Hi everyone
Hard to believe its March already but it is good to see the evenings getting a little bit longer and the weather is certainly pleasant if a tad cold.
This month we are delighted to bring you a host of amazing ladies who do wonderful things in their businesses across the county and beyond. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we recognise the importance of women in the business role in our society but we also recognise and respect those ladies who have a career as a full time mom, carer or home maker, these are all very important roles in everyday life.
We chat with Carol Brick Kerry girl at heart living in Cork, she tells us the importance of managing our finances. We also met up with Karen Coakley Kenmare Foodie, on her love for food and juggling a busy life as a mum too. And of course, we have the fabulous Deirdre Walsh who shares with us her amazing bond with her fab daughter Olivia.
We have our Connect Kerry Hair and Beauty awards coming up on March 26th , its gearing up to be a fantastic day as always so stay tuned to our socials for all the latest updates.
Mother’s day is mid month March 19th so don’t forget to spoil and treat all those wonderful ladies who play the role of mother, carer supporter in your life, there are grannies, aunties, sisters and lots more who are vital in our lives so be sure to tell them how much they mean.
Enjoy your month and we will endeavour to keep you updated on all that is happening in the county everyday
The liver is one of the most important organs in the human body, and one of the hardest working. Helping our liver to function well is of huge importance to our physical and mental wellbeing. The filtering function of your liver means that unwanted toxins, microorganisms, metabolic waste and chemicals are constantly been removed from our bloodstream. Toxins do not build up in the liver, contrary to popular belief , in fact any toxins that cannot be removed are re-homed into our body’s fat reserves. But the liver is far more than just a filter, it restores vitality to our blood, the fuel of life.
Your liver works hard to keep you healthy, some tips to help support it include:
Avoid ingesting and absorbing chemicals.. through food, cosmetics and cleaning products. Switch to natural skincare and bodycare products. Use natural cleaning products where possible. Our healthstores stock a large range of these, so check them out.
Editor: Margaret Kissane
Office Enquiries: Cathriona Murphy
Print: Kingdom Printers
Graphic Design: Yevgen Kalynin
Editorial Contributors: 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
As well as being responsible for toxic waste removal, the liver also produces bile for digestion of fats and fat-soluble nutrients, helps produce and store vitamins A and D, regulates and removes excessive oestrogen. The liver has to work extremely hard when we are under stress, sleep deprived, struggling emotionally, when our diet is lacking in nutrition or consuming high levels of alcohol. In traditional Chinese medicine the liver is the boss when it comes to balanced energy supply, hormone health and emotional wellbeing. When you take steps to keep your liver supported and healthy you will notice benefits such as, clearer skin, more energy, improved digestive health with less bloating and better bowel function. If you would like more information on any of the products mentioned you can contact me instore and I will be happy to help.
Eat a wide variety of nutrient rich foods – the liver relies on a wide varied diet to provide it with the complex list of nutrients needed for neutralising toxins. Include a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, as well as good quality protein and wholegrain carbohydrates.
Use liver supportive herbs – there are many safe liver supportive herbs available here in the healthstores. Dandelion, Nettle or Milk thistle can offer ongoing liver support where appropriate. We will always advise you which one is more suitable for your specific needs. ACTIVE LIVER is an excellent supplement in tablet form that assists in promoting a healthy liver and helps you detox on a daily basis. I am also a big fan of the Irish brand MACANTA’S MILK THISTLE COMPLEX. This one a day capsule is a powerful combination of liver supportive herbs along with the immune boosting benefits of Vitamin C.
Until next time, stay healthy Deirdre
MARCH 2023
WEDNESDAY 1ST MARCH
DÉ CÉADAOIN 1 MÁRTA
LAUNCH OF KERRY MONTH OF ENTERPRISE
Business Breakfast
Enterprise Ireland & IDA 9am - 10am
THURSDAY 2ND MARCH
DÉARDAOIN 2Ú MÁRTA
Mentoring Clinic
-Basic Bookkeeping
NEWKD
NEWKD (Tralee), Áras an Phobail
10am - 2pm
ÚnaG "Straitéisí Margaíochta Digiteacha chu do Ghnó a Fhorbairt" / Digital Marketing Strategies to Empower your Business 1 Údarás na Gaeltachta
Forbairt na Dromoda Teo (Uíbh Ráthach)
9.30am - 11.30am
FRIDAY 3RD MARCH
DÉ HAOINE 3Ú MÁRTA
Prize for Innovation Final* Munster Technological University
MONDAY 6TH MARCH
DÉ LUAIN 6Ú MÁRTA
First Steps to Export Success
Local Enterprise Office National Spotlight
Event
9:30am - 11:30am
Business Grant Aid Mentoring
Local Enterprise Office Kerry
10am - 11:30am
BTWEA Information Clinic
A FOUR WEEK SPOTLIGHT ON ENTERPRISE ACTIVITIES IN KERRY SPOTSHOLAS CEITHRE SEACHTAINE AR GHNÍOMHAÍOCHTAÍ FIONTRAÍOCHTA I GCIARRAÍ
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND BOOKING DETAILS VISIT WWW.KMOE.IE
–Self Employment SupportsCahersiveen
SKDP offices, West Main St., Cahersiveen
10am - 12pm
ÚnaG/MolTeic: Scileanna
Smaointeoireachta Criticiúla a fhorbairt: drochargóintí a aithint i dteachtaireachtaí maithe / Engaging
Your Critical Thinking Skills: Spotting Bad Arguments in Good Messages with Kevin Power
Údarás na Gaeltachta
Mol Teic and Daingin
10am - 12pm
BTWEA Information Clinic
–Self Employment Supports - Killarney
SKDP, 37 High Street, Killarney
10am - 12pm
ÚnaG Rochtain ar Mhargaí Nua sna
Stáit Aontaithe/Accessing New Markets in the United States
11am - 1pm
Business Proposition Model & Market Validation Workshop
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 1 Munster Technological Univeristy
Tom Crean Business Centre
6pm - 8:30pm
Tech TuesdayLinkedIn for Business*
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers
Munster Technological University
Tom Crean Business Centre
12pm - 2pm
WEDNESDAY 8TH MARCH
DÉ CÉADAOIN 8Ú MÁRTA
Website Review Clinic
Local Enterprise Office Kerry
1 hour mentoring session
THURSDAY 9TH MARCH
DÉARDAOIN 9Ú MÁRTA
Cybersecurity Skills for SMEs
Local Enterprise Office Kerry
10am - 12pm
TikTok for Business Training
IRD Duhallow Skillnet
10am - 1pm
ÚnaG Dlí Fostaíochta (HR Suite)
/ ÚnaG Employment Law Update (HR Suite)
Údarás na Gaeltachta
gteic@Corca Dhuibhne
11am - 1pm
TechBrew – Intrepreneurship growing our region*
Tech Industry Alliance, Tralee Chamber Alliance, Cork Chamber and Munster Technological University
RDI Hub, Killorglin
11:30am - 1pm
Drive Cost Saving with Lean
LEO National Spotlight Event
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Market Opportunity Workshop
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 1
Munster Technological University
6pm - 8:30pm
Start Your Own Business
-8 week evening course
Local Enterprise Office Kerry
6:30pm - 9pm
FRIDAY 10TH MARCH
DÉ HAOINE 10Ú MÁRTA
Planning Your HR Priorities for 2023 - Employment Law
Update webinar
Local Enterprise Office Kerry
Ballygarry Estate Hotel, Tralee
9.30am - 11am
Business Plan Review
Mentoring
Local Enterprise Office Kerry
Contact for times
Business Advice Mentoring
Local Enterprise Office Kerry
Contact for times
Innovate For Business Success 2023
LEO National Spotlight Event
10am - 11:30am
MONDAY 13TH MARC
DÉ LUAIN 13Ú MÁRTA
Enterprise workshop - How to advertise on Facebook and Instagram
NEWKD
1:30pm - 4:30pm
Pitching Skills Workshop
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers
Phase 1
Munster Technological University
6pm - 9:30pm
TUESDAY 14TH MARCH
DÉ MÁIRT 14Ú MÁRTA
ÚnaG Craobh Réigiúnach na Mumhan de Chlár na gComhlachtaí ÚnaG do scoileanna Gaeltachta / ÚnaG Munster
Regional Final of Junior Achievement Awards for Gaeltacht Schools
Údarás na Gaeltachta / gteic@An Dromaid Programme participants only.
