path to take. It’s a difficult industry to get into but if you love something enough and believe that you’re able to do it you’ll make it happen and that seems to just be the way it worked out for me. After doing the National Stud course, I stayed on to run a yard in the Irish National Stud for 12 months and it just took off from there.

For those that follow horse racing passionately, the name Michael O’ Callaghan will be a very familiar name. Growing up in Tralee, Michael took the road less travelled to pursue a career in something he was passionate about. Years later he is one of Kerry’s greatest success stories at a young age of 33. Michael kindly sat with us to tell readers of Connect about his journey so far.

Michael can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you found yourself in this career?

I grew up in the town in Tralee with my parents Michael and Sandra, and two sisters Nicola and Robyn, we lived in Knockmoyle until I was eight and then we lived in Cahermoneen, before moving to Clahane when I was about sixteen. Growing up the only horse related stuff around the house was Grandad Mike used to have the odd lucky 16, he’d regularly have a small bet, but that was about the extent of the horseracing background I would have had, none really. A friend I had at the time, Alan Johnson, we were at his house one day at a loose end, and of course getting in his Mom’s hair! So she decided to send us for a riding lesson in Kennedys which was only around the corner from their house, I think I was about 12 at the time? I fell in love with horses then, but riding lessons were expensive so we found a way around facilitating my interest in them by going out to Fran McElligotts in the Spa. She had a riding and trekking centre out there, for the summer I used to take tourists down the beach on the ponies. She soon noticed though that I wanted to go faster than her ponies were able to! I then went on to work for Tom Cooper who actually lived in Cahermoneen so I knew of him, one of moms best friends Kathleen, her brother Brendan Walsh was the head lad for Tom at the time and he got me in there just to give a hand initially. I ended up working there during all my Summers, weekends and freetime, falling more in love with horse racing all the time. In the later years in school I started thinking that I wanted to get into horse racing somehow as a career, so as soon as I finished the leaving cert I went to work for Coolmore. I was only 17 at the time and leaving home was a big deal, I had recently spent

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With all that going on for you how did you find time to meet your wife Siobhain?

Siobhain is from Brannockstown just outside Nass; her family would have always been involved in horses. She actually did the Irish National Stud course the year before me, and funny enough the year I was doing the course she was working there as a yard foreperson and sure there used to be a few skits going on that I was getting higher grades because I was going out with one of the yard forepersons! I was lucky enough to be an award winning graduate on the course. It then came to a point of either coming home or staying in Kildare and working in racing, but at that stage the ambition outweighed the draw home so I decided to rent a farm at 20 years of age, a 70-acre farm! After a few years, having got the business off the ground, Siobhain left her position at the Irish National Stud and came to work alongside me on the farm I was renting, and she has been working alongside me ever since. Nowadays, as well as looking after most of the day to day running of the yard, Siobhain actually does a lot of the racing; she really enjoys getting the horses ready and turned out for the races. But outside of horses we have slightly separate interests, such as myself, I tend to have lots of other pastimes when time allows, as I’m someone who needs a bit of variety to stay fresh, such as racing cars in Mondello, funny enough I actually won my first race in Mondello this year in Formula Vee. I also learned to fly a few years ago.

Explain to us the next stage of your career?

When initially renting the farm at 20, I started keeping mares for different clients such as Italian and English breeders, but myself and Dad had started dabbling in a bit of buying and selling horses so I knew that was the direction I wanted to go in long term, instead of boarding other people’s stock. That was only to pay the bills but I always

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just wanted it to go so that myself and Dad could start trading horses on a more commercial scale.

One thing led to another from buying and selling, I never served an apprenticeship I just learned as I went along. The best way to learn, in my opinion, is to learn by your mistakes. I made plenty of them but managed to keep it going. After 4 years I started to train racehorses, I had never initially wanted to go training but as things developed that’s the direction my career went. I saw the opportunity to trade racehorses as a trainer because of a very strong international market for them off the track. There was a flooded market of thoroughbreds for sale in the youngstock side of things, but there weren't a lot of trainers, training solely for the purpose of selling them on, so I saw an opportunity to come at it from a different angle. It’s a tough game to operate in and at the end of the day it has to be a viable business, it’s taken a while to get it to where it is today and there have been tough times along the way, but some fantastic days too. The majority of the time we have to sell the best of our stock, that’s the name of the game.

This year alone we’ve sold 4 or 5 horses to Hong Kong, along with several others to the U.S and other countries. Good horses when getting the right form into them can increase them in value massively, sometimes over 1000% percent in value, so it can be a very lucrative market when you get it right, but they can always decrease in value too!! I’m training now for the last 7 or 8 years and the trading of our own stock is as big a part as ever, along with training for outside owners. It can be hard to make a name for yourself when you continuously have to sell your best horses, but best case scenario is selling them and getting to keep them to train for their new owners, for example we had Blue De

Vega and Now Or Never both placed

in the Irish 2000 and 1000 guineas respectively a few years ago after selling them to Qatar Racing. They were two horses that I’d bought as unraced two year olds, the majority of good horses I’ve had, I would have sourced myself, and that is the reputation I’ve built for myself is being able to source good horses.

It's lovely to see, as a local person, you do so well in

such an unusual career path. Would you have had much resistance or support from established trainers seeing as you were just a young man new to the scene?

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There would have been some of that alright as in you wouldn’t have been greeted with open arms, especially when I started to beat them it was like “who’s this lad?!'. But that only inspired me more to go out and beat them knowing that I could do it. Even this year alone, I finished 5th leading 2-year-old trainer in Ireland ahead of the likes of Jim Bolger and Dermot Weld, which is very difficult to do, to take on these powerhouses and beat them. But look, it’s good for us in terms of business that the majority of the horses I’ve had have been sold so next year we will stock up and just build it year on year hopefully. At the end of the day it’s nice to be winning the races and getting the recognition for it, but the business side of it is the main thing for me. With Twilight Jet this year, he was bought at the breeze ups in May, I campaigned him quite aggressively, he danced every dance in some of the biggest 2yo races in Britain and Ireland, and won the Cornwallis at Newmarket, before I was then able to trade out of 50% of him to an American owner to run at the Breeders Cup, hopefully he could have a stallion career down the line. One of the few horses we’ve hung on to is “I Am Superman'' in Australia, he was a horse that I bought as a yearling and carried him through to his 3-year-old year where we had him sold for a lot of money to Hong Kong but he failed the vet on an issue with his X-rays. We had to decide then to either sell him at a fraction of what he was worth or to figure out a way of him generating enough income to justify keeping him, so we decided to send him to Australia, The reason being is that the prize money out there is the best in the world, he’s out there 18 months now, and on Saturday night he runs in a million-dollar race. I’ve trained nearly 130 winners since I started which is a hard thing to do in Ireland, and making a name for yourself in Irish racing isn’t easy, but finishing 13th overall out of 365 in the Irish flat trainers championship this year was a great result.

What support structure have you put in place over the years to help in the management and daily running of the business and how important is it to you to have it?

When you’re starting out it's far more labour intensive, but as the business has grown we’ve built a good team around us, which is a big help. With Siobhain here, we work together as a team full time, it works well. Without her I’d have struggled at times. Just having that support structure around you is very important, and none of it would have been possible without the support from family and friends. The daily routine is a lot simpler than people think? It’s as easy or as hard as you make it, you feed them well, keep them healthy and train them hard and you rest them when they need to be rested. Try and keep it as simple as possible really? The simpler you do things the less there is to go wrong, that’s something that has helped me as in not coming from a traditional horse racing background and just learning along the way.

Do you get disheartened going into race meets maybe knowing that your particular horse isn’t the best there and maybe 5th or 6th down the line?

