Bandon are thriving in the Munster Senior League Second Division after going down last season, and everyone involved at the club has their sights firmly set on promotion. The team could not have asked for a better start – they returned to action in August and won their first four games by an aggregate score of 17-4. They also progressed in the Keane Cup despite losing narrowly to Ringmahon Rangers, with that result overturned over issues involving player registration. Bandon moved on with a team led by Peter Mullins, an experienced figure in Cork soccer after previous stints with Avondale United and Riverstown. October will be one of their busiest months and, as the season intensifies, the coach tells Dylan O’Connell all about their promotion and rebuilding campaign. 

“It’s been really good, really good,” says Mullins.

“It’s a new management team and a lot of restructure behind the scenes with youth teams and junior teams.

“It’s a brand new senior team put together. We had a good pre-season, had good numbers at training and it just starts from there. It breeds good habits and we had a good unbeaten pre-season. We played some good opposition. We played Ballinhassig from the First Division, who are a really good side. We played good opposition which tested us and we picked up good habits for the start of the season.”

It wasn’t just that the club are picking up the pieces after relegation and hoping to go again, they are trying to rebuild after experiencing the drop twice in three years.

They were in the Premier Division as recently as the 2023-24 season and playing against top sides like Midleton, College Corinthians, and Ringmahon Rangers. They even reached the Beamish Stout Senior Cup semi-final that year, and lost to an all-conquering Rockmount side looking for their seventh major trophy in three years.

Bandon went down with just one win recorded and four draws, as the basement side in a ten team league.

There was no immediate reprieve in the First Division during the 2024-25 season, instead they were dumped out of the Keane Cup by Carigtwohill and their league campaign started with a four match winless run. Bandon rallied and managed to finish fourth in the First Division, in addition to reaching the Round of 16 of the Munster Senior Cup and losing to Waterford at the RSC.

Instead of being a platform to build from, it was a false dawn as the 2025-26 campaign brought automatic relegation after a basement finish. Bandon could only muster two wins that year, not that it meant anything in the  end.

Mullins was brought in to pick things up and restore Bandon as a force to be reckoned with in local soccer.

“I was trying to pick heads up and get the morale going again and get a winning mentality back again as well,” he explained.

“Just from the first session we said we wouldn’t work on tactics so much but there’s no excuse for hard work. Put in the hard work and it will pay dividends. We know we’ve got ability so that will come out in the performances.”

Mullins has a lot to pull from as he prepares for one of the busiest stretches of the season, with games lined up in the FAI Intermediate Cup and a number of local cup competitions.

The coach has years of experience in Cork, from a previous stint at Bandon to his first steps at Riverstown’s academy. Avondale United is where he is best known in the city after helping the club’s junior team win the Donal Linehan Cup, one of the most sought-after trophies at that level.

Mullins is now solely focused on the club in his own neck of the woods, Bandon, and part of his vision for the club is putting a sense of localism into everything they do. The goal here to build something truly local, that involves the very best footballers from the town, and slowly it is coming true.

“I have been coaching for years,” Mullins explained.

“My previous club would have been Avondale, so I was with Avondale seniors and Avondale in the Junior Premier Division for the last three or four years. I came back with a view to taking this job. I’m from Bandon but a lot of people were saying to me, are you going to get new players? Are you going to get players from the city? Are you going to get players from the club? There are players in the club every single one of those lads is from Bandon.

“I think Ger Rice in the ten lives four or five miles out in Innishannon and that’s it. There’s no one coming from Clon and there’s no one coming from the city. In that it gives you a good work ethic because they’re fighting for each other.”

What this has created is an environment where everyone knows each other, and this has made the squad stronger.

“There’s no one being brought in to play up front because we don’t have anyone in the town that can play up front – everyone is Bandon through and through and that’s a good basis,” Mullins added.

“That comes out in the performances, they’re fighting for each other. As I said at the start, get the work ethic up, the fight was there, but maybe the energy levels weren’t or the intensity wasn’t there. The new coaching team that came in, we just pushed that for the first few weeks and then dribbled tactics and systems and things like that.”

So far everything is going according to plan. Bandon are thriving in the Munster Senior League Second Division and the club’s course has been steadied after experiencing two relegations in three seasons.

There’s still a lot of work to be done. The season will run until May and there are plenty of twists to come in a title race that also involves Riverstown and a Wilton United side stepping back up to senior football.

What Bandon have to get them through this is a clear sense of local identity, and that’s something that cannot be manufactured or brought in. Mullins has nurtured this feeling and it is leading to impressive results on the pitch.

There’s still a long way to go, especially when the multitude of local cup competitions are factored in alongside the precarious nature of a calendar that is usually dictated by the weather. Bandon won’t seem to mind. The club have found their way again and Mullins is leading them forward.

On September 1, the Clonakilty Community Arts Centre (CCAC) was given the keys to No. 8 Kent Street, a council building situated opposite the Old Mill Library. CCAC has been granted six months at No. 8 under an inaugural ‘meanwhile use’ scheme being trialled by Cork County Council. It is intended as a lifeline whilst CCAC searches for a more permanent residence. Its presence on Kent Street is more than that, however: it is a glimpse of what a permanent community arts centre – even a small one – might look like and the impact it might have on the social and economic wellbeing of the town.

In its first week of operation at the new address, CCAC has partnered with the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival, hosting LOWmountain on September 19, launched its Autumn Members Exhibition, hosted Clonakilty Open Mic (first Sunday of the month), the CAT (Clonakilty Artists Together) collective and welcomed approximately 200 visitors though its doors. Looking forward, an exhibition of student work from St. Joseph’s NS is planned, a printmaking showcase is in the pipeline and a programme of classes is taking shape.