JAI Clár na gComhlachtaí
10am - 3pm
BTWEA Information Clinic - Self Employment Supports - Killorglin
SKDP offices, Library Place, Killorglin
10am - 12pm
Investor Pitches
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 2 Munster Technological University
WEDNESDAY 15TH MARCH
DÉ CÉADAOIN 15Ú MÁRTA
Investor Pitches
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers
Phase 2
Munster Technological University
BTWEA Information Clinic – Self Employment Supports - Kenmare
SKDP
SKDP, 21 Henry St., Kenmare
10am - 12pm
Excel Advance Training (Runs until 12th April)
IRD Duhallow Skillnet
5 x 1.5 hour sessions, 9:30am - 11:00am
Enterprise Workshop - Costing & Pricing your product or service
NEWKD
NEWKD (Tralee), Áras an Phobail
10am - 12pm
Marketing and Digital Marketing & Selling Online Workshop
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 1 Munster Technological University
6pm - 9:30pm
WEEK 4
MONDAY 20TH MARCH
DÉ LUAIN 20Ú MÁRTA
Financial & Accounting Workshop
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 1
Munster Technological University
6pm - 9:30pm
TUESDAY 21ST MARCH
DÉ MÁIRT 21Ú MÁRTA
County Final Of Student
Enterprise Awards
Local Enterprise Office Kerry Munster Technological University
8:30am - 1pm
Kerry Start-up Challenge
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Munster Technological University
9am - 2pm
‘ÚnaG Forbairt na Fiontraíochta Shóisialta – ceardlann phraiticiúil, tacaíochtaí agus maoiniú / ‘ÚnaG Developing Social Enterprise – a practical workshop, supports and funding availability Údarás na Gaeltachta gteic@Baile na Sceilg
2pm - 4pm
WEDNESDAY 22ND MARCH
DÉ CÉADAOIN 22Ú MÁRTA
Sales Workshop
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 1
Munster Technological University
6pm - 9:30pm
THURSDAY 23RD MARCH
DÉARDAOIN 23Ú MÁRTA
Snapchat for business training
IRD Duhallow Skillnet
10am - 1pm
Upskilling for the futureRevolutionising How We Learn!
Duhallow Skillnet / Rural Food Skillnet / South Kerry Skillnet / South West Gno
RDI Hub Killorglin
Contact for time
ÚnaG “Straitéisí Margaíochta
Digiteacha chun do Ghnó a Fhorbairt” / Digital Marketing
Strategies to Empower your Business 2
Údarás na Gaeltachta
Forbairt na Dromoda (Uíbh Ráthach) gteic@ An Dromaid
10am - 1pm
FRIDAY 24TH MARCH
DÉ HAOINE 24Ú MÁRTA
The Next Key Ingredient for Artisan Food Producers' Business - Digital Transformation
The Kerry Food Hub, Firies
WEEK 5
MONDAY 27TH MARCH
DÉ LUAIN 27Ú MÁRTA
Legal Consideration When Setting Up a Business Workshop
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Phase 1 Munster Technological University
TUESDAY 28TH MARCH
DÉ MÁIRT 28Ú MÁRTA
Phase 2 Information Session
Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Munster Technological University
Tom Crean Business Centre
1pm - 2pm
WEDNESDAY 29TH MARCH
DÉ CÉADAOIN 29Ú MÁRTA
AgriTech Cluster Industry Event* Munster Technological University
11am - 3pm
ÚnaG Bainistíocht Fuinnimh
Inbhuanaithe do ghnó / Sustainability Energy Management for business
Údarás na Gaeltachta
gteic@An Dromaid with South West Gnó Skillnet
10am - 12pm
THURSDAY 30 MARCH
DÉARDAOIN 30Ú MÁRTA
Cantillon 2023: Transforming Mindsets Munster Technological University
9am - 11am
Business Leaders Gala Dinner
Kerry Innovation Centre
The Rose Hotel, Tralee
6:30pm - 11pm
FRIDAY 31ST MARCH
DÉ HAOINE 31Ú MÁRTA
Social Enterprise Information Event
NEWKD
10am - 1pm
CLOSE OF KERRY MONTH OF ENTERPRISE
By Cathriona Murphy
In celebration of International Women’s Day, I wanted to bring our readers a cover story featuring a strong, successful, local woman. I instantly thought of Carol Brick. Growing up on a farm in the North Kerry village of Kilmoyley, Carol went on to graduate from UCD and start the highly successful CWM Wealth Management and HerMoney. I had a chat with Carol to get some insight into her world and possibly a few financial tips, god knows we all need them!
Carol, can you tell our readers about your background and early career?
I am originally a North Kerry woman myself, from the Kilmoyley area. I was educated there in the local primary school and came from a dairy farming background. After doing my leaving certificate in the Presentation in Tralee, I went on to UCD. I knew from a very early age that business was going to be the way forward for me because going into 5th year, I dropped basically every subject that
wasn’t business related! After graduating UCD with a degree in Economics and Sociology, I went to America for a year and a half and then came back to take part in the graduate program with the Bank of Ireland. Having always planned to go down the route of accounting, I soon figured out it wasn’t where I wanted to be. I still did 6 years in an accounting role with Bank of Ireland but I knew I wanted to diverse into a more advisory role. At that time there was no position in the bank in that role with very little scope also to develop a position to move into another department. At the height of the boom when my shares in the bank where at their highest I decided to leave the bank, when everyone else weas trying to get in! I left in 2006 and gained a position as a financial advisor for a very large pensions provider here in Ireland which really kick started my career as a financial advisor. From there I went on to set up CWM which is my wealth management company and where I have been for the last 15 years.
With 15 years in business, how is the future of the brand looking, any exciting plans for it in store?
Yes! We are celebrating 15 years in business this year which is very exciting for us. We are actually expanding and re-branding as we speak! In 2016 I opened up a separate division which is a financial advisory service ran by women for women, hermoney.ie, which has proven very successful for us. It is all going very well thankfully! We have big plans for 2023 with the expansion and rebranding. When I started in 2008 I had one staff member and hoping to be a team of 20 by the end of this year. The Hermoney.ie side of the business has seen big growth and now with the rebranding of CWM, which by the way is a sister company of an international accounting company called Contracting Plus, will see us busier than ever before. We are rebranding to Contracting Plus Financial Services to sit more in line with our sister companies branding. So with 3 new senior staff having started in the last month alone, we are really excited for what is ahead for us.
Has there been a shift in Ireland in women becoming more savvy and in control of their finances?
There has been thankfully! The reason I set up my service was that we carried out some research back before we opened HerMoney back in 2016 and the results were startling! Professional women come to me every day through CWM, some of them may have taken time off to raise kids so they are short service. They were, in the past, slow enough to come and seek advice to sort their own financial affairs out independently and it’s great to see the increase in women
that are taking action, but still a lot of them aren’t. Even in my own private life for example, a lot of my friends would come to me and they range from doctors to restaurant owners, physiotherapists, radiographers etc and they have absolutely no idea in what they have in place and more worryingly, no idea of what they need. They might be high earners with children and have absolutely no protection in place for situations such as illness or premature death. HerMoney is more of a financial education and counselling service, a lot of what we do there is employment based presentations. We were in Stryker for the month of January and are now heading into CUH where we will be doing department based presentations starting with the radiotherapy department. But getting back to women, if you look at mortality rates the current life expectancy for females is 85, so if you are retiring at 66 that leaves almost 20 years that you have to be prepared for financially. You will have worked long enough so you want to enjoy that time off so it’s very important to prepare for it. The goal is to maximise the amount of your contribution to prepare for it. Women, historically have been out of the workforce for many reasons including child rearing, looking after elderly parents etc so they are missing out on all of those financial state pension contributions. The one question we ask clients that come to see us is, do you know how much of a total pot you need to have a comfortable retirement? So where we want our clients to be is that they know exactly what they need in the pot to fund X pension per annum. Most people pay PRSI so they would be entitled to the state pension but few know exactly how much that even is! So in addition to knowing this figure you need
to ask yourself, how much do you need to top this up with a private pension to achieve the annual income that you need. For example we have professionals here that could be earning up to €150,000 a year and the grim reality is that when they get to 66 that figure drops to €12,000 a year on state pension. So if you haven’t been actively contributing to a pension, you are going to see a severe drop in your annual income.
Do you think people see the term wealth management and think it’s not for them or they don’t earn enough for it?
That is one of the reasons we are rebranding because wealth management can sound out of reach for the average earner? What we want to achieve is to offer financial advice, financial counselling and advising on products accordingly, ensuring they are not tied to a particular provider. We have become known as a financial information giver rather than a company that just tries to sell products. A lot of brokers gave all of us a bad name in the past by trying to just sell the most expensive product onto their client and I personally believe that’s wrong.
For those thinking about a first time consultation, what can they expect in the process?
The first consultation is absolutely free, with the most reputable advisors in Ireland. So whether that takes place over phone, zoom or in person it is usually free. We sit down and have a chat and just try and identify what your
position is and how exactly we can help you. More importantly we use this time to build a relationship with the client. We have over 4,000 clients and are proud of the personal relationship we have with each of them.
This means if something happens they know they have only to pick up the phone and chat to us, let us know what’s happening. So in essence, it’s not just about selling them the pension and off they go. We try an evaluate as much as possible just what their financial position is , that comes from getting to know our client which is built during the extensive fact find process that we go through. The more information we can gather means the better we can help them because we are in a clearer position in where they sit financially.
We are unfortunately in the midst of a well-documented cost of living crisis, what advice would you give to help us navigate it?
A financial review is always a great thing to do, if you haven’t done one in the last few years, this year is the best time to do one by far. We have a 10 point plan when it comes to a financial review process, it’s almost like conducting an annual personal audit. A lot of our clients that take the time to do it even without buying a product find it very beneficial and also find themselves saving money straight away. This is completely free and it’s a great opportunity to take away some invaluable financial advice and tools such a savings spreadsheet. Most importantly is that a regular review is so necessary, whether it’s a financial review, setting up income protection or pensions, you need to keep on top of it regularly. Things change constantly, this cost of living crisis didn’t exist only a few years ago, people become parents and therefore have dependants to take care of so financial preparation is really the key.