You know before you go to a degree, the end of the day all you can do is to prepare your horse to be the best they can be and know that they have a fair chance, because as the year progresses and your own horses take part in more races you build a line of

The Brehon • Killarney

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collateral form with that particular group of horses in that year, it gives you a good handle on where your horses are at. But I’d never be afraid to take anyone else’s horse on. As time goes on you learn every race day is just another day in the office.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to just concentrate on progressing the business side of it, buying and selling horses. We all like to have a successful business but to just keep finding nice horses. Twilight Jet is a nice horse that gained massive experience in the Breeder's Cup. It was my first time there with a runner and he ran a great race.

It was a different type of race that he’s used to running, his 11th start of the year. It was a shot to nothing really, it was part of the deal with the man that bought 50% of him that he was to run there so thankfully he’s the type of horse that came out of it well, I feel like we’ve a lot to look forward to with him next year. He’s having a well-deserved break now! He’s getting his pick of grass and a hand walk every day. The break usually lasts for about a month and then we will start his prep work, building him back up steadily. He has an ambitious campaign next year so I’m looking forward to that along with going out next spring to find a few more like that in the breeze up sales. People often ask me how I choose my horse’s; do I study the catalogue? But in my mind, you can’t train a piece of paper so I prefer to go in open minded and study the horse in front of me.

How do you choose your jockeys?

Well I’d have one jockey, Leigh Roche. It’s something I’ve found that when you have so many 2 year olds it’s nice to have someone that knows them? He’s in day in, day out, every morning and there are a lot of jockeys that wouldn’t do that. But I’d be someone that is very loyal and you’d expect it in return.

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They show up every day and are in your corner, they get up on your horse and try their best for you instead of flip flopping to who’s hot at that given time. This year especially the partnership with Leigh has really clicked. We are two similar sort of guys both coming from non-horse backgrounds, we’ve gone against the tide really!

What advice would you give to young fellas starting out?

To just experience as much as you can experience. To not get ahead of yourself, keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth closed most of the time but don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Observe people that are successful. Don’t just listen and take advice from people whose advice isn’t sound. Trust yourself and work hard, when you feel that you don’t deserve it or things aren’t going right just stick it out. I was very lucky to grow up with the family I had around me. You can never let your circumstances stop you from doing anything in life. I was lucky to have the people around me which had when I was growing up, to them I owe a lot.

Christmas stock instore NOW

Gift Cards available instore & online

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Huge thanks as always to ‘our man behind the lens’ John Walsh Photography who operated a wonderfully safe way of capturing the moments of the day.

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Savour the Taste of the Atlantic Skellig Six18 Gin is Now Available at local SuperValu Stores and Independent off-licences or to deliver Nationwide from SKELLIGSIX18DISTILLERY.IE Shop online for a collection of gift choices: Follow our journey on:

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We had a wonderful day at our annual Ladies Lunch Fashion and Beauty Afternoon at the Ashe Hotel recently. It has been two years due to restrictions and in the interest of health and safety we kept our numbers at 50% capacity so as to ensure all our ladies had a wonderful day they did just that,

the day finished off with Sean Crowley spinning the first of the Christmas Tunes to get the ladies into the zone for Christmas.

On arrival they were treated to Skellig Six18 Gin, Bubbly and Mini Cupcakes, they then sat to a four course lunch with wines and finished with festive mince pies, through the afternoon there were lots on hand to keep the ladies entertained, a fashion exclusive from Caroline Horgan and her Captain Tortue Collection, we chatted to Dr Pascal Thibaut and Mary O Donnell from the CHRC Clinic at the Bons Secours, Grainne and Jane from Ryles Pharmacy joined us on the couch to tell us their plans for their newly opened pharmacy, and that segment of the day was completed with a real treat from stylist Danny Leane of Annburys, Danny had a collection of outfits from local stores and advised the ladies how best to accessorise and work that wardrobe.

I want to thank all who have supported in anyway by coming along, or donating spot prizes to the raffle, we have included them all here so I would encourage you to support them if you are on the hunt for a few Christmas gifts, and lastly I want to thank Colin, Jane and their amazing team at the Ashe Hotel, nothing is a problem to them and they will pull out all the stops to ensure your event is amazing.

It was a wonderful day and especially in these times its good to think we can still go out and meet people as I think this is so important for all our health and wellbeing.

Heres hoping we will have lots more of these events in 2022.

We also chatted to Dee Keogh who was representing the Phoenix Women’s Resource Centre who we supported with our raffle for much needed donations for their centre, she told us of the services provided by them which is just amazing. And of course

Hair by Tina BALLYHEIGUE

It has been a difficult year for everyone. However, the spirit of kindness, generosity and genuine caring has been a bright light guiding us through a challenging terrain.

We would like to wish all our supporters, volunteers and service providers a very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

The Phoenix Women’s Centre would like to thank everyone in the Businesss Community, members of the public and Local Government agencies for all their support during 2021. We would particularly like to thank Margaret Kissane of Connect Publications for her support. She has helped us in so many ways to raise our profile and get the message out into the community, about what we do and how we strive to connect with and support the women of Kerry.

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We are open Mon, Wed, Fri, 10.100a.m. – 2.00p.m. We are closed from 24th December – 31st Dec, opening on Mon 3rd January 2022.

Phoenix Women’s Centre, Market Place, Maine Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

Tel 066 9130430 Email: info@phoenixwomenscentre.ie www.facebook.com/PhoenixWomensCentre

Unwrap an Ashe Hotel Experience this Christmas Our Gift Vouchers can be exchanged for Dining in Alfie’s, Overnight Stays or our beautiful Vintage Afternoon Tea

Call us on 066 7106300

Purchase from reception or online @ www.theashehotel.ie

The Ashe Hotel , Maine St, Tralee, Kerry, V92 W56F

Book now for fabulous

FESTIVE DINING Enjoy a wonderful dining experience for festive gatherings Meet with friends, family or colleagues & celebrate the season!

Festive Lunch in Alfie’s Lounge & Bar Served daily from 12.30-5.30pm 2 Course Choice Menu €22 per person 4 Course Choice Menu €28 per person 4

Festive Dinner in Alfie’s Lounge 4 Course Choice Menu €35 per person From December 1st until 23rd December Please check www.theashehotel.ie for Menu

Call to book on 066 7106300 or email info@theashehotel.ie

The Ashe Hotel , Maine St, Tralee, Kerry, V92 W56F

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Ask the Pharmacist

In the last of 2021’s Ask the Pharmacist features, Mounthawk Allcare Pharmacy’s Pat and Maria discuss the importance of looking after your mental health.

“As the year draws to a close, all of us will be reflecting on the year that was and laying down plans for the year ahead For many, 2021 was another tough year to endureunfortunately the COVID pandemic dominated our lives once again throughout the year and shows no sign of disappearing any time soon. Climate change is wreaking havoc across the planet. Worst of all for the staff in Mounthawk, we have found that we now put on weight just by thinking about food, never mind having to see or eat it. As you can see, life these days is challenging and it can be hard to stay positive when confronted with the harsh realities of our new way of living. In the pharmacy, we see more people than ever experiencing problems with their mental health and this is perfectly understandable. This article goes out to them.

Depression is the most common mental illness that we encounter-it can strike any person at any lifestage. Some people are more susceptible than others-genetic factors certainly play a part but societal and environmental factors also have a big role.

Some people are really good at hiding the condition, carrying on in silence and isolation to the detriment of their health. They might feel embarrassed or not want to burden others with their problems. The main signs and symptoms of depression can be far ranging but some general features are usually present. These include: • Loss of self esteem, leading to withdrawal from social situations and further increasing feelings of isolation • Loss of interest in most aspects of daily life • Lack of energy, drive and positive thinking. Many people will experience weight issues and sleep disturbances • Change in temperament-often can be emotional and irritable As mentioned previously, depression does not discriminate.

For many people it is inevitable-it can be hard to look on the bright side of life when living with chronic pain for example.