Six months is a small window for arts programming, but it is one the community should embrace: if you have an arts event-book launch, poetry reading, acoustic gig, exhibition, micro-theatre–a workshop you wish to run, or if you need rehearsal space, then email the team at CCAC: ccac2013@gmail.com. Conversely, if you are an arts lover, or simply curious, please come and check out the exhibitions, workshops and events on offer, details of which can be found at clonarts.ie. The more this is used and benefited from, the stronger the case for a permanent centre.

On the flip side of the above is the reality that the doors will once again close if a more permanent space is not found. CCAC is therefore appealing to property owners in Clonakilty, who have vacant space, to consider a longer period of ‘meanwhile use’ for the benefit of the town. Meanwhile use is a little like house sitting: the idea is that occupancy prevents dereliction, stimulates social and economic activity, thus maintaining property value. Tenures for meanwhile use do not need to be open-ended, they can be negotiated, or set in stone – as with No. 8 Kent St. for a short period only. The value to the community is enormous, as it is usually non-profits or creatives who fill the space. If you have ideas regarding this, please get in touch with the team: ccac2013@gmail.com.

Looking forward to seeing you at No. 8 Kent Street!

But recently I upgraded to a watch which had far more bells and whistles. While I’m still not on board with most of its features – being a rather simple creature and not particularly tech savvy – one feature in particular caught my attention: sleep tracking.  I didn’t have to programme anything, but each morning I got a “sleep score”, complete with a breakdown of my night in neat little timestamps. My curiosity was piqued by the breakdown of my night’s sleep into three main component parts – deep sleep, light sleep and REM sleep. 

It got me thinking about what actually constitutes a good night’s sleep and why does it matter? 

Sleep has always been something of a mystery. Where do we go when we sleep? What happens to our waking selves — our personality, our persona, our sense of being? In ancient times it was believed that our spirits travelled to another realm to be replenished while our bodies lay inert, awaiting the soul’s return. This was an attempt to explain sleep and dreaming long before science stepped in. 

Modern sleep science tells us that we cycle through four distinct phases of sleep, repeating them four to six times per night:

Stage 1 is the lightest phase, marking the brief transition from wakefulness into sleep. Stage 2 is also light sleep and is the longest stage, during which the heart rate slows and body temperature drops. Stage 3, known as deep or slow-wave sleep, is particularly important for immune function, physical repair and recovery. Stage 4 is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the main dreaming phase, when brain activity becomes more similar to that seen during wakefulness.

Deep sleep is prioritised in the first half of the night, when the body focuses on physical repair. Slow delta waves dominate, growth hormones are released, and when this stage is sufficient, we wake feeling refreshed and restored. As we age, however, our deep sleep phases shorten while our lighter phases lengthen.

REM sleep, meanwhile, is vital for the brain. It’s during this stage that we consolidate memories, process emotions, and make sense of the day’s experiences. Entire schools of thought have been built around dream interpretation, exploring how the unconscious mind communicates symbolically through our dream world. Creativity has long been linked to REM sleep – Einstein famously claimed that the inspiration for his theory of relativity came to him in a dream.

Most of us could benefit from improving our sleep and particularly our deep sleep – so how do we do that?

Consistency is key: going to bed and waking at the same time each day helps regulate your internal clock (bad news for weekend lie-ins). Make your bedroom as cavelike as possible – cool, dark, and free from screens or bright lights, this will stimulate melatonin, our sleep hormone, which is rapidly coming on board now as the evenings shorten. 

Regular exercise and time outdoors support deeper sleep. Avoid caffeine after lunch and be mindful of alcohol late in the evening; while it may feel sedating at first, its thermogenic effect can raise body temperature and wake you during the night. 

Try to get natural light within the first hour of waking, which will suppress melatonin and boost cortisol in a healthy way, and most importantly if you are addressing a poor sleep pattern, it will set your sleep timer for the night ahead. Ten minutes outdoors is enough.

And if sleep still feels elusive, here’s a practice you can try. Counting sheep has long been shown to do little for a busy mind, but recalling a familiar walk – one your body knows as well as your thoughts do – can be surprisingly soothing. Choose a route you love and follow it in your imagination: involve all your senses, the way the air feels at the start, the small sounds that accompany you, the scent of the trees or the sea, or the feel of the earth beneath your feet. This helps your mind begins to loosen its grip on the day and it’s interesting to see how far along your path you make it before sleep overtakes you.

Our biology is ancient – shaped by sunlight, darkness, temperature, and the rhythm of the of the seasons – yet our daily modern environment couldn’t be more different.

Where is our time for quiet reflection and rest, where we can drop into our parasympathetic nervous system and rest as nature intended? Light, noise, notifications, deadlines, responsibilities, and the relentless hum of doing make can make us feel both wired and tired. Even when we stop moving, our minds churn and turn, tilting at windmills as we effort to rest.

Our stress response is activated far more often than it was ever meant to be, and cortisol – which should gently decline in the evening – often stays stubbornly high. A body that thinks it’s under threat cannot prioritise deep sleep.

Much as I have appreciated the sleep data provided by my humble smart watch, I am mindful of the trap it sets – where something as natural and intimate as sleep becomes yet another objective to fulfil. And so, while grateful for the initial information it offered, I’ve stopped using it to track my nights.

Instead, I’ve returned to something simpler: giving myself thirty minutes each evening to experience the luxury of dark, empty quietude – the stillness within that invites sleep. Turn down the lights, switch off your screen, light a candle if you feel called to, and rest in the enveloping quiet as the autumn evenings draw in.