In an industry saturated with male dominance, do you think women are intimidated about competing for these high power positions or are their changes to this?
Personally, we are doing a lot more work in trying to engage more female professionals into the industry and thankfully its changing but just very gradually. I would have no problem recommending this career to any woman, its extremely rewarding. It really is like being a counsellor in some ways and if you have good interpersonal skills, good analytical skills well then I would recommend it. The take up of women in senior roles is increasing which is very good to see. Now in terms of broker and owners, I am probably one of only 10 in this country. The big industry day outs can still be a little bit daunting for some, there is no doubt about that, but overall the improvement in balance is good. We engage with UCC and MIT quite a lot to get on board interested graduates in full time roles and work placement roles too, so in that regard we do try and hire as many women as possible directly from college.
You mentioned engagement with colleges, do you think the links and network opportunities are working to the advantage of the employer or could more be done in those terms?
Like everything else, it is improving with time. It’s not as good as it could be, we really have to go actively looking for graduates as opposed to the university’s reaching out to more companies like us. So it is quite surprising that it us, the companies, that have to do most of the work there. Going back to when I was in University in UCD, there was international recruitment fairs where every single industry you could think of was represented, you could have 600/700 exhibitors so even events like this could be of huge benefit to all.
Finally Carol, what would be your parting advice to our readers?
Financial advice can be quite jargony and can put people off so don’t let that get to you, just pick up the phone. Also I find that people sometimes mistakenly think that financial advice is expensive, it’s certainly not. As I mentioned previously, most advisors will offer the first consultation free and you might just get everything you’re looking for on the one consult. I think in the long run, a lot of people are just frightened to sit down and talk about their finances and we want to take the stigma away from that.
For more information check out www.cwmwealthmanagement.ie
Karen Coakley, otherwise known as the Kenmare Foodie, is a successful Food Blogger and Home Cook based in Kenmare. A mom to 4 boys whilst running a nationally successful business and profile, I wanted to see what her secret to having it all really is? I sat with Karen recently in the spirit of International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day to get to know more about the Woman behind the brand.
Can you tell us about your own experience in becoming a Mom, what it felt like, fears, anxieties?
I became a Mom at 19, almost 30 years ago so my experience of being a 1st time mom was very different to most. We weren’t married and faced a very different Ireland back then. Thank God it has changed as it was a scary time for us but once he was born everything fell into place. I threw myself into motherhood and have loved every second of being a mother to my children since. It has also been wonderful being a young mother when he was growing, we have a very close relationship. People have always mistaken us for brother and sister.
The bond between a mother and her child is something quite special, can you tell us the things you love most about being a Mom?
Celebrating their milestones and even the smallest of achievements. Making our family memories. The simple pleasure of having them with me, I am happiest when we are all together. We have always loved picnics when they were little and days out together. Now that they are older and grown up it is time together around the kitchen table or on our deck and the odd weekend away or night out too. I also am happiest cooking for them and knowing they will always connect with me through food and food memories.
Can you share with us perhaps an aspect that you struggled with?
Having twins was my biggest struggle. Coping with 2 babies and knowing how different it was having a single baby made me feel like I was failing as you can’t physically give each of them the time you gave the others and I was taken over by guilt. Simple things like going for coffee, shopping, loading them into the car, eating out suddenly became difficult with two. But as with all things that passed and I have to say now that being a Mom to twins is very very special.
Is there something you know now about motherhood that you wish someone would have told you? Advice, tips etc?
We only have our children on loan so don’t sweat the little stuff, trust your instincts and leave an opening for conversations, btw as they grow the best and most important conversations usually take place in the car. Take all the hugs. the cuddles and kisses. I lost my 1st cousin in a drowning accident when I was 13, he was 15. I tell mine I love them every time they walk out of the house, step out of the car or hang up the phone because none of us know which day may be our last.
Do you feel there are challenges facing this generation of Mom’s that perhaps previous generations didn’t face?
I don’t know, I think every generation has had their challenges but I think this generation has the pressure of activities. Activities are great for kids but not to the detriment of family time and rest is important too. Parents are juggling work, homework, housework, me time and on the road constantly to various things. It is ok to take downtime.
You have a very successful career, did you find it hard to navigate this and parent at the same time?
To be fair I spent most of their lives as a stay home Mom so this is all new to me and them and all happened very accidentally through my presence on Social Media. A lot of what I do aside from the Food Tours I do from home so I can work around that and they sometimes help me with the Food Tours and Cookery demos now. I did work full time up until my oldest was 4 and then worked 3 days a week when his brother was born for the following 2 years. I really hated being away from them. I had to give up work when we moved
to Kenmare and from then I was at home and I loved it. I did part time restaurant work for a few years and that gave me the perfect balance of home by day and out to work in the evening.
What advice would you give to women who have just had a baby and maybe considering their return to the workplace?
Have a good support system in place and go easy on yourself. There is huge pressure on us to be all things to all people but we can’t pour from an empty cup. Don’t be afraid to trust your partner with housework, shopping etc as it will all help to lighten your load and share as much of the household responsibilities as you can.
In a world driven by social media, what advice would you give to Mom’s who feel intimidated or pressured to live up to the Instagram perfect image of what a Mom should look and act like?
Very little on Instagram is real and you only ever see a snippet of a person's life which might not be as they portray it. If an account you follow is making you feel inadequate, doubt yourself or feel like you are failing then unfollow. I only follow accounts who add value to my Social Media experience. There is no such thing as the perfect life or the perfect parents. Life is full of ups and downs and learning as we go through life.
Can you give our readers your top tips to surviving parenthood?
Keep calm and carry on.
When they go high then you go low.
They will never eat all the vegetables so don’t pressure yourself.
You will always embarrass your teens until they go to College then they will arrive home with all the laundry and you’re the best all of a sudden.
Can you give our readers some insight into how you built your current business model?
My business has all happened by accident. Despite being busy I find it hard to think of it as a business as it only ever
started as a hobby and things accidentally happened and it grew. It started when my now 15 year old twins were toddlers, documenting our life in a gorgeous part of the world and sharing our family food. If you told me then that I would be cooking on Live TV, running Online Cooking Groups and Food Tours I’d have told you that you were raving. I have loved every second of this journey and just gone with the flow.
What have been the highlights and challenges of your career journey?
The biggest highlight was being asked to do a screen test for The Today Show and getting it and also working with a German TV crew last summer for a show that aired on DMAX TV across Europe showing off the best of Kenmare/ South Kerry and local food. Also getting my Food Tours up and running and them being named one of the Top 10 Food Tours in Europe in The Irish Independent up there with Tours in many European Capitals. The biggest challenge is working alone and self-doubt. What I do is very different and very niche so I miss the support of having others to bounce off.
What advice can you give to someone currently considering starting their own business?
Get good support and advice from the beginning. There are a lot of mentoring programmes available so take full advantage of all of that. Do your research and networking.
And finally, with Mother’s Day and International Women’s Day falling in the same month, what are you most proud about in terms of being a successful Business Woman?
Kind of funny that I don’t see myself as that at all but I am very proud of my Food Tours and the amazing producers that they show case, many of them successful women working with their partners and families in the Food and Tourism business in Kerry.
You can follow Karen and get her must have family recipes on Snapchat, Twitter @kenmarefoodie, Instagram @kenmare_foodie and Facebook.com/KenmareFoodie
By Cathriona Murphy
One of Kerry’s most beloved daytime entertainers, Deirdre Walsh is almost like part of the family, part of the daily routine here in the kingdom of Kerry. Gracing the airways with her humour, compassion and entertaining content you would be forgiven for momentarily forgetting her voice is coming from the radio and not from a guest in the kitchen having a chat over coffee!
I recently approached Deirdre about taking part in this Mother’s Day feature, a chance for us to get to know a different side to her. In this candid and refreshingly honest interview, Deirdre opens up on the joys, struggles, ups and downs of motherhood and gives her top tips to surviving it all!
Can you tell us about your own experience in becoming a Mom, what it felt like, fears, anxieties?
I came to motherhood late in life – I was 42 when I had my only child, Olivia, who is now 12. It was a massive shock to the system, because we’d been married for 10 years and were used to a hectic social life! All that changed when this tiny baby arrived. I was completely clueless, I had never changed a nappy in my life and knew nothing about babies. I reckon I made every mistake in the book, and was in a constant state of anxiety for the first few years of her life. You’d imagine that being an older mother would mean I was more relaxed, but the opposite was the case.
The bond between a mother and her child is something quite special, can you tell us the things you love most about being a Mom? The thing I love most, is the fun and the laughs we have. We laugh at the same stupid things. We have an incredible bond, and now that she’s older, we do the ‘girly’ things together, like shopping. I love hanging out with her.
Can you share with us perhaps an aspect that you struggled with?
I struggled a lot when she was small. Every time she had a temperature or was off-form, I’d panic. It took a long time for me to trust my own instincts. The other big struggle was that she was a colicky baby – for the first three months or so, she barely slept!
Is there something you know now about motherhood that you wish someone would have told you? Advice, tips etc?
I wish I’d known that small children tend to pick up a lot of bugs and viruses, and that it’s all normal and part of building their immune system. I had a path worn to my own GP for the first two years of Olivia’s life and practically had SouthDoc on speed-dial
Do you have any rituals, dedicated time that you spend with your child to have that one on one time?