The thing to remember is that it is OK to not be OK. Don’t feel under pressure to mask how you are feeling or to always present a happy image to the world if that is not how you feel deep down. In this era of social media, the pressure to present the best version of yourself can be considerable. Your self worth should not be tied to the number of followers you have online or the number of “likes” that your posts receive. This rat race continues into our adult lives-again your self worth is not related to the car you drive or the number of holidays you go on throughout the year. We are always comparing ourselves to someone else and this is 24

really damaging to our mental health. By all means, it is healthy to have role models but don’t try to emulate someone elsefollow your own path. It is not realistic for us all to be the best.

But as long as we try our best, we need to be happy with that.

So if you find yourself struggling, please reach out to someone else and know that help is always at hand. For some people , antidepressant medication can be a real life-saver and there are many types available for those who require a helping hand.

Don’t be shy in talking to your GP about these matters-after all your mental health is every bit as important as your physical health and it must be minded. As always, your pharmacist is here to advise you on the safe use of such medicines. Other people prefer a more holistic approach. Yoga, Pilates and Mindfulness are just some other methods that people try. In Mounthawk, we occasionally hear some people say that exercise can be of enormous benefit but obviously we are suspicious of physical activity as a concept so we will have to take their word for it.

There are many classes available around the county that you can partake in and these will do wonders for your overall health-both mental and physical.

Of course, there are other issues that can negatively impact on your mental well-being. Stress is another condition that is on the rise and can have serious implications for sufferers. If you want to see a case of severe stress first hand, call into Mounthawk Pharmacy any day Pat has put on a pair of his old 32 inch trousers by mistake. The pressure of sucking it in all day so that the top button doesn’t fly off and take out someone’s eye is written all over his face. Stress can wreak havoc with your overall health and is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. If you find yourself struggling it it is vital that you find a way to manage itdeep breathing and meditation can often make a big difference.

As always, talking to someone you know can help. A problem shared is a problem halved after all.

As you can see, this article is really just a brief summary of some common conditions that we see day in and day out. There are others of course. What we would really like for people to take away from this article is to seek help if you need it. There are so many resources out there that can help you if you are struggling but you need to ask for help. If you know someone who you think may be struggling, reach out to them and let them know that you are thinking of them. You may be the only person that person hears from that day. It’s the simple gestures in life that often mean the most.

On behalf of myself Pat, Shane, and our wonderful staff in Mounthawk (Bridie, Louise, Marie, Maria, Claire and Niamh) we wish all our customers and Connect magazine readers a safe and peaceful holiday period and all the very best for 2022”

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The inspiration behind Éalú Ireland (meaning ‘Escape’ in Irish) came about during the Covid pandemic of 2020 due to the restrictions on people’s movement. With our homes becoming our sanctuary Catherine’s vision was to make hand poured soy wax candles (soy wax contains no toxins, pollutants or carcinogens) to fill your home with comforting and relaxing scents; allowing you to escape to your most magical memories, to your happy place and to escape reality.

The ‘Outdoors Collection’ captures the scents of Ireland, awakening the senses of the rugged coast along the Wild Atlantic Way, to the enchantment of a forest walk, or a hot Summers Day spent in the meadow and bringing home the harvest.

With winter here the ‘Seasonal Collection’ celebrates the indoors, and that means it's time for cosy nights with a delicious candle and a roaring fire. This collection creates awarm and cosy aroma that will leave you feeling like there is no place like home.

The inspiration behind the "Inspired by" collection was to deliver a candle scent similar to the world-renowned perfume fragrances, a guilt free way of getting your designer scent at home at an affordable price.

Catherine also offers a bespoke service – You create the occasion and let Catherine create the memory. From hen parties to wedding days and baby showers to christenings, Catherine offer’s you the chance to create the perfect finishing touches for your table decor and gifts for your family and friends, and afterwards every time you light the candle you will be reminded of that special day.

So, stay tuned as Catherine has plans to extend the home fragrance business further in 2022.

Available to buy on website www.ealuireland.com.

Instagram - @ealuireland Facebook - @ealuireland

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THIS CHRISTMAS

GIVE THE GIFT OF CONFIDENCE

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OUR GIFT VOUCHERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE IN-CLINIC AND ON OUR WEBSITE WWW.BONSECOURSCHRC.IE

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Gift Guide Starting off with one for the men is from Fred Cronin Supplies located in Monavalley Industrial estate Tralee. The Milwaukee 12volt heated jacket is the perfect way to keep the man in your life warm whilst working in the outdoor elements. With our location being right upon the Wild Atlantic Way conditions often become harsh but with this heated hardshell jacket with heated panels it will keep the cold at bay!

RRP €190 Fred Cronin Supplies unit 4 Westside ind est, Monavalley tralee (066) 712 7542 Next up is the Jefferson 85pc tool kit. Coming in a beautiful red cantilever toolbox with foam inserts it includes sockets, spanners, screwdrivers and pliers making it an ideal gift for someone starting off in an apprenticeship, mechanical trade or for an aspiring DIY enthusiast. RRP €195 Fred Cronin Supplies unit 4 Westside ind est, Monavalley tralee (066) 712 7542 For something really special, treat them to this Milwaukee M12CPD 12Volt drill kit. Coming with 2 x 2.0ah lithium ion batteries and a charger makes it excellent value in the higher end of power tools.

Milwaukee is a highly sought after and recognised brand ensuring this will also double up as an investment in someone’s career. RRP €275 Fred Cronin Supplies unit 4 Westside ind est, Monavalley tralee (066) 712 7542 One for the ladies is the luxurious but affordable NUXE. It gives us the gift of everyday pleasures, addictive textures and scents that evoke a real emotional reaction and Christmas 2021 is set to be another sensorial experience brought to you by the French skincare and fragrance range. Glisten and Glow in a sustainable and responsible way this Christmas with luxury gift sets from €16-€49. A collection of iconic and eco-friendly gifts, NUXE is unveiling

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completely eco-designed, gift sets with 0% plastic, 100% cardboard and that are 100% recyclable. The range features multiple quality vegan products and is guilt free gifting for everyone and while being mindful of the planet. Nuxe can be found at CH Chemist, Sam McCauley or Boots.

Next from one of Tralee’s best loved Jewellers, John Ross, is a stunning silver CZ drop halo earring and necklace set. These sterling silver drop earrings set with glittering cubic zirconia stones accompanied by the matching necklace are the perfect addition to any outfit. Amazingly this set comes in at just €60. If this alone isn’t enough to persuade you, John Ross Jewellers are now offering for a limited period, a beautiful pair of earrings with all purchases over €50 This next gift is absolutely stunning. A very special made to order piece from Skellig Pottery by Julia Clarke. This butter dome is handmade on the pottery wheel.

Decorated with coastal blues before adding the little puffin top, it sits on a ceramic plate also made by hand. I think this is just so beautiful, a unique piece that could survive generations and at just €52 it is exceptionally worth it. For more information; see www.skelligpottery.com As the proud owner of my own beautiful dog, no Christmas gift guide would be complete without including the fur babies of the house! I came across this amazing business, The Holistic Hound that offer support and advice around the health and wellbeing of your dog. They are currently selling some gorgeous hampers and this one in particular I loved! Scrubbed Up Pup is a delightful basket of treats to keep your furry pal squeaky clean and healthy. This basket includes: Holistic Hound handmade goat's milk oatmeal shampoo bar with lemon and ylang ylang. Gently cleanse, nourish and soothe your pups skin.

100% natural ingredients. Holistic Hound dog eared natural ear infection and cleansing drops. Holistic Hound bright eyes ophthalmic herbal solution for promoting healthy vision.

Holistic Hound snout & paw soothing and nourishing herbal balm for dry and cracked noses and paws. Holistic Hound heal me quick first aid spray, microfiber paw towel, self-cleaning pin brush and biodegradable bags.