Sleep, after all, is not a performance, nor should it be a chore. It’s a return – to ourselves, to our bodies, to the deep rhythms that have always carried us where our spirits can be replenished, our bodies restored.

Look after yourself

As women we are bombarded by fads; best thing for sleep, energy, belly fat – you name it and someone claims to have re-invented the sliced pan in terms of a cure.

I found it refreshing to read The International Menopause Society (IMS) white paper emphasising the vital role of lifestyle medicine when navigating menopause. This puts power into the woman’s hands by pointing out the vast body of evidence showing that changes to lifestyle have a big effect on not just menopause symptoms but risk of subsequent chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, and enhance quality of life. It talks about the six pillars: healthy eating, exercise, mental wellbeing, avoiding risky substances, good sleep and  healthy relationships.

Not rocket science, is it? Yes, HRT or other non hormone drugs help menopause symptoms but unless you are looking after yourself, all your symptoms will be worse

The heart: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
Dutch cardiologist professor Angela Maas, who wrote a fascinating book ‘A Woman’s Heart’, presented at the MSI conference. I mentioned in previous articles that women’s CHD is different to men’s. However, women have rarely been included in studies on cardiac drugs or procedures. There is an assumption that what works for men will work on female physiology. Angina is chest pain caused by reduced flow to heart muscle. In men, this is as a result of  blockage in large arteries. Most female angina occurs as a result of narrowing of small arteries, a process called vasospasm. This vasospasm can be brought on by exercise, nicotine, but also by stress. The arteries then open again returning blood flow so symptoms are intermittent and can seem inconsistent; the same activity causes symptoms one day but not the next.

Studies have shown that 80 per cent of women after a heart attack, have a normal angiogram.

Female CHD symptoms are also different from men’s who get chest pain when exercising. Women can get chest pain, but also fatigue, back ache and low mood. The chest pain can be atypical, typical being pain brought on by exercise.

Diagnosing CHD: The treadmill test looks for  ECG changes and symptoms brought on by exercise. An angiogram, when dye is put through heart arteries, looks for large artery blockage. The term ANOCA, ‘Angina with Non Obstructed Coronary Arteries’ is a relatively new term recognising that not all CHD involves large arteries.  

 Angiograms and treadmill tests are not accurate CHD diagnostic tests for women; negative results do not rule out CHD. Invasive coronary function tests do assess reversible vasospasm but are available in specialist centres only.

Prof Maas confessed that in her field there are still some, usually male, cardiologists who “do not believe” in female heart disease – like we are some kind of mythical creature.

Can we believe what we read and see on social media about menopause? Probably not. Findings of a study in 2024 was presented at the BMS conference, looking at accuracy of content of posts about menopause on social media platforms; whether they reflected evidence based guidance of bodies such as NICE, National Institute  of Clinical Excellence, the BMS and IMS: 67 per cent did not.

Always get your female health and menopause information from reputable sources. I recommend the BMS patient facing arm of their website; Women’s Health Concerns (womens-health-concern.org).

Testosterone: We all need it, right? Wrong.

Previous studies have shown that testosterone very gradually starts to decline in both men and women from age 18. There is no sharp drop for women during menopause. Yes, the ovaries produce testosterone, but a significant amount of testosterone is produced by adrenal glands and this is unaffected by menopause. Professor Susan Davis, Head of Monash University Women’s Health Research Program Melbourne, presented the fascinating findings of a study involving over 1400 randomly-selected 18- to 75-year-old women; 500 had testosterone levels analysed.

They found the same slight, gradual decline in testosterone levels from 18 to 62, with then a rise in levels. No significant difference in testosterone levels were found between women who were pre, peri or post- menopausal. The study also found no association between sexual function and testosterone levels. I was fascinated to learn that in placebo-controlled studies on testosterone to treat reduced libido, the placebo consistently produce a 33 per cent improvement in libido. Never knock a placebo.

Studies have looked for but found no evidence that testosterone helps with other menopause symptoms such as fatigue, mood, brain fog, general energy, strength or muscle mass.

The testosterone we prescribe is for men, is not licensed for women, and risks of overdose are real, which is why regular blood tests are needed. Even when levels are kept in the female range, we can see side effects of facial hair, hair thinning/male pattern baldness, voice changes and even clitoromegaly – enlargement of the clitoris – which might be irreversible. In addition we lack safety data on use of testosterone by women for longer than 12 months in terms of effects on cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.  

Bottom line, ladies; we are complex creatures. Our sexual function and desire is multifactorial. While it is tempting to think that a dab of testosterone gel every day will fix everything in the bedroom department, emerging data shows that perimenopause and menopause are not times of testosterone deficiency. Plus there are strong signals that our testosterone levels will rise over the age of 60; something to look forward to… or not? You decide.

So what/when exactly is perimenopause?

No two women are the same and neither are the symptoms experienced through menopause transition. Dare I use that term journey? Became, if it was a trip we paid for we’d all want our money back. 

Professor Susan Davis presented findings of the Australian Women’s Study (AWS) looking to see what menopause symptoms women experienced and when ie in early or late perimenopause, in menopause or in post menopause. A few definitions:

A woman is said to be in the menopause if it has been more than 12 months since her last period. 

Postmenopause is the time beyond 12 months after the last period.

A woman is pre-menopausal if she has a regular four-week cycle, no symptoms and no changes to her periods.

These three stages are easy to spot. 

Perimenopause is not so straight forward.

We lack evidence-based or indeed any guidelines on treatment of women in perimenopause.

The global gold standard for the past 15 years  defining a woman’s reproductive stages is the  STRAW-10 system. In brief, it says perimenopause starts once cycles vary in length by seven or more days; ie periods become either further apart or closer together by seven or more days. That may need to be rethought.