Because Olivia is an only child, she gets plenty of one-on-one time from me and her dad. We have a lot of common interests, particularly sport. I try to be at all of her football and basketball games, work permitting. Outside of that, we like to curl up on the couch together and watch movies at the weekends.
Did you find it hard to continue a successful career and parent at the same time?
‘Mom guilt’ was definitely a thing for me. It has lessened now that she’s older and more independent, but it was very hard to leave her and head out to work when she was small. Luckily, we had a fantastic childminder, Marian, who lives near us and became like a second mother to Olivia. Even though I hated leaving her in the mornings, I always knew she was in safe hands.
What advice would you give to women who have just had a baby and maybe considering their return to the workplace?
Take as much maternity leave as you can afford! I went back to work after four months and in hindsight, I should have taken longer. And don’t beat yourself up if you end up bringing the baby into bed with you!
How, in your opinion, can employers help make the transition as comfortable for women as they can?
In an ideal world, it would be nice to return to work at a gradual
pace – starting off at three days a week and gradually building it up. That wouldn’t have been possible in my line of work, because my job is to present a daily radio show, five days a week. But it would probably make the transition much easier for women in other lines of work. I was totally torn when I returned to the office, because I love my job, but I constantly felt I was falling short, both as a mother and in the workplace.
In a world driven by social media, what advice would you give to Mom’s who feel intimidated or pressured to live up to the Instagram perfect image of what a Mom should look like? My advice would be – ignore all that stuff. You won’t have time for scrolling through Instagram anyway – you’ll be too busy trying to keep a tiny person alive and not lose your mind!
Finally Deirdre, can you give our readers your top 5 tips to surviving parenthood?
1. Some other mothers will tell you their babies sleep through the night/never cry/eat all their vegetables. They’re lying. Take no notice.
2. Set aside time every day for ‘quality time’ with your child, when it’s just the two of you.
3. If you think there’s something bothering them, take them for a drive. You’d be surprised how much they open up on a car journey.
4. Don’t lie to your children about family problems or illnesses. Tell them the truth, in age-appropriate language.
5. Get them involved in sport, regardless of their ability. They’ll learn vital life lessons, like how to win and lose. And most importantly, they’ll make loads of new friends
You can catch Deirdre every weekday from 1.30-3pm on her Radio Kerry show – Talkabout with Deirdre
When it comes to Easter our first thoughts turn to all that tempting chocolate!! But if you are a parent, your first thoughts are most likely going to be about having the kids at home for 2 whole weeks listening to the same sentences on repeat “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do. I’m bored”. . . . and so on! So why not take the time to relax and reconnect with each other, no housework, no cooking just pure and simple family time. I have looked around to handpick some of my personal favourites and trust me, as a mom to a teenager, the first thing I checked for was the complimentary WIFI!!
From €289 per night on a SelfCatering Basis, this package comes with access to a leisure centre with children's pool and a playground onsite. The restaurant has a dedicated kids area and if Mom and Dad want some alone time, there is and available Kids Club which please note charges do apply. The luxury self catering 4 star cottages are located in and around the grounds of the hotel in such a discreet way you will feel completely disconnected from the outside world whist having the chance to reconnect with each other! You can book now at https://www.kenmarebayhotel. com/book/
Located in the heart of Tralee, the luxurious 4 star Rose Hotel is perfectly situated next to the Aqua Dome and Town Park. Their Easter break package includes a two night stay in a Classic Bedroom with Full Irish Breakfast served in the Park Restaurant. Four course evening meal, for adults, in the Park Restaurant, on one evening of your choice. Children's Tea is included for our junior guests & will be served at 5.30pm. Family Pass to the Aqua Dome, one of Ireland's largest indoor water worlds just a few minutes' walk from the hotel.
Complimentary Kids Club, (for children from 4 years+), from 6.30pm-9pm each evening, from 8th-15th April inclusive). For bookings visit www.therosehotel.com
Located in the heart of Killarney town centre, the Killarney Park Hotel offers easy access to Kerry’s stunning coastline while still benefitting from being in the vibrant town – with easy walking distance to all that Killarney has to offer. They currently have an amazing Spring Break offer which I think might be suitable for a couple getaway because why not! It includes a complimentary room upgrade, complimentary chilled bottle of champagne with a full breakfast included. For booking please visit www.killarneyparkhotel.ie
Just a short drive from Banna and Fenit Beaches and a short drive from Tralee town centre
Overnight accommodation in one of our spacious family rooms, mocktails on arrival for all the family. You will also enjoy dining credit, full Irish breakfast the following morning, Family pass to Kerry County Museum where the whole family can experience the streets (and smells!) of medieval Tralee, dig up skeletons, investigate a medieval murder with the Bone investigators and explore Kerry’s hidden history on Pangur Bans Discovery Trail. In addition
to all of this you can enjoy complimentary wifi and inroom colouring activities. For booking information please visit www.ballyroe.com
With the days getting longer and flowers appearing everywhere you look, Spring’s definitely arrived! As the garden starts growing again, there’s plenty to do to get it looking good this Spring. Here are our top gardening tips for March in association with the Listowel Garden Centre.
Thankfully March sees the end of the frost and frozen weather. Soil temperatures are on the rise and once soil reaches about 6 degrees celsius, grass growth begins, lawnmowers will be fired up again and you can’t beat the smell of cut grass and a sunny Spring afternoon.
Spring is an important time for getting on top of weeds before they take light and water from the plants you want. You can also mulch your borders in early spring, provided the soil is moist, and there is still space to get in between the plants.
It's important to stay on top of weeds in March otherwise the task can get away on you. We have a range of Glyphosate free weedkillers available, and also recommend a Destrol weedkiller especially for hard surfaces like gravel, as it keeps the weed from germinating.
Pruning hydrangeas
Prune hydrangeas in March. Look for a set of healthy strong buds and then cut the old flower heads back to just above them. For mature or congested plants, you can also take out some of the older growth to encourage it to reshoot from the base.
Prune bush roses before St. Patrick’s Day. Removing all dead, damaged and crossing branches and shortening stems by a third. Prune climbing roses, too, if not already done in winter. Start feeding roses with rose food or potassium-based fertiliser. A top tip would to use Roseclear from March until July, it’s a preventive and should be used every second week.
1. The soil is warm and the grass is growing. Begin the year with a light cut –just removing the top of the grass to give your lawn a neat appearance
2. Gradually reduce the height of your cut during the month of March until you have reached your desired height
3. You should only need to cut your grass twice over the month.
4. If your lawn is looking old you can treat it with a lawn weed, feed and moss killer. Start applying now and continue through the month, then rake out using a spring rake to scarify your lawn.
5. This is a good month for preparing and sowing new lawns
1. The beginning of the month is the last chance to transplant trees and shrubs and care must be taken when doing so
2. Last chance to hard prune plants including Salix (Willow), Cornus (Dogwood), Buddelia (Butterfly Bush) and Sambucus (Elder)
3. Water in recently planted trees and shrubs & ensure trees are secure and well rooted in the ground
4. Begin feeding your garden plants; a general feed, high in nitrogen e.g Gromore is suitable for this time of year
Spring Bulbs:
Bulbs are the perfect way to add dramatic colour to the garden, plant up pots and containers or fill whole borders with clumps of these exquisite flowers. Remember, most garden bulbs should be planted as soon as they are bought.
You will find spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips in garden centres from August to November and summer flowering bulbs such as lilies and dahlias from January to April.
Deadhead daffodils and other spring bulbs as they fade, but leave the foliage to die back – don’t tie or plait it as this stops the leaves from being able to make food for next year’s flowers.
Vegetable Sowing:
This is the month that growth begins and a time for gardeners to get sowing in the vegetable gardens. March truly is when all the fun begins.
Dig compost or well-rotted farmyard manure into vegetable beds to boost nutrient levels ready for the year’s crops.
Summer Bulbs:
The perfect time to start planting your summer bulb display is usually around mid-March when the weather has started to get a bit warmer. With a little forward planning, magnificent displays can easily be created.
Bulbs, tubers, roots and corms will fill your summer garden with an array of colour, depth and variety. What’s more they will continue to do so for many years to come meaning that you can enjoy the gorgeous displays for years on end.
Bulbs are one of the most easiest and rewarding plants to grow and take up very little space in your garden borders so they are ideal for filling in any gaps.
Start feeding your plants again from St.Patrick’s day onwards, give ericaceous plants like camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers and blueberries a special feed with ericaceous fertiliser.
Viola, Pansy, Senetti are the perfect plants for your pots and containers. Our Garden Centre is bursting with colour, feel free to drop in your containers and we will gladly pot them up for you. And don’t forget Mother’s Day, Sunday March 19th, we have an array of gifts to choose from all under the one roof.
Brian de Staic designs and creates distinctive Jewellery that is inspired by the Irish landscape and culture and worn by people all over the world.
The Jewelry is inspired by Ireland’s rich archaeological heritage, The Dingle Peninsula and the creativity of the artist Brian de Staic.
From the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s leading goldsmith, a modern master, embraces age-old traditions to create beautiful jewellery that is timeless and made to be treasured forever.
We will celebrate 42 years in business in this year 1981 -2023
I'm a proud Irish Mammy with three handsome boys, Seán, Dara & Cian. A beautiful granddaughter Fiadh, thanks to Seán and his beautiful wife Megan. I run Brian de Staic Jewellery with my husband, love him & my job
Our business is predominantly retail based but also provides Jewellery services for customers.