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GIVE THE GIFT OF CHOICE THIS CHRISTMAS WITH THE MULTICENTRE GIFTCARD. AVAILABLE AT THE INFO DESK

Our Gift Vouchers can be exchanged for dining in our Mercantile Bar or SeaSalt Café, for Overnight Stays or in our Leisure Centre Call us on 066 7194500 Purchase from our reception or online www.manorwesthotel.ie Manor West Hotel, Tralee, Kerry, V92 YC59 31

This stunning piece is from the renowned Brian de Staic jewellers here in Kerry. Ogham style has seen a huge increase in popularity recently and this necklace is a real conversation piece! This beautiful pendant is the "I Love You" pendant. It is an open design that spells out 'I Love You' in the ancient Ogham Script. It is crafted in sterling silver, 9k, and 14k yellow gold. The pendant has been Irish hallmarked by the Assay office at Dublin Castle. It is presented in a beautiful Brian de Staic display box and an explanatory leaflet on the Ogham Script is included also. What a beautiful and classic way to tell somebody you love them? RRP €60 www.briandestaic.com (066) 915 1298 A Tralee based company making waves in the Beauty and skincare industry is Seabody. SEABODY unlocks the power of ocean plants from the Irish Atlantic coastline, to create, luxury oceanic based food supplement and skincare products. At SEABODY, integrity and impact are at the core of what they do. To deliver on this, for SEABODY’s bioactive extracts, only sustainably cultivated and hand harvested seaweeds are used, from which SEABODY’s potent

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bioactive ingredients are isolated. Their team of biochemists and nutritionists take cues from biology to develop bespoke formulations, each of which combines SEABODY’s algal bioactive with key micronutrients. I fell in love with their overnight elixir serum it is just stunning on the skin, a real treat for anyone to receive and priced at €70 Seabody can be found online at www. seabody.com Finally, this award winning item is very special and an extremely thoughtful gift.

This kettle is from Uccello Designs. The revolutionary shape of the Uccello Kettle was thoughtfully designed to enable hot water to be poured from your Kettle to your cup; effortlessly, safely and independently. The lightweight design, combined with the rotating cradle of the Uccello Kettle, means you only have to “tilt-to-pour”, eliminating any lifting, straining, or trying to balance and aim when pouring hot water! Perfect for someone recovering from injury or suffering arthritis it will make life so much easier and promote that sense of dignity and independence that everyone deserves. Priced at just €65 it is available to purchase from www. uccellodesigns.ie

GIVE THE GIFT OF CHOICE

Purchase online www.therosehotel.com or call 066 7199100 33

Huge Thanks and Christmas Wishes From Rose and Family As we approach Christmas and the New Year we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the love, generosity, kindness and help which we have received since the launch of our Fundraising campaign to Help Rose Bloom. At the time of print we are almost at the halfway point of our fundraising target.

In the past six months Rose has made some great advances for a four year old living with Type 2 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

She has received her first wheelchair which has given her great independence when out and about with her big sister Kate and her parents Karen and Thomas. The wheelchair can be operated both manually and by electric motor. Rose uses a combination to ensure that she develops her upper body muscle strength which is important for her condition.

The funds raised have also allowed Rose the opportunity to participate in intensive weekly physiotherapy sessions which have helped her enormously. In the past few weeks Rose has managed to stand independently for almost 30 seconds. This may not sound amazing for a four year old but for Rose this is the result of three years of physiotherapy, perseverance and determination on her behalf.

Rose has also recently begun Therapeutic Horse Riding lessons on the advice of her Physio Team. These weekly lessons are assisting with her posture which has been severely impacted by Scoliosis. Rose has recently undergone her pre surgery assessment and it is hoped surgery to correct her Scoliosis will take place in early January, 2022.

Rose is also enjoying the company of her friends at preschool since they returned to class in September. Next September will

see Rose join her sister Kate and begin her journey through Primary School at Clogher NS. Planning for this has already begun and we are very grateful to Clogher National School Staff and Management for their help with these preparations.

The New Year will see alterations to the family home begin to facilitate a ground floor Bedroom and Bathroom for Rose along with widening hallways and living spaces to facilitate Rose and her wheelchair. The resurfacing of the footpaths and driveway around the family home will also begin which will give Rose more freedom and most importantly safety in her home environment.

Finally we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people from all over Ireland and indeed people from other parts of the world. We would like to thank everyone who helped organise events and fundraisers along with everyone who so generously donated to Help Rose Bloom. We will be forever grateful.

Please know that you have made a little girls life easier and afforded her the opportunity to advance and Bloom.

Thank you to Mags and the Team at Connect for giving us this space freely and generously to communicate with everyone.

We wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Rose, Kate, Karen and Thomas O' Flaherty.

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Wishing all our customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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Pearly Whites

by Dr. Marcas Mac Domhnaill Christmas 2021 is approaching fast and many people will be hoping to buy gifts early and avoid the Christmas rush. Within the past two years, many people have become more aware of the appearance of their teeth with the huge increase of online meetings. Here are some ideas for Christmas presents that can help to maintain good oral hygiene.

To compliment rotary battery-operated toothbrushes, one could use a water flosser.

These are battery operated and handheld devices which can pump a jet of water around your teeth via a small nozzle. It is an excellent way to clean difficult to reach areas.

Mouthwashes not only freshen the breath but also can strengthen teeth with minerals or help gums fight infection. Some can aid whitening and help against dental sensitivity.

Finally, don’t forget the stocking fillers of toothpaste and of course, a gift voucher from your local dental practice!

Nollaig Mhór Mhaith Daoibh.

49, Sráid na Carraige Uachtarach, Trá Lí, Co. Chiarraí 49 Upper Rock Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry Ph: (066) 712 1457 | www.macdomhnailldental.ie | fiacloir@gmail.com

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e id u G t if G 1 2 0 2 s a m t is r h C

arly here! This it, Christmas is ne ve lie be u ft Guide yo n ca l Wel my Christmas Gi e ar sh to d te ci for month, I am so ex r a stocking filler you’re looking fo er er, th rtn he pa W a u. r fo yo t with or a presen on ds an gr ur yo family, a gift for with a few twists all wrapped up – as tm ris Ch t go I’ve along the way!

Give the gift of choice Vouchers used to get a bad rap for being a thoughtless gift,

but I really don’t think that’s the case anymore. They are my personal favourite gift and allows the recipient to choose what they want. We all know what boutiques, favourite restaurants etc our loved ones like, so just get a voucher for one of their spots. Or why not get them a voucher for a local hotel in Kerry – God knows we are spoilt for choice with beautiful hotels on our doorstep in the Kingdom. Plus, it has the added benefit of supporting our local economy.

All of the Smelly Stuff!

Predictable yes, cliché absolutely! But I have yet to meet a

person who doesn’t love a nice candle or diffuser. There are so many beautiful Irish companies like La Bougie, a luxury candlemaker based in Kinsale. It is available in Hannon’s Castleisland.

Likewise, the Kilkenny Shop in Killarney also stock Celtic Candles.

Both fabulous choices. The one thing I would say is go for a lighter scent, like vanilla or lavender. Unless you know the person loves an oud smell for example. www.hannons.ie Similarly, a bottle of perfume or men’s fragrance is a great gift idea. Here I would suggest asking someone close to them what their favourite brand is. A perfume is so subjective and what seems nice on you, might not work for me. If in doubt get a voucher for your local pharmacy.

Ahern’s Pharmacy, Farranfore or www. ahernspharmacy.com

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend!

Well in this case they are not diamonds, but they are sparkly!

Costume and dress jewellery nowadays has come on leaps and bounds. It is such fantastic quality, often being sterling silver and gold plated. What’s amazing about this kind of 42 42

jewellery, you can get the glitz without breaking the bank.

Earrings and bracelets are always a fail-safe, as they fit everyone.

Visit Adam’s Jewellers in Tralee or Killarney or check out www.adamsjewellers.ie Another option is a dress ring. This one pictured is like Princess Diana’s engagement ring for under €50.

Top Tip: Try and sneak a ring from the person’s current jewellery box, to determine their size.

Visit John Ross Jewellers in Tralee or visit www.johrossjewellers.com.

