Over the years I have admired these dainty little white pops of colour poking through the mucky winter ground. At home, our snowdrops peep out from under the beech hedge and as we come and go, the cleanness of these clusters gives me hope that the longer, brighter evenings will soon be with us. They are obviously a resilient lot too which makes me smile as they shine through the January darkness! As you enter the gardens
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On my way to Dublin last week, what seems to be never-ending roadworks around Naas got the better of me! My body was cramping up from sitting so long and letting the windows down to let in the cold afternoon air didn’t relive the cooped up feeling that had come over me. Even Ivan Yates’ and his opinions couldn’t catch my attention; I just needed a bitta fresh air! I swung off the N7 at Junction
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Moylussa had been on my radar for sometime as it is listed as the highest point of County Clare. I had also heard that it was very scenic with views up the length of Lough Derg. Well, that will always get me!When I woke up to a perfect blue skies day last October, I took my chance and hopped in the car to get this scenic walk ticked off my list! Both myself & my
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Sunsetting over Cahersiveen town at the foot of Beentee mountain My first encounter with Cahersiveen was almost 4 years ago when the local secondary school, Coláiste na Sceilge attended the cookery school I was working in. You couldn’t but remark on the great attitude from all the students & it was clear throughout the day the happy & relaxed relationship they had with their teachers. It was thanks to kind words of encouragement from this school’s S.N.A that I
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This natural beauty has been on my bucket list for some time. Just how jaw-dropping is it in real life? Is it a really tough hike-hike or can I just take a walk up it with my dog wearing runners? As with everything in life, as we venture into new territory, the first time is always the hardest. So this week I started a new path; a hill-walk with a lovely bunch of ladies & excitingly,
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Strawberries, Blueberries & Raspberries ready to go! It seems to me that the majority of soft fruit sold in large supermarkets is grown & imported from Europe & often times, further afield. Luckily here in Laois between Abbeyleix & Mountrath, there is a family fruit farm growing the most delicious soft fruit, giving us customers the choice of choosing locally grown seasonal produce, which is why to me, the Phelan family are very definitely Food
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The first Barbican gate Ask any Laois person about the Rock of Dunamaise and the first thing they’ll remember is the compulsory Sunday Drive, where as many brothers, sisters & cousins could be squeezed into the back of a car. Between fighting & threats of no 99’s after, a sermon was issued on where we were going and there was to be no arguing about it because… “That’s the why”! The Rock was always popular for some
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Kilkenny Castle in autumn I’ve begun to wonder if the organisers of Savour Kilkenny have a direct line to whoever is in charge of our weather, as I have come to associate perfectly crisp cool days & blue skies with this autumnal foodie feast! Though food may be the star of the show here, the location right in the the heart of Kilkenny city, with the castle and it’s park & gardens as the back
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Every summer on the way to our local agricultural show we pass a field dotted with red hens. These have not just escaped their garden run but are the providers for Matt & Avril Bergin’s Granstown Free-Range Eggs, just outside Ballacolla in Co. Laois. Matt & Avril supply a great quality & healthy product to the shops, cafés, restaurants & hotels around Laois, Kilkenny Tipperary & Offaly. So how does a free-range egg make it’s
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With the stars aligning, I’ve managed to spend more time at Derrynane and get to know this magnificently beautiful area better. I will start off by coming clean; I am very much a newbie to these parts and while there are families that have connections to this area going back generations – and would prefer to keep it all to themselves! – I’m struggling to keep it a secret! Though school summer holidays will be
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