Childhood: I was born and raised in 19, High Street, Killarney. My parents had a bar, grocery shop, restaurant and guest house. There were 4 children. We all helped out in the business. There was a very large counter in the shop.
My mother always quoted : “A yard of counter is better than a small farm”
I met Brian in April 1980 and after a few dates he told me he was a jeweller.
Me : “ Are you telling me you are a qualified jeweller???? “
Brian : “yah” A man of many words !!
I was in love with him from day one
Me: “why don’t you start making jewellery and open a shop???”
Opening Brian de Staic Jewellery in Green Street, Dingle in 1981 was second nature to me as I was reared in a family business in High Street, Killarney.
Brian is a qualified jeweller, he did a 7 year apprenticeship in Cork He attended the College of Art at night to study art and design. He also worked with a talented hand engraver to learn hand engraving skills.
I’m a Secondary School Teacher by profession. A secure teaching post was a great help to set up our business.
I was very fortunate to get a job in Coláiste Íde, Dingle the only all Irish boarding school for girls in Ireland.
I loved my job, my colleagues and most of all my talented students.
I was available to work in the jewellery shop when we had school holidays.
I studied Art for my Leaving Cert. We were taught how to design posters, book covers & adverts. This helped me to market our business - no internet to teach you that time!! My marketing skills were invaluable in the early days.
I also studied speech and drama to final grade which gave me confidence to do public speaking, radio and television.
I was invited by Fr. Hickey to join an amateur drama group Áisteoirí Bhréanainn. I got to know so many people - we had great times travelling to all the other Gaeltachts to compete in the féilte drámaíochta. I loved the stage. A great opportunity to meet people when you are new to the community. We’re all friends to this day.
We both believe the Irish Language was a very important part of our success. Differentiation is key in marketing, and using the Irish language at home & abroad helped to generate business. It was unusual to brand products in Irish back then - a novel idea.
We live in a Gaeltacht, Irish speaking area. Most of our Collections have Irish names. Our brand name de Staic is Irish.
November 2022 Brian de Staic honoured with 3 Gold Medals by Glór na nGael for signage, marketing, branding and service in Irish. 85 companies honoured , only 17 received 3 gold medals The Award ceremony was held in Dublin Castle.
Business Address : The Wood Dingle, Co.Kerry V92 TE81
Telephone:+353 66 9151298
Email: info@briandestaic.com
Website: www.briandestaic.com
Facebook : BriandeStaicJewellery
Instagram : @briandestaicjewellers
Twitter : @BrianDeStaic
LinkedIn: Mairead de Staic
Hello, my name is Helen O Sullivan Murphy and I am the proprietor of O Sullivans Bakery. My Grandparents, Thomas and Margaret O’ Sullivan set up the business in 1952. My Grandfather had actually been managing a local public house and then when that closed down he went into the bakery trade. He went on to set up the bakery in April of 1952 in the garage in their back garden of their house on street. My Father then went on to bakery college himself and straight into the family business, his whole family would have been working in the business alongside him at different stages. But in the very early stage, it was just my Grandfather driving the van and we had 2 bakers.
We have been through and seen some very strange times that’s for sure. I think in situations like the Beast from the East and the recent lock downs, it’s made people more reliant on local businesses and local produce. The Beast from the East situation for example, it restricted the national players from travelling down, the roads were blocked and dangerous so travel for them became a non-runner. So, because the supply was reduced, they created the demand within Kerry. It’s one of our selling point, we can deliver and provide a product locally.
My husband is also self-employed in a completely different industry so for the two of us it’s certainly not easy. I have 3 daughters and they would have all come to work with me from 5 weeks old. We got them christened very young and they were in the bakery every day, they know all the staff, all the drivers and all their routes, they know it all! I can do a lot of my work remotely but if I need to go in, I have a room set up for them upstairs that they can do their homework if needs be. I remember, Orla was 5 weeks old and I needed to get a van serviced in Castleisland but Orla also needed her BCG. I dropped off the van, brought her to get her injection and back down to collect the van, so really you could catch me doing any kind of work!
As I grew up myself I always knew I wanted to get into the food business. My Father had always told me to go to college and get my degree to have something to fall back on. So after a year of travelling, I returned home in 1999 and became a permanent member of the family business making me the third generation of bakers within my family. I have three daughters now myself, they all like baking but whether they will grow to love it is another story! Only time will tell as they grow older will they want to be self-employed and manage people, we shall see!
On this International Women’s Day I am proud to come from a long line of strong, successful women. With having 3 daughters myself I hope to instil the same values in them that I was reared on and watch them frow into beautifully strong, independent women.
A wish made by Sydney harbour bridge on 31/12/1998 saw sisters Mags and Liz Horgan open Finesse Bridal Wear in January 2000. The sisters were living in Sydney at the time, Liz working in the equine industry and Mags working in fashion. Mags had long since wanted to open a bridal shop but was obviously anxious about going it alone. While watching the fireworks on new years eve in such an idyllic setting she persuaded Liz to go along with her dream. On returning back to Ireland the sisters took advice from their friend Finbar Quill, from Quills woollen mills and the rest is history. Mags confides that the stars aligned for them to realise their wish. "We had no money, no premises and really no idea where to start but after speaking to Finbar everything just seemed to fall into place.
Finesse Bridal Wear opened its doors on 18th January 2000 in the square in Listowel and moved to 69 Church Street 18 month later. The shop boasts a large dressing area which is private and gives the bride space to walk around while trying on the gowns. They stock leading designers from Ireland, Great Britain and Australia. They have over 150 different styles on their shop floor catering for every bride's taste and desires. Sizes range from size 8 to size 30 in the store which caters for all shapes and sizes. The ladies are very aware that most girls are not a standard size 10 so endeavour to purchase the
best styles that will enhance the figure of the bride no matter the size. They are currently very excited about a relatively new label for the curvy bride which is proving to be a great success. They also stock all the accessories that enhance the bridal gown, headpieces, veils and jewelry are all in store. This makes the bridal experience a much easier task when the bride can try on the various accessories with their chosen gown. They work by appointment which ensures a one to one private consultation for the bride to be.
Proprietor of Kitty O’ Se’s, Eileen Finucane told us “Kitty O’ Se’s is my business which I am so proud of and the team that I have around me, it wouldn’t be the business it is without them all. I believe I was born to serve, I thrive on it and it brings me immense joy seeing people come in as customers and leave as new friends. I feel privileged when people choose my restaurant to hold birthdays, anniversaries and any other occasion with our team here. We are open 7 days a week so pick up the phone and book a table, we cannot wait to serve you!”
Dining in Kitty O’ Se’s is all about the customer experience. From the moment you walk in the door, you will be greeted with warmth and a friendly welcoming smile. Once seated, they will leave you with their extensive menu to browse but are always delighted to recommend some of their favourite signature dishes. The guests satisfaction and overall dining experience is what matters the most to Eileen and her team, they will do everything to ensure that everyone leaving the restaurant is already planning their next visit! Because of this pride in customer excellence, Kitty O’ Se’s was the winner of Best Newcomer in the Hospitality Awards 2019, an accolade they are immensely proud of.
The restaurant itself has been designed with an intimately warm and chic interior. Set with blue and green tones, evoking thoughts of afternoons spent lazing by the ocean eating the freshest produce. Eileen prides herself on providing just that, the freshest produce that Kerry has to offer, from sea to land, the turnover time ensures the quality is of the very best. Eileen and her team work very closely with local suppliers of both fish and meat, handpicking the very best on offer.
Supplier of the sea food: Star Seafoods Killarney, Dalys Seafood Carchiveen and all meats supplied by Brendan Mahony Butchers Listowel
For more information please contact on new email of kittyoses@gmail.com or phone (064) 663 9471
It's an absolute pleasure to be writing this piece for Connect Kerry to celebrate woman in business and international woman's day 2023.
Reflecting on the past few months, knowing the challenges businesses have faced, to now seeing businesses thrive and continue to grow is nothing but incredible.
From a very young age I have always had a desire to own a hair and Beauty salon.
My passion is to have a working environment that is fun and enjoyable for stylists while providing the best service to our clients.
I have a powerful team by my side at HairWorks. Seeing the girls happy in their workplace, I am confident I'm going in the right direction in my career.
We come together to grow HairWorks from strength to strength. I might be the salon owner but I certainly know I would not be where I am today with out a hardworking and talented team.
In the past six years that I've owned HairWorks it has expanded from a hair salon to a hair and beauty salon offering men and woman a wide range of services. The salon has been renovated to give you the best experience and we have much more to come.
Prior to HairWorks I was a cosmetic manager for over 10 years. I continue to share the knowledge that I've learned in skin care in make up with young girls teaching classes along side Vicky o Sullivan on zoom classes through NEWKD an organisation to help young men and woman find employment in this field. We can now hold these courses in person and we have a plan in place for the next coming weeks. Each course includes hygiene knowledge, make up skills, advice on job interviews and to help with work experience or job applications.
I hope to share as much knowledge as I can to young men or woman with the hope to help future entrepreneurs or employees.