Slow “write” down - Journaling It’s no secret the many, many benefits to journaling. It helps to

reduce stress and anxiety, whilst also getting you to genuinely appreciate all the things in your life - the good & the bad, the big & the small - it’s one of the most beneficial things you can do for your wellbeing and mood.

Here are two journals that I really recommend: The Head Plan’s Journal produced by well-known Irish business woman and life coach Denise Kenny Byrne.

Available at www.theheadplan.com If the person you are treating the journal to, hasn’t tried journaling before, The Five Minute Journal, by Intelligent Change is for them. This journal does exactly what it says on the tin! It asks you a couple of questions each day and takes less than five minutes to complete.

Writing down your goals, practicing gratitude, and becoming conscious of your priorities is fantastic for anyone to do. I fall off the band wagon myself every now and then, and when I

start journaling again, I always see such a difference in myself and my outlook. This a gift that doesn’t cost the earth and is such a lovely gift to get someone, or even yourself this Christmas.

Available online on various websites

The Gift of Self-Care & Experiences We hear an awful lot about Self-Care across all media. Be it

radio, social media, magazine’s - you name it. Why is that? It is because we are all so busy running from pillar to post like headless chickens, we forget to take time out for ourselves. Be it a voucher for a manicure, a Turkish Shave or a spa day, it is the gift of time and relaxation for your loved one.

My personal favourite self-care experiences are below.

Reflexology has many health benefits, improvement of your nerve functions, increased blood circulation in your body, eliminates toxins, boosts energy levels and above all is one of the most relaxing experiences. I personally go once a month to Brid Ann O’Connor in Currans and feel so fresh and renewed the next day.

Brid Ann can be reached on 086 101 8513 An appointment with Kamila at Slim Body Booster in Killarney is such a treat. She uses Endermologie which is an intensive and non-invasive treatment for cellulite and fat reduction. It helps shape, contour, firm and slim the body. How you may ask…In really simple terms, it’s like a large hoover sucking up the fat before feeding skin into large rollers to provide a pressure massage to affected areas. Sounds odd, but I find it so relaxing and most importantly, it works! Jennifer Lopez is also a fan and look at her! A great gift, ahead of the health kick buzz, post-Christmas in January.

Check out www.slimbodybooster.ie Lastly a facial by Skin and Beauty with Léonie is like no other facial I have ever experienced! It is so much more… Léonie has such a passion for Skin Health. Her approach to skin is a holistic one, looking at the skin from the inside out and treating the person as a whole, mind, body and soul. She does Facial Gua Sha with Philosophia Botanica, Facial Cupping and Aesthetic Kinesiology Face Taping. She designs a home skincare plan for your skin's needs and offers ongoing support to you on your skin health journey. But the best part of this treatment is the Facial massage. It relaxes, lifts and sculpts the face, neck and shoulders. Walking into Léonie’s beautiful room is a space where you get to slow down and take some time to reset, recharge and deeply relax. Now what gift is better than that?!

For the man in your life Most of the above gifts can be given to a

man but here’s some stocking filler inspo for the man in your life.

Be it your brother, partner, father or friend. First one that springs straight to mind is socks. Why is it that men never know when its time to say goodbye to an old threadbare pair of socks? You can get really nicely packaged ones in local men’s boutiques and TK MAX. This one might appear like a gag gift, but it actually works. Aesop Post-Poo Drops eliminates lingering odours with this citrus blend of essential oils for a more natural deodorising solution. The bottle is elegant but discreet and looks really pretty on display in the bathroom. It also doesn’t have that horrid smell from artificial sprays. Thank me later! .

– available on various websites

THE Best Kid’s Gift I have only one suggestion. Rain/outer gear! We live in a

country that rains a lot. I mean a lot, a lot! I cannot recommend this unique Irish designed and owned company called Goose and Gander. I have bought my daughter Sé, many pairs of wellies, puddle suits and rain jackets from this gorgeous brand.

They give kids comfort and are so stylish and different at the same time. I have lost count, the number of parents on the playground asking about the gear. I couldn’t do a gift guide and not mention this beautiful brand.

Currently they start at age 1 and go up to age 5. check out www.gooseandgander.ie Ok guys, I am going to leave it there! Hope this Gift Guide was helpful and will give Santa a run for his money! I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas. Have fun and enjoy this time with the ones you love.

Keep an eye on my Facebook and Instagram to see how I style my festive outfits. For any fashion, beauty or questions relating to this article, please email laurahollystylist1@gmail.com Laura xxx

@laurahollystyle Laura Holly

For any fashion or beauty queries, please email Visit www.skinandbeautywithleonie.ie to laurahollystylist1@gmail.com find out more

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Waxperts founders Ellen Kavanagh and Trish O Brien on how women can really have it all as they launch an exciting new range, Heire Ellen Kavanagh and Trish O'Brien, founders of Waxperts, have launched their new at home waxing product, HEIRE. HEIRE is an Irish, female-led business that brings us beauty treatment goals from the comfort of our home and was born as a result of a gap identified in the global waxing market by Ellen and Trish.

The devastating impacts caused by COVID leading to salons shutting down led to the duo noticing there was not an at home substitute where you could still achieve salon results at an impeccable standard. We sat down recently with Ellen and Trish to chat all thing Heire and being Women in business.

Can you tell our readers your background in the beauty industry?

We both had worked in different sectors before pursuing beauty and then our paths crossed and we met and really the rest is history.

We have worked together since nearly the beginning of Waxperts salon opening in 2008 and became business partners once we knew we wanted to grow the business and how well we work together. Now we are like sisters, we are extremely close and forever grateful for what we have as we know how precious it is.

How did the idea of Heire come about for you?

In 2014 we decided we were going to do an at home waxing range. Unfortunately, we had to press pause on it at that time

but it was always there in the background and something we knew we would do. In 2019 we decide the time was right and Heire was born. We knew we could bring a much better product to the market that current was available. We had decades of experience as professional waxers, and we wanted to bring that expertise to those people that chose to wax at home.

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Where the message of don’t do DIY beauty at home has always been the message by experts, do you find the general public sceptical or apprehensive about the products and even possibly some resistance from those working in the beauty industry?

Heire is for people that are already buying home wax products. It is to give them a product that has a better wax, that is salon quality, that has easy to follow instructions from actual waxers. Anyone that goes to a salon will always go to a salon and that’s where Waxperts comes in. All our Waxperts trained salons know that they skill and training they have is very valuable. However, hair growth can be for so many a very personal issue and we know how many people talk to us that prefer to maintain their hair removal from the privacy of their own space. Waxing is a lot more than just bikini waxes.

For the majority of home waxers it is for removing facial hair, upper lip hair for example, or nipple hair, or arm hair that they are extremely self-conscious about. Not to mention any accessibility or gender matters people may be managing.

For some people home waxing has always been their waxing option of choice and we want to bring them a better quality of product than is currently on the market.

Has the pandemic changed how you do business?

I don’t think any business is the same since the pandemic started. We doubled down on our values of encouraging a good work life balance and managing stress. We know operate as a 4-day week company, Monday-Thursday and that has worked brilliantly.

How do you find working together in a partnership? When it comes to compromising on directions or ideas do you manage that aspect well?

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We love it. We are very different in what we enjoy to do in the business and that compliments us. We can have opposing ideas but we always come around to agreeing on a plan. We definitely both agree on all the big picture stuff. Being in a partnership gives us both a constant source of support, understanding, cheerleading and a bond that is very unique.

We have a fantastic team as well and we are aware that we are showing them not only an example of women business owners but of how women can support and help each other excel in life. And we are very proud of that.

Do you have aspirations to extend in to the international market?

Currently we are nationwide throughout the UK with both

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Waxperts and Heire. Heire has some very exciting expansion coming in the next couple of weeks that will see it grow exponentially so that's very exciting!

What is different about Heire that is going to make it stand out and be more appealing to the customer?