The AWS found that women experienced typical menopause symptoms like hot flushes when their periods were still occurring at the usual interval, but what they had was a change in flow; either lighter or heavier periods.

What we do know about perimenopause is that it is a time of hormone chaos, not oestrogen deficiency. This is because some months we ovulate, others we do not. A cycle without egg release results in high oestrogen levels giving heavier, longer periods, headaches,  bloating, fluid retention.

‘PMS on steroids’ is what one patient described what it felt like for her in her early 40s. Many women start to get migraines for the first time in their 40s. Anxiety is also a prominent symptom in perimenopause.  

This is where social media is definitely not your friend: It is often advocated that HRT needs to be started the minute a woman starts to experience any menopause symptoms. Stop and think about that: if your hormones are all over the place, does it seem like a good idea to throw a load of other hormones in on top? That is what taking HRT in the early perimenopause will do.

HRT is a product designed and safety tested for use by post-menopausal women to treat oestrogen deficiency. What we need to do in perimenopause is stop the hormone chaos and this is achieved by switching off ovulation; HRT products will not do that. Also we have no safety data on the use of HRT starting in women as young as 43 in terms of lifelong risks of breast cancer.  

What we do have is a range of very safe hormone therapies that will stop ovulation and therefore stop the chaos and get rid of the PMS. Once the hormone roller-coaster stops, anxiety symptms invariably settle. Many of these products now contain the same oestrogen you get in HRT.

New drug for hot flushes

Some  readers may have come across Veoza, brand name for Fezolinetant. It acts centrally in the brain to calm the thermoregulatory system and is very effective. A sister medication, Elinzanetant has been studied in women with breast cancer, who are unable to use HRT, and it is very effective and safe.

But, it is expensive and can affect the liver. While the HSE is considering whether it might be covered by medical card or DPS, drug prepayment scheme, it is not currently and costs €80 a month. Liver blood tests need to be done before starting, a few weeks after and again six months later. 

I have rheumatoid arthritis/Lupus so I cannot have HRT. Not true.

Dr Arvind Kaul, consultant rheumatologist, St George’s Hospital London gave an interesting presentation at the BMS conference, emphasising that transdermal HRT is safe to use in autoimmune disorders such as RA, Sjogrens, or Lupus. 

I’ve had a clot so I cannot have HRT. Not true.

While the link between oral HRT and clots is well-established – the risk is increased two to four times – we have compelling evidence from large studies that using HRT through the skin, transdermal HRT, does not increase the risk of clots. The presentation by haematologist and clotting specialist Professor Beverly Hunt highlighted an issue we have all come across as doctors and patients; a doctor or nurse telling you that you must stop HRT before a procedure or surgery; not true. Yes, if you are on oral HRT you should stop four weeks before any operation but a safe option is to switch to transdermal HRT.

If you have questions about any if the issues raised here, please discuss with your GP. 

In this second instalment of her series on the nine principles of interior design, Mairead Collier explores two critical principles that govern how we perceive and move through a room: Focal Points and Rhythm.

When you understand the fundamental principles of interior design, you unlock the ability to transform any space from ordinary to extraordinary. Paired with practice, a bit of trial, and creative experimentation, this knowledge empowers you to curate a home that feels uniquely yours.

Every room needs a focal point.

A focal point is the star of the room, the striking feature or element that instantly grabs your attention and draws your eye inward upon entering. It can be a natural architectural feature like a breathtaking view through a floor-to-ceiling window or a classic stone fireplace. Alternatively, it can be a deliberate design choice, such as a large-scale piece of artwork, a bold upholstered headboard, or a dramatic accent wall.

The most common mistake in home interiors is a room with no clear anchor. Without one, furniture and decor end up competing with one another, every piece screaming for attention at once. The alternative is equally uninspired: a room where nothing stands out, leaving the space feeling flat, bland, and tedious.

Depending on its scale, a well-designed room can support more than one focal point. However, unless you are highly confident in your design abilities, it is best to start with a single, clear anchor to avoid visual overload.

 A successful focal point must capture immediate interest while remaining an integral part of the overall design scheme. It should invite you to look further without feeling disconnected from the rest of the room. If your room lacks a natural architectural feature, build one! Highlight a key piece of furniture, like a rich velvet sofa, or style an eye-catching media console or gallery wall.

If you struggle to identify what is working in your room, step back and take a few photos on your phone. Looking at a space through a lens strips away daily familiarity and reveals exactly where the eye lands first.Once your focal point is chosen, arrange your furniture to orient toward it. Frame it with clever lighting, such as picture lights, directional spotlights, or flanking sconces, to add impact and drama.

Once your focal point establishes where the eye should land; Rhythm dictates how the eye moves through the rest of the space. In interior design, rhythm is the art of creating patterns of repetition, progression, and contrast. It carries the viewer along a continuous, visual path that feels effortless and intuitive.

Without rhythm, a room feels like a collection of disconnected, individual objects. With it, every element feels intentionally linked, creating a subconscious sense of harmony and continuity that defines a professionally designed home.

At the heart of rhythm lies repetition, the deliberate, recurring use of a specific design element across a space. When an element is repeated, the human eye naturally connects the dots, creating a subtle visual track to follow.

You can establish repetition through various design layers:

 Repeating an accent hue, such as carrying a deep rust tone from a canvas painting to sofa cushions and a decorative vase across the room.

Echoing soft, organic curves through an arched mirror, a round coffee table, and spherical lighting fixtures.

Reappearing warm timber finishes across table legs, picture frames, and wall cladding, or repeating woven textures like rattan and linen.