1 St. Brendan’s Road, Tralee. Tel: 066 7127260
E: hairworkstralee1@gmail.com
Sinead Murphy is a native of Drimoleague in West Cork
Sinead studied hospitality management in CIT and GMIT and following on from this spent 10 years with Choice Hotels in Cork, Dublin & Kildare, including Carton House Resort and Spa and Dublin’s Gibson Hotel. Throughout her time with Choice Hotels Sinead held various positions.
A year in Australia ensued where she worked with a premier events agency that specialised in high profile events.
Sinead joined the team at The Brehon in 2014 as Bar Manager and her hard working attitude and determination seen her progress to senior role of General Manager by 2018.
More recently, Sinead returned to education and received a Higher Diploma in Human Resources from University College Cork. In 2016, Sinead was awarded Hospitality Manager of the Year in the Food and Beverage category from the Irish Hospitality Institute. The panel of judges commended her hard work, leadership skills and her ability to implement strategies to achieve revenue growth.
Sinead is a member of SKAL Kerry and is also an advisor to the Killarney Tidy Towns Committee on green hospitality, she is currently an executive board member for Kerry’s Irish Hotels Federation and in addition to this serves on the IHF National Council.
The Brehon is a renowned and well established hotel and a leader in service excellence, it is an honour to spearhead a team that continues to maintain our existing standards and works tirelessly to increase our customers’ expectations.
Always thinking outside the box Sinead and her team have successfully hosted the many largescale events not refined to the confines of The Brehon itself, including a barbeque on The Brehon Lawn for over 700 conference delegates, the famous Cannonball Run, Meitheal’s Welcome Night and Shopify’s Employee Event each with over 500 delegates, DerTours international conference, Irish Hotel Federations Annual Ball and more.
“I love working in the hospitality industry and have learnt a great deal in my various roles. I love working with my team to deliver the best in class experiences that our customers expect, led by some incredible women of course!”
dedication to our hotel, we’d be lost without.
Our team have helped us to achieve some incredible awards over the past number of years including:
· Munster’s Wedding Venue of The Year in the prestigious WeddingsOnline Awards
· Gold IASI Award which certifies that The Brehon has achieved excellence in Accommodation Services Standards as set out by the Irish Accommodation Services Institute
· Gold Merit Award from CIE, achieving 94% in customer satisfaction surveys
· Finalist in the renowned Virgin Media Gold Medal Awards
· TripAdvisor Travel Choice Award in 2022, among other regular TripAdvisor accolades
The patience and resilience of our teams allowed us to carefully navigate the past 3 years of the pandemic and I’m delighted to see the return to pre pandemic business. It will be a few years until the hospitality recovery reaches pre-pandemic levels, but we’re on an incredible journey and look forward to all the future holds.
“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.”
Any advice for someone wishing to pursue a career in the hospitality industry?
Where possible seek out industry leaders, work with them and learn from their knowledge and experience, if correct procedures are learned you will carry those with you throughout your career
The hospitality sector offers good prospects for early responsibility, so if you show a willingness and ability to learn, you can gain great experience.
Hospitality is a fast paced environment, if you have a love for delivering exceptional customer service and enjoy working with people you’ll excel.
Everyday offers new learning and this is what excites me most about the industry. It is continuously evolving and we can always do more.
I have been very lucky to work in an industry that I really enjoy for the last 20 years.
Having grown up with a father that loved property and knew an awful lot about their construction, many a day I spent travelling in the car with him educating me on the different types of property and their construction. I think that is where my interest began. I always felt confident from a young age about most aspects of property.
Having completed my degree I started working in Norths Estate Agents for 4 years where I learned my profession and then in 2004 I started with DNG WHGiles where I have worked since and I am now a director in the company.
Thankfully, I absolutely love what I do as it is a fantastic career. My job is so varied, from visiting all types of properties to meeting so many wonderful people. People that share their story with me and I feel completely privileged to be awarded that trust. This is what drives me to do the very best I can for my clients in all aspects of my job for them, knowing I can help them. From advising on a valuation, how their property should be presented, preparing the marketing, selling their property and getting the best price possible for them. I always try to put myself in my clients shoes and really enjoy a job well done.
Here are some of our properties currently on the market for sale, and as you can see we cover a broad geographical area, such as, Tralee, Dingle, Castlemaine, Inch, North Kerry and beyond Castleisland. Visit our website to see our full selection of properties for sale at www.dngwhgiles.ie
Please follow us on or register on our mailing list at info@whgiles.ie
DNG WH Giles are offering a free valuation on request.
Get in touch with the DNG WH Giles team or Daire McCann to arrange a free DNG valuation on (066) 7121073 or info@whgiles.ie
Spout House, Spout Lane, Main Street, Castleisland, County Kerry. V92 W9H3 | AMV: €238,000
Ballyduff, Knocknagoshel, County Kerry. V92 KR22 AMV: €380,000
(This is two properties; The Farmhouse and The Chalet)
Ard Scotia, Clahane, Ballyard, Tralee, County Kerry. V92 CX4F AMV: €720,000
I remember turning to food for comfort in a hotel room in the UK after I had failed my Masters Thesis. This was the first time in my adult life that I consciously took in food with an intention to harm and punish myself. The voice of my persecutor got to me. It lives in my head with a few other food demon voices. There was a time in my life that I lived without a thought of food in my head. Until my teens I actually was a healthy weight and very active. The onset of puberty was not kind to me and unbeknownst to me I had undiagnosed PCOS.
I was pushing myself to the limit, packing more and more into each and everyday trying to achieve EVERYTHING. Working two jobs, study, thesis, Family, Train, Eat, Travel over and back to the UK, Repeat. Once I actively binged in the UK. I thought ah it was a one off I won’t do that again. But of course it didn't ….. Food started to become more and more intrusive in my thoughts, I found it soothed me when I was stressed, which was a lot of the time. Soon food was my everything. I was bingeing very badly several times a week. It continued for a number of years!! I was out of control. I had the perfect Binge, Restrict regime.
I felt like a fraud running my groups, but I also felt that some of my members may also have this issue. But I was limited in the scope of my role as to how to provide help. I eventually decided to finish up my Youth & Community Role and cut down my work hours to help. I was active in my binge eating for a few years and I decided to study nutritional coaching to see if I could ‘cure myself’ but alas no!! I found a course in America around the psychology of Eating and I got loads from this course and I learned so much more about myself. I still had questions and I went on to study in Binge & Emotional Eating as a specialist and here I found the practical tools to help and support myself and others.
Fast forward the years, I was married, in full time employment, I had suffered secondary infertility, then miscarriage and a full term neonatal loss. I had a huge failure complex and didn’t want to return to my Youth & Community role as I felt I wasn’t emotionally able to speak about the loss of my son. I fell pregnant during my mat leave and I decided to pursue my deferred Research Masters opportunity in a bid to cure my failure complex.
I also joined Slimming World to get my weight back on track and I found I adored the buzz in the room, the support, the camaraderie and the empathy. I could relate to these people. The relationship with food, the restriction, the cutting out food groups, the stuff I was doing to myself. When I achieved my target weight I applied to become a consultant. After 18 months I was starting to become burned out. I thought I had everything sorted now that I was at target weight. I was very wrong.
I am Nora, I live well with Binge & Emotional Eating Disorder. I am in the best head space I have been in many many years. I try to live a meaningful and authentic life. I try to be honest and open with others. I try to speak my mind. I have boundaries, I exercise, I meditate. I have many inputs….so that I am no longer considered an active binge eater. I am grateful to get mylife back. I am grateful to no longer be controlled by food. It takes time and effort to get life back on track and it's continuous. It’s hard to admit you have a problem with food or any addiction I am sure. But by dropping my guard, maybe you can too x .
I want to help others who live with this disorder to find this freedom, so I set up Nurtured Coaching. I still also run my groups, I absolutely love both roles.
Kerry Brassil, Manager and Horticulturist at Listowel Garden Centre.
I always felt I wanted to work outdoors, so I studied Horticulture in the National Botanical Gardens and after I graduated, I started working in Listowel Garden Centre and then I took up my managerial position with Listowel Garden Centre in 1999.
Nick Roberts, Owner at Listowel Garden Centre has always said I have been the driving force behind the growth of the business which accumulated in April of 2015 in the building extension and redevelopment of the business, which I project managed as we were becoming a destination and things were growing in the right direction.
During Covid we had to adapt, and I began to record videos for our customers and posted them through our social media channels and still go live regularly to chat about all things in season.
Because the main gardening months are short lived to counteract this, we introduced a Christmas Shop and celebrated its 20th year this Christmas gone, every year the build-up and opening of this gets bigger and better.
Bridget Walsh began her career as an accounts clerk with the Kelliher Family in 1985 in the original Kellihers Garage on Denny Street in the heart of Tralee Town.
Bridget is an integral part of Kellihers Garage with over 30 years and worked her way up to the position of financial controller in the main Toyota dealership for the county at their extensive car sales and service department centre at Rathass, Tralee.
Having started out with ledgers and a sharp pencil in Denny Street, Bridget has seen huge changes through her career with technology being forefront in today's business world. With a wide and varied role, Bridget enjoys the challenges and changes the motoring world presents and with her vast experience - she takes it all in her stride.
In a predominantly male orientated market place, Bridget is delighted to see women becoming more involved in the
Our customer base is third generational, we have been with them throughout their buying journey, and I am serving the same loyal customers and their families for 30 years. We like to look after our loyal customers and during lockdown we sent a Peace Lily and a bar of chocolate to many of them to show we missed them, and their custom and we still get thanked for it nearly 3 years later.