It is made by professional waxers. Heire uses salon quality wax in both its Strip Wax Kit and How Wax Kits. As waxing professionals, we know how different a good wax and a quality wax preforms and how it can affect the results or the waxing treatment and the skin afterwards. We added in pre and post wax products to protect and nourish the skin so the finish will be as close to a salon wax as one can manage themselves. Having easy to follow instructions that were by a professional waxer and explained in a step by step way with top tips to help. Finally, Heire kits are in stylish packaging that would not look out of place on your bathroom or beauty area, and the instructions are printed on the inside of the kits so you never have to worry about losing the instructions.

By Cathriona Murphy

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From salon to stardom, Instagram star and Kerry native Clodagh Moore talks career and being signed by one of Irelands most exclusive agencies.

By Cathriona Murphy

Clodagh, can you tell us how your online career started out for you?

I don’t even know how it started to be honest it was more accidently? I never intended on doing Instagram as a job, I used to get numerous messages all the time from people asking me about the outfit I was wearing. Before Instagram really became a thing people would tell me I should tag my outfits or look for an outfit for someone else. People would message me for advice on outfits etc. My first collaboration was around 3 years ago with the Irish company VaVaVoom. Essentially I just picked out a top and a skirt off their website and they sent it out to me it wasn’t paid or anything it was just a gifted collaboration, it just went viral! They said they had never seen someone’s picture blow up so much for the first picture and the two pieces I showed actually sold out on the website. After that it just spiralled really and just kept getting better.

You recently signed with the exclusive Andrea Roche Agency, how is that going for you?

I joined them this year, only a few months now but its lovely.

They are so helpful because I didn’t know much about this industry when I got into it, we’ll say when it comes to working

with businesses I never knew what to charge? If someone offered me something I had no idea if that was my worth so they’re helpful that way because I’ll send them on my insights and my reactions on Instagram and they will tell me what my financial worth is. They then get on to the company so if anyone contacts me now it all goes through the agency

which is a lot easier for me.

How do you find balancing your day job as a hairdresser in Paradise Hair and Beauty with the online work?

The good thing about it is my boss, Romy, she’s very understanding when it comes to both careers that I have because I love both of them but obviously I couldn’t commit to hairdressing full time. There is a lot of work in the Instagram world and I am getting a lot busier since I joined the agency so I can work in the salon as much as I used to? So I’m up there 3 days a week every second week which works out perfect for me because I already have my own clientele that I just do myself and if somebody new wants to come to me I would be open to that as well of course. It’s good for Romy as well though because if I’m too busy one of the

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other girls can take on the new clients then. It works out well for everybody really?

Going back to the Instagram side is there anything exciting coming up for you over the next few months?

There’s a few things, one or two things that I’m not allowed to talk about and I hate saying that! It is a lot harder being from Kerry when you’re trying to be in that industry because for the first couple of years everything was in Dublin although it has gotten better in recent years. In the first few years I wasn’t making enough money to financially cover the cost of travelling and staying in Dublin to attend events. I find now though since lockdown I have benefitted loads because obviously with all of the staycations everyone was looking for nice places to go and Kerry is so popular in the summer time. I love adventuring around Kerry so to be able to collaborate with Kerry hotels and businesses has been amazing.

What is the goal for you over the next 5 years?

If you asked me this a year ago I would have always thought hairdressing would be a part of my life but I do find a pull towards the Instagram world. I do think it was definitely something that was made for me and I get that a lot because people always say to me even though I don’t have hundreds of thousands of followers I still think my followers are very interested in what I do. I have a good reaction to my following.

Even at times I would be on zoom meetings where there are the bigger influencers which is insane for me because I still see myself as small but the likes of Louise Cooney, Love Lauren, all those girls which is huge for me. I never thought I would be as big as them but I would love to do it full time. It’s a lovely job, you meet so many people.

Would you ever foresee yourself going down the TV or acting route?

Yes, I think so? I definitely would, I’ve actually been asked to go on a load of dating shows now I would never go on any of those!

But it is funny when I get the messages because I have a boyfriend so we just laugh about it! But I would love to get into television.

Believe it or not I would actually be a very shy person so I would have to overcome that before I put myself out there!

For more information you can find clodagh on Instagram @clodaghmoore4

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Christmas Cooking Whether you are cooking for two this Christmas or cooking for twenty-two, it’s always a dinner that seems daunting to take on.

Between getting the timing of meat correct to not overcooking those vegetables and perfecting the crispiness of those delicious roast potatoes it just sounds so complicated. But not to worry, here at Connect we have brought on board some of the top Chef’s in Kerry to get their trade secrets to cooking the perfect Christmas dinner that will leave everyone looking for seconds!

Noel Keane is both Owner and Head Chef in the beloved Croi.

Here are his top tips this festive season.

1.Organisation! This is number one on our list 2.Brine your Turkey on Christmas Eve: As turkey is a lean meat, it can become dry 3.Have you got the right equipment for the job? Make sure you’ve got plenty of oven trays, pots and pans and serving dishes 4.Prep your veg the night before: Peel potatoes, carrots, parsnips and any other veg 5.Get your timings for the big day sorted: Plan exactly how long everything takes to cook and make yourself a to-do list 6.it fun, get the family involved: Christmas is all about seeing family and friends 7.Buying a dessert makes it

much easier on the day 8.Wash as you go and save the stress of who’s going to wash up!

Well known Chef and Owner of the Just Cooking Cookery School Mark Doe swears by these fail safe tips!

1.Don’t cook anything else until your turkey is cooked. Once your turkey is cooked, plate on a large platter, wrap loosely in foil and leave to rest for at least 45 minutes.

This will not only give you the moistest and easy to carve turkey, but it also frees up your oven for the roast potatoes and vegetables.

2. Don't Kill anyone! Cook your turkey until it reaches a core temperature of 75c in the thickest part of the breast and leg.

Remember 75=staying alive. Buy a digital meat thermometer to check this.

3. Prepare you vegetables on Christmas eve and leave in the fridge 50

4. Remove your turkey from the fridge 1 hour before cooking so that it isn’t stone cold going into the oven.

5. Don’t stuff the cavity of the turkey. By the time the stuffing in the cavity has reached 75c or above, your turkey is over cooked.

6. Serve your vegetables in big bowls in the middle of your table, for your guests to help themselves. This makes your Christmas dinner easier to serve and less stressful.

Kevin Mooney is a very popular and sought after Chef de Partie in Manor West Hotel. Used to cooking for large numbers, these are his tips!

Sumptuous sides to jazz up your Christmas Dinner! Sides are often overlooked but, in my opinion, are just as important as the Turkey and Ham. These sides

can be done in advance, relieving some of the pressure on Christmas Day and ensuring a tasty and wholesome meal!

1. Baked Brussel Sprouts with Stilton Cheese and Bacon Lardons Sprouts get a bad rap, but this recipe will have all the family coming back for seconds. Par-boil your sprouts for 20 minutes in salted water. Transfer sprouts to a casserole dish. Fry up some bacon lardons and place in the dish with sprouts. Add some Stilton Cheese on top of the sprouts and bacon lardons and bake for 15 minutes at 180℃.

2. Glazed Roasted Parsnips. Turn your parsnips into the star of the show with this simple recipe. Peel and cut parsnips into chunky sized chips. Par-boil for 10 minutes. Transfer to a baking tray and drizzle with honey and a sprinkling of brown sugar to caramelise. Bake for 10 minutes at 180℃.

3. Winter Carrot Puree is a lighter choice and an homage to the great chef Raymond Blanc.

Melt 100grams of real butter.

Add 5 pieces of Star Anise. Keep mixture at room temperature for 6 hours. After 6 hours remove the Star Anise pieces from the infused butter. Boil and mash carrots. Add the infused butter to the mashed carrots.

Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

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Christmas Dinner Tips Head Chef Colin Cole at Meadowlands Hotel Tralee

Plan Write your shopping list now

and plan exactly what you are having for dinner. No need to leave everything to the last minute.