While repetition is essential to establish rhythm, the key is balance. Overusing or over-repeating the exact same element is a common trap that leads to visual monotony.

If every single piece of furniture in a living room features the exact same oak finish, or if every cushion, curtain, and rug shares the identical pattern, the space loses its energy. Instead of feeling curated, it becomes flat, boring, and sterile, resembling a rigid, copy-and-paste furniture showroom rather than a lived-in home.

To create a dynamic rhythm that keeps a room engaging, repeat a material or colour, but vary its application, scale, or intensity. For example, pair a chunky bouclé armchair with a subtle woven linen cushion in a similar shade, or mix a dark walnut dining table with lighter oak framing details nearby.

Use contrasting elements to create ‘beats’ along your visual path. A sleek, smooth glass tabletop placed against a coarse, textured rug instantly breaks up monotony and adds an unexpected, modern edge. Lead the eye by altering an element’s scale, such as styling a collection of candlesticks or ceramic vases in graduating heights along a sideboard.By thoughtfully repeating elements while embracing subtle variation and contrast, you create a captivating rhythm that brings your home to life, guiding the eye seamlessly from one beautiful detail to the next.

Coming up in Part 3: We dive into contrast and harmony.

Mairead Collier creates refined, bespoke luxury homes for private clients across Ireland, London, and the USA, fully managed from concept to completion. For more visit maireadscollierinteriors.com

Music is in Martin Vallely’s bloodline. However, while his wider family is very well-known in the traditional Irish music world, his own talent lay dormant for a long time writes Moze Jacobs.

“In my immediate family there is hardly any music. Just one of my seven siblings plays some guitar. So I started really late. I had no idea I could play.”

Vallely is an anglicised Irish name with deep roots in Ulster, specifically Co Armagh. Its county town, Armagh, is the birthplace of Martin’s best-known musical family members. Such as the legendary Brian Vallely and his wife Eithne, prolific musicians and teachers who founded the Armagh Pipers Club in 1966 in order to “revive and promote traditional Irish music and uilleann piping”. Tragically, Eithne (81), originally from Co Donegal, died in August after being hit by a truck while walking. Their five children and ten grandchildren are all musicians, renowned for playing traditional Irish or classical music to a high standard on an eclectic array of instruments. There is also Fintan Vallely, a first cousin who is a respected flute player, university lecturer, author, ethnomusicologist and erstwhile music critic for The Irish Times.  

Martin Vallely, modest to a T, takes no credit for the famous connection. Nor did it influence his musical development or career. “I’m only a second or third cousin. There is no direct lineage.” He was born in Belfast, currently lives near Clonakilty, but grew up in Cork from the age of ten, when his large family was forced to leave Northern Ireland “because of the troubles. A sectarian situation. I don’t want to say too much about it. Basically, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time and moved to the South. Cork has been very good to us. We became an integral part of the community.” 

The city was also where he found his musical feet, albeit on a stop-start trajectory. “In the first year of secondary school we had a great music teacher who was very encouraging. I vaguely remember starting on the piano but unfortunately, he left and was never replaced. Therefore, it all stopped until, as a 21-year-old, I was sharing a flat in Cork with Martin Kelleher, a brilliant bass player. He was writing songs on a guitar and needed bass lines. He literally handed me an instrument and told me to play a single note. I did. He taught me another one. Within two weeks, I could play bass. Then a singer moved into the same flat, and a second songwriter. We found a drummer and ended up with a band. This was in the early 1980s. Way before Cork became the rave capital of the world. Our style was post-punk, Indie, new wave. The singer, John Campbell, thought he was David Bowie.”

Martin Vallely’s band was called Boat People (a reference to the people trying to escape the Asian countries devastated by the Vietnam War). It was the first of many musical ensembles he would be involved with down the years, in a variety of countries and situations. “Later I had some brushes with fame in a Cork band called Soon, when I had been playing bass for four years. The other musicians were Tony O’Sullivan, Giordai O’Laoghaire, Con O’Donovan. We got together and produced amazing music. That band should have become famous! People still talk about it. We clicked, there was chemistry, we were young and stupid.

“They were hailed as an adventurous musical outfit”, recorded seven studio tracks, appeared on RTE radio and TV. Everybody said we’d go somewhere. Great players, bad advice. So it didn’t happen.”

 His biography shows a dazzling range of (musical and other) activities and job titles: Record and video producer, session musician, arranger, composer, songwriter, film soundtrack composer, bandleader, teacher, performer. He found paid work as a bass player in Germany, Holland, France, Spain. As a singer-songwriter, he recorded two albums with original material and transitioned into a full-fledged jazz musician. “Jazz offers a wider, more interesting canvas.” With the Martin Vallely Quartet he released a series of critically-acclaimed Jazz CDs featuring his own compositions, while touring extensively. He took up the saxophone in addition to the bass, obtained a BA, then an MA at the MTU Cork School of Music. As if that wasn’t enough, he became a film director, “after following a sign for a filmmaker course on a balmy summer’s evening in Cork.

“I thought, oh, I’d love to try that. So I did.”

He directed six short fiction films; some were shown at festivals. “I enjoyed the experience and assimilated so much knowledge. It was even more fulfilling than music. You’re looking at ten different skills that you’ve got to be working on almost simultaneously.”

This year, as the Brett/Vallely Conspiracy, he released his sixth CD, ‘Two Heads Are Better Than One’, featuring jazz standards, on which he plays tenor sax and bass together with long-term collaborators Josephine Smith (vocals), Justin Brett (piano/keyboards), David Christy Jones (drums/percussion). 