We strive to continue to offer a more diverse selection of services and offerings to our customers over the years, which currently include a café, a fashion boutique, gifting ideas and homeware, along with the essential gardening chemicals and tools.
The Garden Centre is celebrating 40 years in Business this September, and I am still as passionate as ever about the Listowel Garden Centre Business and look forward to where we can grow to.
motoring world and no more so than in Kellihers Garage in their busy sales, service and crash repair departments where they have currently two female apprentices on their books for 2023. Bridget feels this is a progressive move forward, as gender often determined your career choice in the past.
Mary Lucey, the Founder of Career Ahead, is a Professional Education and Career Consultant. Having worked in the public sector for over 30 years, in 2020 Mary set up her own Company called Career Ahead. The main aim of Career Ahead is to provide a centre for support and advice in relation to education and careers. Clients include primary and secondary school students, parents, teachers, college students, graduates and those working and looking to re-train, return to college or make a change from their current position. Career Ahead ensure individuals have sufficient information, advice, and support to make the correct decisions in relation to their education and/or careers.
Mary herself has a Business Studies Degree with specialisations in Personnel and Industrial Relations. She has postgraduate qualifications in both Business Education and Information Technology, in addition to a variety of Continuous Professional Development qualifications. Mary has worked in Education for over 30 years, in the third level sector, the further education sector and on apprenticeships.
Mary has been the recipient of several Business and Media Awards. She has sat on judging panels for a variety of regional and national business and training awards. She is a strong advocate of gender balance in education and careers and was awarded a Fellowship by the ICS for her work in promoting Technology to females. Mary gladly volunteers her time to serve on several Boards of Management for organisations and charities in Kerry. She is delighted to be a member of St Vincent de Paul’s Education Committee and is in awe at the tremendous work the organisation does to promote and support education.
Mary appears as an Education and Career Expert on national television, representing both her own Company, Career Ahead, and other organisations too. She has regular slots on a number of radio shows and writes for local, regional and national media. She is regularly contacted to voice opinions and provide advice on educational and career matters by the media.
Throughout her career, the focus for Mary has been on the individual - and how best to provide advice and support to pave out a future career that is just right for each person. Mary believes the key to success in college and/or in a career is to follow interests and passions so that people are motivated and excited in their studies and/or careers.
MaryLucey@careerahead.ie 087 9338941
www.careerahead.ie
https://www.facebook.com/yourcareerahead
https://www.instagram.com/careerahead.ie/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-lucey-841bba39/
I provide service for every type of Semi-permanent Brows to all types brow maintenance treatments (Henna, Tint or Lamination), anything you need, I’m here for you!
Semi-permanent make up is my forte, an area I am highly skilled within. I have trained under the best instructors to bring techniques that I am helping to introduce in Ireland that are non-invasive as opposed to old, tattoo like permanent make up. There's no pain, no skin damage, no harsh effect involved. In the past these procedures would be painful and uncomfortable whereas now I am happy to bring people into my salon and give them back their confidence in a pain free and relaxing atmosphere.
To anyone interested in these treatments and would have any questions around it, I am happy for them to book in for a complimentary FREE consultation to Brush'N'Blush salon in Tralee when I'm based and I can answer all and any questions they may have.
My job is my passion, it is an industry I dreamt of entering for years and now that I am in it, I bring this passion with me every day in all that I do. Having the opportunity to give clients of all and and genders their confidence back, help make them feel good about themselves, makes me very happy at the end of the day. I’m first place winner of 2 International permanent make up competitions and I'm constantly training with worldwide knows PMU Artists. I’m upskilling my work all the time so everyone can be assured of the quality of my work. I’m your ultimate Brow Lady!
To see more of my work you can visit my Instagram @transform_by_mon and on Facebook – Transform by Mon
Nano Brows
Brow Lamination
Henna Brows
Power Brows
As we age, our bodies go through a variety of changes, particularly during menopause. These changes can have significant impacts on our health and wellbeing, but resistance training can offer a number of benefits that can help counteract the effects of aging.
Resistance training is a type of exercise that involves using weights or resistance to build muscle strength and endurance. This type of exercise can include weight lifting, bodyweight exercises, or using resistance bands or machines.
Resistance training is particularly beneficial for menopausal women and those getting older because it can help to counteract the natural loss of muscle mass that occurs with age, which is known as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a serious health issue, as it can increase the risk of falls and fractures, as well as reduce overall mobility and independence.
DURING MENOPAUSE AND AGING:
IMPROVES MUSCLE STRENGTH AND MASS:
Resistance training can help to improve muscle strength and mass, which is particularly important for menopausal women and those getting older. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass and strength, which can lead to a variety of health issues. Resistance training can help to counteract this loss, allowing for greater strength, mobility, and independence.
INCREASES BONE DENSITY:
Resistance training has been shown to improve bone density, which can help to reduce the risk of fractures and falls, particularly in menopausal women who are at increased risk for osteoporosis. Regular resistance training can help to increase bone density and improve overall bone health.
BOOSTS METABOLISM:
Resistance training can help to boost metabolism, which can be particularly helpful for menopausal women who are
experiencing changes in their hormones and metabolism. Resistance training can help to increase muscle mass, which can in turn increase metabolism and help to burn more calories throughout the day.
REDUCES RISK OF CHRONIC DISEASE:
Resistance training has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Menopausal women and those getting older are at increased risk for these diseases, so incorporating resistance training into their exercise routine can help to reduce these risks.
Resistance training can also have a positive impact on mental health, improving mood and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. This is particularly important for menopausal women who may experience changes in their mental health due to hormonal changes.
If you're new to resistance training, it's important to start slowly and work with a qualified trainer or coach to ensure that you're using proper form and technique. Begin with lighter weights or resistance bands and gradually increase the intensity as you become stronger and more comfortable with the exercises.
It's also important to incorporate other types of exercise into your routine, including cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, as well as two or more days of resistance training.
In conclusion, resistance training can offer a number of benefits for menopausal women and those getting older, including improved muscle strength and mass, increased bone density, boosted metabolism, reduced risk of chronic disease, and improved mental health. By incorporating resistance training into your exercise routine, you can help to counteract the effects of aging and maintain your overall health and well-being.
Apart from the amazing flavours, the best thing about this classic lamb stew is its simplicity. Just pop it all in a casserole pan and let your hob do the rest!
Ingredients:
● 700g lean lamb leg steaks, visible fat removed, cut into large chunks
● 3 onions, thickly sliced
● 2 garlic cloves, crushed
● 2 turnips or 1 swede, peeled and roughly chopped
● 4 carrots, roughly chopped
● 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
● 900ml hot chicken stock
● 1 level tbsp chicken gravy granules
Method:
1. Put the lamb, onions, garlic, turnips or swede, carrots and celery in a large heavy-based non-stick casserole pan. Add the stock and gravy granules, mix well and bring to the boil over a high heat.
2. Season lightly and cover tightly, then turn the heat to very low and cook for 2 hours or until the lamb is very tender.
3. Serve hot with your favourite potatoes and vegetables.
Chocolate, coffee and just a hint of whiskey... Could a pud be more luscious?ingredients – ideal if you’re trying to cut down your shopping list
Ingredients:
● 3 sheets gelatine
● 4 tsp instant coffee granules, plus extra to serve
● 2 x 11g sachets Cadbury Highlights hot chocolate
● 2 tsp Irish whisky
● 250g fat-free natural fromage frais, plus extra to serve
● 100g pot Mullerlight Chocolate Fix Milk Chocolate dessert
● 3 large egg whites*
● 6 whole coffee beans
Method:
1. Soak the gelatine in cold water. Put 4 tsp coffee granules in a large mug with the hot chocolate. Stir in 200 ml boiling water until the coffee and chocolate have dissolved, then quickly squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine and stir into the coffee mixture until dissolved. Tip into a large mixing bowl with the whisky, fromage frais and Mullerlight Chocolate Fix Milk Chocolate and whisk together.
2. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then fold these through the chocolate mixture.
3. Divide the mixture between 6 glasses and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can. Just before serving, top each with a dollop of fat-free natural fromage frais, a pinch of crushed instant coffee granules and a whole coffee bean.
Due to wear and tear and chewing forces combined with heavily restored teeth or grinding habits teeth can crack. These cracks can be minimal craze lines only in enamel or deeper cracks extending towards the dentine. The result can be cusps fracturing of teeth, decay starting, pain on biting, toothache or tooth loss in some cases. Not all cracks/ craze lines need intervention but cracks extending into dentine do.
If you suffer from fillings fracturing regularly it may be due to cracked teeth. Or if you have a tooth that is sore to bite on harder foods, it may also be due to a crack or even a failing filling that needs replaced.
Cracked teeth are structurally compromised and so need to be restored in a way which repairs lost tooth structure and protects the remaining tooth. Sometimes this involves a crown or partial crown (onlay/overlay) on the tooth to protect the remaining tooth from stresses. Sometimes if the crack is not too extensive the tooth may be able to be restored with a composite restoration bonded to the tooth with perhaps some fibres to reinforce the tooth.
If the crack propagates to deeply into the tooth then the next stage could be root canal treatment or extraction. The aim is to reduce the risk of this happening and to extend the lifetime of the tooth. If you have any symptoms always talk to your dentist and attend regularly for check ups so any problems can be detected as early as possible.