You can pick up the goose fat for the roast potatoes, cranberries for homemade sauce, dried herbs and freezer fillers from now on.

Gravy The last minute jobs on Christmas Day can be the most stressful so having gravy ready to go is a real time saver on the day. This can be prepared up to 3 days in advance or from now on and frozen. Less mess on the day!

Make-Ahead Gravy Ingredients • 2 onions • 2 carrots • 2 sticks of celery • 2 fresh bay leaves • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme • 2 sprigs of fresh sage • 2 sprigs rosemary • 1lb free-range Irish chicken wings • Olive oil • Salt & Pepper • 3 tablespoons plain flour • 2 litres chicken stock or water • 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce or red currant jelly Method STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C or gas 6. Put the chopped vegetables in a large roasting tin, then scatter over the thyme, rosemary and sage. Arrange the chicken wings on top, then drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

STEP 2 Once cooked, make sure you scrape all the bits off the bottom of the roasting tin. Mash everything with a potato masher. Place the tin on a high heat on the hob and let it brown for 3-4 mins.

Stir in the flour and cook for another 1-2 mins to thicken.

STEP 3 Pour in the chicken stock or water and add the bay leaves, and stir well. Bring to the

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boil, turn down the heat, then simmer gently for 30 mins or until it has reduced to your preferred consistency. Check for seasoning.

STEP 4 At this point you can add the redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce if you like a sweeter gravy. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a jug, pressing down with a spoon to push all the liquid through from the chicken and vegetables.

STEP 5 Set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge until the gravy is like a jelly. A layer of fat may form on the top of the jelly, which can be scrapped of and thrown away.

STEP 6 Spoon the chilled gravy into a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months STEP 7 On Christmas Eve take it from the freezer and defrost in the fridge overnight. Transfer the gravy to a pan and heat through until boiling before serving. Add the Turkey roasting juices for extra flavour.

Brine Brine your Turkey on Christmas Eve. Turkey is a lean meat and

it can become dry quickly, so brine your bird for around 12 hours before putting it in the oven to cook. During this process, it’ll absorb extra moisture, which in turn helps it stay moist and juicy, and the brining liquor will also help to season the meat. To do this you’ll need a large pot or bucket, filled with a 10% salt water mix, 2 tbsp of sugar and lots of aromats (black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, a couple of bay leaves, thyme and orange & lemon peel). Make sure to rest the Turkey for at least 30 minutes before carving.

Prepare Vegetables Vegetables can be peeled & prepared the day before.

Roast Potatoes can be par-boiled, coated in goose fat & polenta and stored in the fridge until the day. Brussels sprouts can be peeled and ready to go. Carrots & parsnips mashed with a little butter & orange zest ready to be warmed in the oven.

Stuffing made & ready to go. Get everyone involved Christmas Eve to ensure a relaxed lead up to the meal.

The main points to remember are planning, preparation and delegation. Enjoy the Christmas Day Feast without the stress.

Nollaig Shona from The Meadowlands Hotel.

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Christmas Cooking

Recipes

Irish Cream Tiramisu Ingredients

• 4 eggs • 100g golden caster sugar • 500g tub mascarpone • 100ml Irish cream liqueur (we used Baileys coffee flavour) • 300ml strong coffee, made with 2 tbsp. coffee granules and • 300ml boiling water • 175g sponge fingers • 25g dark chocolate • 2 tsp cocoa powder Method STEP 1 Separate the egg whites and yolks into two large bowls.

Whisk the whites until stiff. Add the sugar to the yolks and whisk again (no need to clean first) until thick and foamy – this will take about 5 mins. Whisk the mascarpone and cream liqueur into the egg yolks until you can’t see any streaks of cheese. Carefully fold the whites into the mascarpone mixture with a large metal spoon to keep in as much air as possible.

STEP 2 Get your serving dish ready (ours was 20 x 15 cm). Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and dip in a few sponge fingers at a time, turning them for a few seconds until they are nicely soaked, but not soggy. Layer these into the dish until you have used half the biscuits, then evenly spread over half of the creamy mixture. Using the coarse side of the grater, grate over most of the chocolate, then repeat the sponge and cream layers (you should use up all the coffee). If you want a pretty finish, you can pipe on the final cream layer.

STEP 3 Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. This can now be kept in the fridge for up to two days. To serve, dust with cocoa powder and grate over the remaining chocolate.

Chocolate Chestnut Refrigerator Cake

Ingredients FOR THE CAKE 500 grams sweetened chestnut puree 175 grams soft unsalted butter 300 grams’ dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids) 3 tablespoons dark rum TO SERVE crème fraiche crystallised violets METHOD STEP 1 Beat the puree in a bowl until it's smooth, and then add the butter, beating again to make a well-blended mixture.

STEP 2 Melt the chocolate and let it cool slightly, before adding it to the chestnut and butter in the bowl. Beat in the rum, and spoon the chocolate mixture into a 23 x 10cm / 9 x 4 inches’ loaf tin, lined with cling film, in two batches, making sure the first layer reaches the corners and sides of the bottom of the tin before you smooth over the rest. Wrap the overhanging cling film over the cake so that it is completely covered, and put it in the fridge to set for at least four hours, but a day or so in advance if you want.

STEP 3 Don't take the loaf tin out of the fridge until you want to eat it, when you just unmould the cake, cut it into thin slices and serve with crème fraiche or sour cream.

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Top Books for Christmas 2021 Sheila O’ Flanagan; Three Weddings and a Proposal At the first wedding, there's a shock The second wedding is unexpected, by the third Delphie thinks nothing could surprise her. But she's wrong. Delphie is enjoying her brother's wedding.

Her surprise last-minute Plus One has stunned her family - and it's also stopped any of them asking again why she's still single. But when she sees all the missed calls that evening, she knows it can't be good news.

And she's right. Delphie has been living her best life, loving her job, her friends, her no-strings relationships and her dream house by the sea. Now she has to question everything she believed about who she is and what she wants. Is her mum right - is it time to settle down? Or does she want to keep on trying to have it all? Each wedding of a glorious summer brings a new surprise. And as everything Delphie thought she had is threatened, she has the chance to reshape her future

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa Grandpa used to say it all the time: books have tremendous power. But what is that power really? Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse. After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop.

Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people who have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them.

Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone.

The Cat Who Saved Books is a truly special find, a real gem. A heart-warming story about finding courage, caring for others - and the tremendous power of books. Sosuke Natsukawa's international bestseller, translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai, is a story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper.

The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella The Talbots are having one last party at their family home. But Effie hasn't been invited. Effie's still not over her parents splitting up a year ago. Her dad and his new girlfriend are posting their PDAs all over Instagram and as if that wasn't bad enough, they're now selling the beloved family home. So when Effie receives a lastminute anti-invitation to their 'house-cooling' party, she decides to give it a miss. Then she remembers her precious Russian dolls, safely tucked away up a chimney. She'll have to go back for them - but not as a guest. She'll just creep in, grab the dolls and make a swift exit. No one will know she was ever there. But Effie can't find

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the dolls. And as she secretly clambers around dusty attics, hides under tables and tries to avoid bumping into her exboyfriend (who she's very much not over), she discovers unexpected truths about her family - and even about herself. With time (and hiding places) running out, Effie starts to wonder if the only way to find out what's really going on with her family is to simply crash the party. Expect shocking secrets, hilarious mix-ups and an unforgettable romance!

The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for an Endangered Planet by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams

The world-renowned naturalist and conservationist Jane Goodall has spent more than a half-century warning of our impact on our planet. From her famous encounters with chimpanzees in the forests of Gombe as a young woman to her tireless campaigning for the environment in her late eighties, Jane has become the godmother to a new generation of climate activists.