The latter two also participate in his latest project, a community big band in Clonakilty, now called Seo Linn. Roughly ten members (there’s room for more). Some are professional musicians, others have a day job, everyone strives for professionalism. Vallely is very pleased with the result. After rehearsing for four months, their debut in front of an audience of thousands during the Clonakilty Street Festival in June was really well-received. “Not pure jazz but I’m doing jazzy arrangements of all the songs, including ‘Big Yellow Taxi’, ‘Moon Dance’, ‘Conscious Love’ (a reggae tune that I composed).”

A second gig, in Ár-n-Áit (Skibbereen), is booked for Sunday afternoon, September 20. 

Another project close to his heart is the Clonakilty Men’s Shed Choir that he has led since September 2024. Coincidentally, it also performed at the Street Carnival this year. Martin entered them for last year’s RTÉ Choirs for Christmas competition. A recording is online at RTÉ Lyric FM. In-between, they poignantly sang at the funeral of the late, much-missed Tommy O’Donovan, which brought Clonakilty to a stand-still. “He was the founding Chairman of Clonakilty Men’s Shed and one of the choir’s original members. He enjoyed getting the guys together. And he loved singing for its own sake. He had a lovely voice. He is missed.”

Martin Vallely plays with the Dave Desmond Jazz Trio on September 5 and conducts the Seo Linn Big Band on September 20 (Ár-n-Áit, Skibbereen). Each month, the Clonakilty Men’s Shed sings for the residents of the Convent Hospital and around Christmas in aid of St. Vincent de Paul.

In the first of a six-part series on the nine principles of interior design, Mairead Collier looks at balance, and scale and proportion.

Have you ever walked into a room and felt completely at ease, without knowing why? Or stood in a beautifully furnished space that somehow felt cold and disconnected? The difference, almost always, comes down to design principles.

These are not rigid rules. They are guidelines that professional interior designers use to create spaces that feel intentional, balanced, and genuinely lovely to be in. And the good news is that you do not need a design degree to understand them. Once you know what to look for, you will start seeing these principles everywhere, and applying them in your own home becomes much more instinctive.

Over the coming six months, I will break down each principle and expand on how to apply them in your home. For this first article I will discuss the first two principles; Balance, and Scale and Proportion.

Balance is one of the most fundamental principles of interior design. It refers to how visual weight is distributed across a room. A balanced room is one where its various elements have similar visual weight and aesthetic importance. When balance is right, a space feels stable and calm. The scale, colour and texture of all elements in the room will have an influence on balance. Each object within a room will carry a different visual weight. Large objects carry more visual weight than small objects. Bright and bold colours carry more weight than say pale or cool colours. Likewise, shiny objects versus dull or flat objects. The former has more visual weight than the latter. A busy pattern will carry more visual weight than a simple pattern. The goal is to balance all these elements within the room. When it is off, something nags, even if you cannot quite name it. There are three types of balance. Symmetrical balance is achieved when two identical items are placed on two opposite sides of an imaginary line. For example, two matching bedside tables, a pair of lamps flanking a fireplace. It is formal and reassuring. Asymmetrical balance uses objects of different sizes or types that carry equal visual weight, a tall floor lamp balanced by a low, wide credenza. It feels more relaxed and contemporary. Radial balance arranges elements around a central point, a round dining table with chairs, and a circular rug.In practice, most well-designed rooms use a combination of all three. The key is to step back and ask: does one side of this room feel heavier than the other? If so, something needs to shift. The easiest way to start is to place a focal point centrally, like a bed in a bedroom or a dining table and chairs in a dining room, and work out from this. When deciding where to place an item ask yourself a series of questions. What is the visual weight of the item? Where will it look best within the room? What will need to be placed around the item to give it balance?

Scale refers to how objects relate to the size of the room. Proportion is how objects relate to each other. Both matter enormously, and both are frequently the cause of rooms that feel off without anyone being able to say exactly why.The relationship between scale and proportion is in part a matter of function but also of aesthetics, perspective and how we use the space. An oversized sofa in a small room makes the space feel cramped and hard to move through. To counteract this, designers may often upholster the sofa in a neutral colour, then use a bolder colour on things such as cushions or throws. This stops the sofa from dominating the room but also introduces colour and interest. Tiny artwork hung on a large wall looks lost and apologetic. However this too can be rectified if it provides a subtle visual link to other items in the room through shape, colour or texture. The secret lies in being intentional about adding in an under-scale object and not randomly introducing it to a room. Similarly furniture that is too low for a high-ceilinged room can feel awkward and weightless. Getting scale and proportion right is not complicated. But it does require measuring, and resisting the temptation to buy something simply because you love it, without checking how it will actually relate to its surroundings.The golden ratio and the rule of thirds are both useful frameworks here. But honestly, the simplest test is to stand in the room, look at what you are considering, and ask: does it belong here? Does it feel right in relation to everything else? If you are still unsure or not confident then you could use chalk or painter’s tape and mark out the size of your furniture on the floor. Over-scaling is one of the tools designers use a lot and it is an extremely effective way of improving the overall ambience of a room. It also has the added bonus of requiring only one or two elements to make a big impact e.g. a double height headboard or an oversized antique mirror or pendant. 

Mastering balance, scale, and proportion is just the beginning of transforming a space into a thoughtful, harmonious home. Over the next five months, we will explore the remaining principles that bring rooms to life, giving you the tools to trust your own eye. Interior design is an ongoing conversation, and I would love to hear about your projects, whether you are refreshing a single room, planning a full home renovation, or embarking on a complete new build. If you have a tricky layout, a burning design question, or a topic you would like covered in an upcoming column, please get in touch at info@maireadcollierinteriors.com or connect with me online at www.maireadcollierinteriors.com.