The Phoenix Women’s Centre & SHED would like to wish our members and supporters a
In March's edition of Ask the Pharmacist, Mounthawk Allcare Pharmacy's Pat Harmon explains the treatment options available for people who suffer from incontinence and irritable bowel disease.
Urinary incontinence in simple terms relates to a partial or complete loss of bladder control. We all have a sphincter muscle that acts as a control of our bladders. In many people this function can be impaired, be it from an acute injury , infection, advancing age etc. Incontinence is far more common in women than in men but can happen to anyone at any age. Childbirth is a common cause of incontinence in many women, the muscles can be weakened during the process of childbirth. In some cases this can be corrected via specific exercises. Other times it can be corrected surgically if the situation is intolerable. However the majority of people will find themselves in an in-between scenario where they must learn to live with their symptoms for the rest of their life and this can be enormously distressing. It is important to know that you are not alone and this condition is far more prevalent than the statistics show.
There are a variety of subtypes of incontinence-stress incontinence happens during any activity that puts pressure on the bladder so even a simple sneeze or a fit of laughing can leave you running to find the nearest toilet. Urge incontinence is when you cannot make it to the toilet in time to empty your bladder and can be a sign of a bigger problem such as an enlarged prostate in men. Overflow incontinence happens when there is dribbling from the bladder as a result of not emptying the bladder completely. Whatever the cause or subtype, the end result is always the same. Incontinence can have enormous impacts on people's mental health, the fear of being caught out when out in public can make people virtual prisoners in their own homes. I would urge anyone who is suffering in silence with this condition to come forward to ask for help as these days there are several options available to people to manage it. In a medical intervention there are medications available to treat incontinence and it could be worthwhile talking to your GP about your options. While there is no magic cure per se, we often find people find the medicines effective. Call into us if you would like more information on your treatment options.
In terms of supportive appliances there are an enormous range of pants, pads, liners and disposable underwear and in Mounthawk Pharmacy we are proud to stock an extensive range of products to suit people's needs. There products contain special absorbant materials that help to keep the skin dry and prevent leakage to your outer clothes. They are designed to be discreet and can give
you peace of mind when out and about. We have an extensive range and can order in special brands and appliances on request. In terms of lifestyle advice to improve bladder control there are a few things that can be tried. Caffeine is a known diuretic and is proven to increase urine output. Cutting down on tea/coffee intake can have real benefits. Exercise and weight loss may sound a cliché but studies have shown that overweight people suffer more from bladder issues so any attempt at weightless can only be beneficial.
The morale of the story is this is is a condition that is very common and there is no need to suffer in silence. Come forward to ask for help and you won't regret it.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an increasingly common condition affecting people and can make life truly miserable for sufferers. It is characterised by alternating bouts of diarrhoea and constipation and associated symptoms such as bloating and abdominal cramps. The symptoms can be mild and no more than a nuisance or disabling and really affect a person's quality of life. The difference between IBS and more serious intestinal disorders such as Crohns/Ulcerative colitis is that often no pathological disturbances will show up on examination. The symptoms can appear to have no underlying cause and this can make diagnosis and finding the right treatment options more difficult.
There is often a strong dietary cause of IBS and sufferers will learn what foods aggrevate the condition and simply avoid them. Common triggers are dairy produce, wheat and spicy foods. If a person can identify the foods that cause the unpleasant symptoms then they can exclude them from their diet and hopefully this will resolve their symptoms. For others it isn't this clear cut and there is no easy answer for why the symptoms are occurring. There is a strong correlation between stress and IBS and people often find that when stress levels rise that their symptoms get worse. Obviously this is not an easy fix but in such cases, learning coping techniques to reduce stress levels can be enormously helpful. Some patients may benefit from antidepressants and these are proven to help in certain patients where an emotional component is involved in IBS.
For symptomatic relief we are happy to say in Mounthawk Pharmacy we are well stocked in all the popular remedies that are on the market today. For constipation we have tried and tested products such as Senokot, Lactulose and Dulcolax. For diarrhoea we have Imodium and Dioralyte to help prevent dehydration. For bloating we have Bloateze and for cramping we have Buscopan. Probiotics can have huge health benefits in many IBS sufferers and in Mounthawk Pharmacy we sell the full range ranging from Alflorex, to Biokult, to Udos Choice to Zenflore. Our experienced team have many years experience dealing with these products and can help you to find the right one for your needs.
I hope you found this months issue of Ask the Pharmacist useful and as always, feel free to pop into store if you have any questions about any of the issues discussed above. Until next time!"
E: mounthawk@allcarepharmacy.ie
Ph: (066) 712 8989
Facebook/Instagram: mounthawkallcarepharmacy
receives state housing support (HAP, rent supplement or RAS). It is not available where the tenant and landlord are related in any way.
If the property is used by your child to facilitate attendance at a course, you can check the approved list of courses to see if it qualifies. The child must be under 23 at the start of the tax year in which he/she commenced the approved course.
The new rent tax credit is available for the tax years 2022 to 2025 inclusive. The maximum credit is €1,000 per year for a jointly assessed married couple/civil partners and €500 in all other cases.
The credit may be available where you pay rent for:
• Your principal private residence
• Another property used to facilitate attendance at work/ approved course
• A property used by your child to attend an approved course
The property must be located in the State and the rent paid under a tenancy. A credit cannot be claimed if the tenant
PAYE individuals can make a claim for rent tax credit through myAccount. Self-assessed taxpayers can make a claim by submitting an annual income tax return through ROS.
Molly Brosnan is new on the scene here in Kerry but has been working hard for years to perfect her unique sound and backing it all up with study and artistry!
Molly, so wonderful to speak to you!
Tell everyone where you hail from in Kerry and your ties to music.
So lovely to speak with you too, thanks for having me! I’m situated in Tralee Co. Kerry, regularly busking in the town centre, and gigging in local pubs and restaurants. I’ve been singing since I could speak, my parents aren’t musicians by any means but they love music and growing up I acquired their love and passion for it. Music is therapy, it makes you feel things you didn’t know you could or maybe had difficulty expressing without it, it makes you feel understood, and allows you to tap into a story whether that’s to relate to someone else’s or create your own, it’s a beautiful part of my life I don’t know what I’d do without. In 2019, I started singing lessons with Tralee Vocal Academy, Lisa taught me how to bring emotion to a piece of music, how to perform, giving me the confidence and tools to start performing in front of an audience. A few months later I began performing on a Sunday night in the Greyhound Bar Tralee, with The Jazz Trio, and I was hooked, I had never felt such a rush as I did that first night, it was then I decided that I wanted to pursue music as a career. A year later I enrolled in the Kerry College Of Further Education and began studying Music Performance, I organised a concert in aid of Pieta House, in which we gained the attention of Irish singer-songwriter Imelda May, and raised over €1000. In 2021, I joined Jigsaw as a Youth Advocate, fulfilling my second passion in mental health, and in 2022 I was a lead organiser in a concert “Re-Energise” that was a part of Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Festival. Since then I’ve been writing original music, gigging locally in Tralee, and have performed at Salty Souls Sea Sessions at Banna beach.
How have you found the music scene in Kerry?
Kerry is filled with some of the most talented musicians, songwriters and composers I have had the pleasure of meeting. I started performing roughly about the same time a major
By Lisa Currancatastrophe put the world on it’s head, I had only really dipped a toe in the water when COVID-19 hit and everything was under lock-down, which although a time of tragedy and heartbreak for many, including myself, I found it was a great opportunity to write music. I got back to performing at the start of last year and have found it very difficult to break into the scene, It’s difficult to get gigs, and awfully challenging to find an accompanist, especially someone who can commit their time and be dependable. Although it has been difficult to break into the scene two people have made things a little easier for me and other local musicians – Mark O’Sullivan manager of the Square Bar, more popularly known as “An Cearnóg” in Tralee, was the first person to offer me a gig, and a chance and I couldn’t be more grateful for that, and secondly Michal Wagner, upon my very first gig Michal introduced himself to me and has given me some much-needed guidance and advice since, Michal, a local musician, lead singer of Queenless Kings, runs the open mic on a Thursday night in the Cearnóg bar and never have I come across a more enjoyable night, a place for talented musicians to gather and fill the room with music. If you haven’t gone down to the Cearnog on a Thursday night it’s a must!
Where did your musical influence come from?
As I mentioned previously, my parents have always loved music, we blast the radio on a drive, and have Spotify playing every weekend, morning or night. The artist who made me fall in love with singing, as I’m sure many other people can say, was Adele, I’d blare “Set Fire To The Rain” whenever it was my turn on the upstairs computer as a child, singing along, and feeling every word. As I got older, my taste in music expanded, Florence and the Machine, Eva Cassidy, Glen Hansard, Etta James, Paolo Nutini, Aurora, Amy Winehouse, Hozier, I could go on. I can’t express how much love I have for music.
What are your goals for the year to come with your original music?
It is my goal to release an EP before the end of 2023, I love writing music and telling a story, I want to make people feel seen and heard, to be able to relate to my music, and while it is my dream to become a successful musician in the industry If my music has the ability to reach a small minority, I will have done my job.
Where can people follow your journey?
I post most of my musical journey on Instagram and TikTok under the name @mollykatebrosnan but you can also find me on Facebook.