In The Book of Hope, Jane draws on the wisdom of a lifetime dedicated to nature to teach us how to find strength in the face of the climate crisis, and explains why she still has hope for the natural world and for humanity. In extraordinary conversations with her co-author Doug Abrams that weave together stories from her travels and activism, she offers readers a new understanding of the crisis we face and a compelling path forward for us all to create hope in our own lives and in the world.

More Than Mistletoe by The Christmas Collective More than Mistletoe, the debut anthology from The Christmas Collective, is an eclectic and inclusive mix of stories, with swoonworthy characters, second chances and happy endings. Between the pages, you will discover classic romance, festive thrillers, LGBTQ+ love stories, hilarious romcoms and historical settings, these stories really do span the whole spectrum of festive fiction.

Featuring twelve up and coming new authors, this refreshing, diverse and romantic read, is a must-have for Christmas 2021 that will leave you reaching for your Christmas jumper, gingerbread cookies and a mug of hot chocolate! A dash of authors was pitted against each other when shortlisted for a major writing competition with over four hundred entrants. The prize of a publishing deal, with Penguin, went to someone else, and that could have been the end. Instead, no longer competing, twelve writers collaborated on a brand new anthology of festive short stories. Although most of the Christmas Collective have never met, they worked from their homes in Ireland, England, Scotland and Spain, supporting and advising each other, navigating writing the book, the launch and the global pandemic.

Say Happy Christmas with a

Kelly’s Hamper ORDE TODA R Y

COU RIER NATIO DELIVER Y NWID E

KELLY’S BUTCHERS, NEWPORT 098 41149/098 42608 | www.kellysbutchers.com

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c i s u M m o d g n i K the

in

y e k r o C b Bo

By Lisa Curran

Tell us all about what you’re doing now?

Bob Corkey is a man of many talents and a big personality to match all the big goals and achievements he’s accomplished!

Live music doesn’t work without the expertise of those behind the scenes and Bob is a master and hails from Tralee!

Bob, amazing to speak`to you and really appreciate your time!

Tell us all about your Tralee roots firstly!

I come from St. John’s Park in Tralee, so I’m always glad to tell people I’m a “Rockie” ..! We grew up a lucky family of seven, with Mum Betty & Dad Herbert, two lovely parents who typified the Tralee spirit… always hopeful, positive thinking folk who loved dancing, movies, and nightlife and who encouraged us to follow our passions. We always had music and song in the house, because we had very understanding and patient neighbours like the Ryans & Fernanes! All of us boys and girls are still here now, and very close through the effects of these tough times, and whenever we can, we celebrate being together with some fine craic!

Who were your influences to progress onto what you do now?

I am so grateful every day, for the many opportunities that true and kind hearts in Tralee put in my way during my early days of being ambitious and fascinated by Film and TV Production… Mick O’Meara and Seán Cleary in Photography, Padraig Kennelly in News Reportage, Roddy O’Donnell in Video Production, Con McCarthy in TV and Electronics…

Michael Dwyer in Movies… the list is huge… they all made things possible and I owe them all a sincere thank you for their encouragement in developing this Media and Arts career that I love.

I direct TV music programmes, Arts shows and Traditional Irish music series for broadcasters across Ireland and the UK. I also lecture on TV and Media when I get the chance, which I love to do from my extensive photo and video archive..! I’m an incurable digital hoarder! I feel it’s very important, though, to preserve and curate good educational material for future students of these Film & TV crafts, as I was so hungry for knowledge myself back in the days when my only lifeline to solid information was through the brilliant County Library at Moyderwell!

Our librarians there were wonderful, they kept me sane in those pre-internet days.

How have you found the world of the arts the past two years with covid, will we ever recover, where do you see the future going?

I feel our world has been through a defining, shape-shifting time as our core values become better focussed by these recent revealing lenses of pandemics, supply chain economics and sustainability. I realise many old and wasteful habits, some of which I too was stuck with, have seen their day, and we should now invest massively in education and self-development with a new understanding, to bring environment and Social and Mental health up to the top of every agenda.

Our future generations will thank us, and leave monuments to our efforts in the form of new respect for this blue planet, and this beautiful county of Kerry!

What is in the pipeline for you in the future? Tempted to get back to your roots here in Kerry?

I would dearly love to get back to Kerry soil, and to really “work from home” - I have a new plan to base ourselves back in my home county, to go on and invest my experience and knowledge in education and Media course development, which I will do. It’s our little family’s latest burning ambition!

Bob Corkey | TV and Media Director | 087 2616316 | bobcorkey@gmail.com

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"It’s so much easier to achieve a work-life balance in Kerry...I never want to live anywhere else."

THERE’S no place like Kerry at Christmas (or all year round for that matter) and a recent returnee to the county wants to live in the Kingdom for the rest of her life.

Julianne Spring Heavey, who was appointed as a Chartered Tax Advisor with CDS Law & Tax LLP during the Autumn, said she has found her dream job as well as reconnecting with the fantastic quality of life that comes with living in Kerry.

“I moved home a few years ago for family reasons but I quite quickly rediscovered the fantastic quality of life Kerry has to offer with a wonderful sense of community, short commutes and so much to do outdoors,” said Julianne.

CDS Law & Tax LLP specialises in taxation, mergers, acquisitions, corporate structuring, and property with the Kerry office located at 4 Denny Street, Tralee.

Julianne Spring Heavey has gained practice, industry, and management experience from working with legal, accountancy, and property development and construction firms throughout Ireland.

She is the latest Tralee person to join the firm where she works alongside Solicitor Mike Stack and Head of Taxation, Tommy Walsh.

Tommy was recently elected to the Council of the Irish Tax Institute which oversees the strategic governance of the leading representative body for Ireland’s Chartered Tax Advisors.

of skillset and the positive energy we bring to the table.

“There’s absolutely no need to go outside Kerry for highly professional legal and tax advice when it’s all under the one roof here at CDS Law & Tax. “It’s so much easier to achieve a work-life balance here. I never thought I’d move home to Kerry and now that I have, I never want to live anywhere else.”

Julianne Spring Heavey may be contacted at the CDS Law & Tax LLP Office, 4 Denny Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

Based in Cork city and Tralee, the firm operates nationwide offering specific expertise in corporate finance, commercial law, property, planning, taxation, litigation, and dispute resolution as well as private client work.

CDS Law & Tax LLP is one of the few niche practices in Ireland who specialise in both legal and tax matters.

The firm offers excellent corporate and commercial expertise across every facet of business law and comprises a team of qualified and experienced solicitors and AITI Chartered Tax Advisors. Email Julianne.SpringHeavey@CDSLAW.ie or phone 066 716 9033. For more information, visit www.CDSLaw.ie.

Kenmare-native and CDS Law & Tax LLP Partner and Head of Property, Jennifer Downing, said: “We are delighted to welcome Julianne to our team at CDS Law & Tax. The love she has for her hometown and county, coupled with her experience and skills as a Chartered Tax Advisor, is hugely beneficial to our clients.”

Julianne said she has enjoyed the experience of working with the firm in its Kerry office “because it provides city-level professionalism, while being based in Tralee”.

“Most transactions nowadays – commercial or private – require tax advice and our clients are delighted with the broad range 62

Law & Tax LLP

VISIT OUR

KERRY OFFICE

TOMMY WALSH Head of Taxation

(Elected to the Council of the Irish Tax Institute)

JENNIFER DOWNING

e: Tommy.Walsh@CDSLaw.ie

Partner | Head of Property

e: Jennifer.Downing@CDSLaw.ie

JULIANNE SPRING HEAVEY Chartered Tax Advisor

MIKE STACK

e: Julianne.SpringHeavey@CDSLaw.ie

Solicitor

e: Mike.Stack@CDSLaw.ie

4 Denny Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry

 066 716 9033 www.CDSLaw.ie

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m r a WChristmeaestings Gr and Every Good Wish for 2022!

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Minister for Education & TD for Kerry.

Tralee, Co. Kerry.

Constituency Office. 1 Bridge Place, tas.ie T: 066 716 9052 | E: norma.foley@oireach

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