A Big Roundy,
by Caroline Smiddy,
Ballymacarbry, Co Waterford
There’s a Big Roundy Birthday rolling directly towards me, it’s got my name on it and a number that just cannot be right.
But as I stand my ground just hear me shout loud and oh so clear, they must have made a big mistake in the Big Roundy Birthday Factory alright.
Little Sprouts grow a winner
Little Sprouts Garden Box.
Little Sprouts Garden Box has been awarded one of the prestigious Three Ireland Grants for Small Businesses. Founded by Jessica Bourke, the business aims to foster a love of nature among children, with its seasonal gardening activity kits including organic seeds, peat-free compost, and easy-to-follow instructions.
The business grew from Jessica’s love of gardening and her desire to pass her passion onto a new generation. “As a parent, I know the struggle of balancing screen time with meaningful activities. I wanted to create something educational and fun that parents and kids can do together,” she says.
See littlesproutsgardenbox.com
Joanne McNally's newest stand-up show is Pinotphile.
The queen of Irish comedy, Joanne McNally, will put a smile on your face with her return to the stage in 2025. Her new stand-up show Pinotphile has been hotly anticipated following the success of her 2019 show, The Prosecco Express. Joanne will be in the 3Olympia Dublin, Gleneagle INEC Arena Killarney, TF Royal Castlebar and Waterfront Hall Belfast in November and December 2025.
See joannemcnally.com/live-shows
Looking for healthy, delicious recipes for the new year? Rich in fibre and protein, Flahavan’s apple oat bran muffins are a tasty breakfast or snack.
Mix 75g flour, 75g oat bran, 2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of sea salt in a bowl. Stir in 1 tsp spice mix, 100g chopped dried apricots and 50g chopped apple. In another bowl, whisk one egg, 100ml milk, 70g melted butter and 50g dark brown sugar. Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth. Spoon into 12 muffin tins, sprinkle with oats, and bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes.
See flahavans.ie
Glendalough Double Barrel Cask Strength.
Glendalough Distillery’s Irish coffee recipe, made with the new limited-edition singlegrain Double Barrel Cask Strength, brings warmth to the winter months, and takes this classic tipple to a whole new level.
Pour 120ml freshly brewed coffee into a glass, add 2 tsp of demerara sugar, 50ml Glendalough Double Barrel Cask Strength, and stir. Top with Irish cream and garnish with a dusting of chocolate and nutmeg. Priced from €45. See glendaloughdistillery.com
Pictured are Jimmy Kearns, Martina Durikova, Rebecca Lenehan, John Kennedy, Bess Hughes and Áine Ryan from the Clonmel Junction Festival.
The Board of Clonmel Junction Arts Festival has named their incoming artistic director as writer and journalist Rebecca Lenehan. Rebecca joins the Junction team with over 15 years of event management experience, successfully delivering a range of programmes of events at Cashel Arts Festival, Clonmel Applefest and Spleodar Halloween Arts Festival.
See junctionfestival.com
Sixteen-year-old Cate Rose Dunne.
Sixteen-year-old Cate Rose Dunne (above), from Rathangan, Co Kildare, will travel to Nairobi, Kenya this month to volunteer at the CARA Girls Rescue Centre. CARA Projects, an Irish-founded NGO, works in partnership with local communities in Kenya to promote gender equality, health education, and sustainable development. Cate Rose has raised funds for her trip through her Transition Year company, Cate Rose Candy Store.
Cate and 40 other Irish volunteers will contribute to the building of a new community centre at the CARA Girls Rescue Centre.
See caraprojects.org
A Big Roundy,
by Caroline Smiddy,
Ballymacarbry, Co Waterford
There’s a Big Roundy Birthday rolling directly towards me, it’s got my name on it and a number that just cannot be right.
But as I stand my ground just hear me shout loud and oh so clear, they must have made a big mistake in the Big Roundy Birthday Factory alright.
Little Sprouts grow a winner
Little Sprouts Garden Box.
Little Sprouts Garden Box has been awarded one of the prestigious Three Ireland Grants for Small Businesses. Founded by Jessica Bourke, the business aims to foster a love of nature among children, with its seasonal gardening activity kits including organic seeds, peat-free compost, and easy-to-follow instructions.
The business grew from Jessica’s love of gardening and her desire to pass her passion onto a new generation. “As a parent, I know the struggle of balancing screen time with meaningful activities. I wanted to create something educational and fun that parents and kids can do together,” she says.
See littlesproutsgardenbox.com
Joanne McNally's newest stand-up show is Pinotphile.
The queen of Irish comedy, Joanne McNally, will put a smile on your face with her return to the stage in 2025. Her new stand-up show Pinotphile has been hotly anticipated following the success of her 2019 show, The Prosecco Express. Joanne will be in the 3Olympia Dublin, Gleneagle INEC Arena Killarney, TF Royal Castlebar and Waterfront Hall Belfast in November and December 2025.
See joannemcnally.com/live-shows
Looking for healthy, delicious recipes for the new year? Rich in fibre and protein, Flahavan’s apple oat bran muffins are a tasty breakfast or snack.
Mix 75g flour, 75g oat bran, 2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of sea salt in a bowl. Stir in 1 tsp spice mix, 100g chopped dried apricots and 50g chopped apple. In another bowl, whisk one egg, 100ml milk, 70g melted butter and 50g dark brown sugar. Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth. Spoon into 12 muffin tins, sprinkle with oats, and bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes.
See flahavans.ie
Glendalough Double Barrel Cask Strength.
Glendalough Distillery’s Irish coffee recipe, made with the new limited-edition singlegrain Double Barrel Cask Strength, brings warmth to the winter months, and takes this classic tipple to a whole new level.
Pour 120ml freshly brewed coffee into a glass, add 2 tsp of demerara sugar, 50ml Glendalough Double Barrel Cask Strength, and stir. Top with Irish cream and garnish with a dusting of chocolate and nutmeg. Priced from €45. See glendaloughdistillery.com
Pictured are Jimmy Kearns, Martina Durikova, Rebecca Lenehan, John Kennedy, Bess Hughes and Áine Ryan from the Clonmel Junction Festival.
The Board of Clonmel Junction Arts Festival has named their incoming artistic director as writer and journalist Rebecca Lenehan. Rebecca joins the Junction team with over 15 years of event management experience, successfully delivering a range of programmes of events at Cashel Arts Festival, Clonmel Applefest and Spleodar Halloween Arts Festival.
See junctionfestival.com
Sixteen-year-old Cate Rose Dunne.
Sixteen-year-old Cate Rose Dunne (above), from Rathangan, Co Kildare, will travel to Nairobi, Kenya this month to volunteer at the CARA Girls Rescue Centre. CARA Projects, an Irish-founded NGO, works in partnership with local communities in Kenya to promote gender equality, health education, and sustainable development. Cate Rose has raised funds for her trip through her Transition Year company, Cate Rose Candy Store.
Cate and 40 other Irish volunteers will contribute to the building of a new community centre at the CARA Girls Rescue Centre.
See caraprojects.org
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