Until next month, happy decorating!

by John Hosford

We have had some really hot weather, with record temperatures, and near-drought conditions have put a lot of pressure on many plants and lawns. With hose pipe bans in place, gardeners now need to consider both the storage and careful use of water.

Autumn and early winter are ideal times for planting trees, shrubs and bare-root fruit trees. Late spring and summer plantings may not have had enough time to establish before the onset of hot, dry weather. Hydrangeas, which are planted extensively throughout West Cork, have suffered particularly during the recent hot, dry spell.

Heavy mulching with bark mulch, composted stable manure or farmyard manure is well worthwhile for conserving moisture. Make sure any compost used is free of weeds. Mulching can be carried out in late winter or early spring, or immediately after planting. Roses and perennials can also be mulched in late winter or early spring with composted manure. If this is not available, Gee-up, made in Blarney, Co. Cork, is an excellent alternative.

Water can be stored from the winter rains in water butts or tanks, and gardeners should enquire locally about stockists. Carbery Plastics in Clonakilty manufacture water butts and accessories. Rainwater or grey water can be used when watering new plantings.

Fruit garden: Apples should be picked as they ripen. Earlier varieties such as ‘Beauty of Bath’ and ‘Discovery’ can be picked as soon as they are ripe. Test the fruit by gently clasping it; if it is ripe, it should detach easily without much pressure. Early varieties will not store for long and should be used within seven to ten days of picking.

Autumn-fruiting raspberries should also be picked, while recently planted strawberries need to be kept well watered. Ripening fruit should be protected from birds and wasps with well-secured netting. Gardeners should also be wary of wasps when collecting windfall fruit.

Prune off mildew-infected shoots on apples and pears. Finish pruning summer-fruiting raspberries by cutting out the fruited canes and tying in the new canes securely.

Container-grown peaches and nectarines can be planted in a sheltered spot. Prepare the soil by digging it over and incorporating plenty of well-composted farmyard manure or garden compost. Dig a hole large and deep enough to plant the tree at the same depth as it was in the container, making sure the point where it is grafted remains above ground level.

Greenhouse and under cover:
September is a good time to attend to greenhouse repairs and replace any broken panes of glass. Remove shading before October arrives and reduce watering during the month. Watering early in the day will help reduce fungal infection.

Ventilators should now be closed at night but opened during warm and mild days. Good air circulation will help reduce the risk of disease. Tender plants should be brought indoors in late September or early October, including pelargoniums, tender fuchsias, cannas and lantanas.

Continue picking tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, peppers and aubergines as they ripen. Keep the greenhouse well ventilated on warm days and continue feeding with a liquid seaweed-based fertiliser. Avoid creating damp conditions in the evening.

Lawns: September is a good time to sow grass seed or lay turf, with sowing completed by the end of the month while there is still warmth in the soil. Established lawns can be fed with an autumn lawn feed now.

Thatch, the layer of dead grass and other debris that builds up on a lawn, should be removed. Thatch can cause problems with surface drainage and encourage moss and other weeds to colonise the lawn. On a small lawn, it can be pulled out with a spring-tined rake. For a larger lawn, it is worth considering hiring a powered scarifier from a local tool hire company. The lawn will look a mess immediately after scarifying, but it will do it the world of good and it will soon recover.

After removing the thatch, the next job is aeration. This can be done by pushing a fork 15cm into the ground at 15-18cm intervals. A machine can be hired for larger lawns. Worn patches should be reseeded and broad-leaved weeds dealt with.

Bulbs: Spring-flowering bulbs will now be available in garden centres and shops. Bulbs can also be planted or potted up now for Christmas flowering. Hyacinths, early narcissi such as Paperwhite and Grand Soleil d’Or, and freesias are suitable choices.

Dwarf bulbs are ideal for providing early colour in a cool greenhouse or conservatory, or outdoors. Dwarf iris, crocus, scilla, dwarf tulips, dwarf narcissi, tulips and Anemone blanda can all be grown in pots, provided there is good drainage.

Outdoor bulbs for spring flowering can now be planted, although tulips are usually planted in November. Tall varieties of tulips and narcissi can be underplanted with pansies, violas, polyanthus, dwarf wallflowers or forget-me-nots. Combinations could include tall red tulips with blue forget-me-nots, tall yellow trumpet daffodils with blue pansies, or Narcissi Tete a Tete with blue crocus and blue or purple aubretia trailing at the edges or front of a container.

When buying bulbs, check that they are firm, sound and free of mould or fungal infection. Check the heights and colours on the packet and choose lower varieties if you are gardening in an exposed place. It is also worth choosing a selection of varieties that will provide a succession of colour from December to May. Snowdrops will be among the first to flower, with some early varieties flowering even before Christmas. These can be followed by early narcissi such as January Gold, dwarf iris, dwarf tulips, hyacinths, late narcissi and tulips, followed by Dutch iris.

Vegetable garden: In the vegetable garden, harvest potatoes and control slugs on potatoes remaining in the ground. Runner beans, French beans and peas should be picked, while brassicas need protection from caterpillars. These should be dealt with immediately as they can cause considerable damage in a very short period.

Pumpkins, squashes and vegetable marrows should be harvested and brought indoors to a cool, dry and frost-free place. Handle the fruit carefully to avoid damage or blemishes, which will shorten its storage life. Until harvesting at the end of the month, protect the fruit by placing a slab or slate underneath each one to keep it clean.

