Mary O'Brien - West Cork People

Hideaway in nature

Mary O'Brien July, 2026

One of the dangers of living in beautiful West Cork is that it can sometimes be difficult to leave but, as Mary O’Brien finds out when she heads east, Ireland’s largest county has much to offer beyond its western shores. We first stumbled across Inch Hideaway, an award-winning eco-glamping retreat, […]

A transportative dining experience

Mary O'Brien July, 2026

There are meals you enjoy and then there are dining experiences that transport you entirely. Mary O’Brien’s recent visit to Terre, the two Michelin-starred restaurant nestled within the historic Manor House at Castlemartyr Resort, was firmly in the latter category. For a few wonderful hours on a recent rainy Thursday […]

West Cork prepares to step out with ‘The Devil’s in the Dance Hall’

Mary O'Brien July, 2026

This September people in West Cork will have the opportunity to step back into the 1930s and let loose on the dancefloor with Edwina Guckian and The Big Gralton Band, who will bring their performance ‘The Devil’s in the Dance Hall’ – a powerful, joyous live show celebrating jazz and […]

Catching the wind in her sails in Kinsale

Mary O'Brien July, 2026

“If it scares you, you should probably do it,” Éidín Griffin tells Mary O’Brien, laughing. It’s an outlook that has served Éidín well throughout her 53 years, during which time she has taken more than a few leaps into the unknown across two continents, with humour always as her compass. […]

Dialogue and dreams

Mary O'Brien June, 2026

There’s a heavy drizzle falling on the country road. Framed by the lush green of the softly humming hedgerows, a man sits on his bicycle in the mist, waiting to greet the farmer coming his way. “Soft,” remarks the cyclist with a smile, acknowledging the weather. “Soft indeed,” replies the […]

Connecting past to present through flax

Mary O'Brien May, 2026

The how and why will always be more important than the finished product to process-driven artist Kathy Kirwan. In fact the end may never be reached, as demonstrated by her most recent and ongoing passion for flax and its many threads writes Mary O’Brien. Kathy Kirwan’s interest in flax – […]

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