I am seeing more and more patients who have been given a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). It is given to those presenting with neurological symptoms like gait and balance issues, new speech problems, occasional paralysis of limbs, dysautonomia (problems with sympathetic /parasympathetic tone) and other neurological symptoms, which can be debilitating, causing fatigue, anxiety and an inability to concentrate. This is particularly significant for younger sufferers, as it can make school difficult and many are unable to attend.

From a medical point of view these symptoms are considered serious but often patients given this diagnosis have normal MRI findings and a reason for developing these symptoms is unclear.

One area that I focus on is the possibility that neuroinflammation is causing these symptoms, as neuroinflammation is hugely problematic but does not show up on blood tests, MRI or other commercially available scans.

What is neuroinflammation? When people think about the brain and what makes it work, the first thought is usually about neurons, which send electrical signals from the brain to instruct the body to function. There are also a number of specialist immune cells in the brain, which are incredibly important to this process. I would like to focus on one type of specialist immune cell called a microglial cell. These are dendritic cells, meaning they have arms and can move around the brain and their job is to clear debris from neurons and support how they function.  When microglial cells become activated, either by an injury like concussion or after an infection in the upper respiratory tract of the inner ear, they switch from their normal role, and some become inflammatory and others anti-inflammatory.  After this transformation they are unable to switch back to their normal resting state. When these cells become inflammatory they have a negative effect on how neurons work.

The mechanisms of neuroinflammation are influenced by diet, nutrition, lifestyle and combined with specific neurological exercises an important part of recovering from FND.

There are two reasons why diet might be important. The first is to do with energy and the other the triggering of the immune system. The brain needs a steady supply of glucose and an abundance of oxygen – without these it struggles to function well, even when we are in good health. So a steady glucose supply and abundance of oxygen becomes very, very important for those with FND. Neurons require a large amount of energy to function and it gets this from stable blood glucose – what this means in practice is that skipping meals and eating a diet that is high in processed foods and sugars makes blood sugar unstable, making it very hard to recover.

The second reason is to do with immune responses. The immune system throughout the body uses signalling molecules. When you get an infection, these signalling molecules will start to circulate in your system and prime or up-regulate certain responses and, if the microglial cells in your brain are in a primed state, this can switch them into an inflammatory mode and make the symptoms of FND worse. Infections are not the only trigger for the immune system – certain chemicals, airborne toxins and even certain foods can trigger responses in the immune system.

Specific exercises may also help. The human body is an amazing self healing organism.  I am sure many of you have had a broken bone or had stitches after an operation or injury.  If you have broken a bone, part of your recovery will include exercises to get the joint moving properly to help return to full range of motion and function. The same is true of the brain. It is possible to use functional neurology testing to get an idea of which parts of the brain are affected and rehab with focused exercises that support these areas, improving blood flow and strengthening neurons. It is important when working with someone who has FND to get this right, as if you over-stimulate a particular area you can make symptoms worse, so a very measured approach, increasing exercises over time, has the best result.

Eoin Roe is a chiropractor and functional neurology specialist working is Skibbereen. Get in touch through the website www.roehealth.ie or call and leave a message on 028 62081.

In my early twenties I developed a compositional structure which I consider to be a visual equivalent to a musical fugue. As a structure it is modular and capable, theoretically at least, of infinite extension. The temptation was then (and still is) to see how long I could make it. What I discovered in doing so was that anything more than a 3:1 ratio (length to height) is too much for the human gaze to take in at once. My largest fugue painting – conceived in egg tempera as an abstract icon – is 4 x 1.5 metres (length by height), which sits well upon the eye. As a corollary to this I have also created fugue sequences in print, and produced them as concertina books. The longest of these is 200 x 11 cm; in ratio terms this equals 18:1, length by height. It is not meant to be seen all at once, though it can be, and such is the case of the great friezes–essentially story boards – conceived throughout history, variously in marble, mosaic, textile and fresco.

One of these, the Bayeux Tapestry, is now on show in the British Museum, and measures 7000 x 50 cm (70 m x 0.5 m), a ratio of 140:1. It is an extraordinary feat of embroidery, of storytelling through coloured woollen yarn. Despite its name it is not a woven tapestry at all, but nine, joined, embroidered lengths of linen, depicting the Norman conquest of England, itself culminating in the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Most likely commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux for his half-brother, William the Conqueror, the work is thought to have been undertaken in Canterbury, England, in the 1070s by women needleworkers, who were famed throughout Europe, their fine needlework known as ‘Opus Anglicanum’ (English work).

Embroidered in eight or more colours, with a dominant indigo and red ochre palette, the tapestry reflects the dominant dyes in use at the time of its creation: madder for the reds, weld for the yellows and woad for the blues. In addition, un-dyed wools were used for whites and tans, whilst for dark browns and blacks organic materials like oak galls (ball-like growths on oak trees) would have been utilised (just as for oak gall ink).

One can imagine those fine craftswomen at work, embroidering the Norman ships en route to England on a wavy linen sea, or again, stitching into being the Norman knights on horseback, spears raised, cutting through the stitched Anglo Saxon resistance. Such fine, delicate work, employed to record the brutal violence of male conquest! One can imagine the silence of the workshop, a senior needleworker squinting in the light, being ribbed by another; or a visit, perhaps, from the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the abbot of St Augustine’s Abbey, both postulated as possible composers of the work. A smile as the abbot looks down, the hands of a young needleworker momentarily stilled by his gaze. He moves on and her hands resume stitching an outline, perhaps of a horse, using wool dyed in madder. She is employing stem stitch (or back stitch), whilst beside her an older needleworker (let’s call her Gisela) is couching–laying thread side by side–before securing the thread with a fine perpendicular stitch; this to fill the form of a horse in grey-blue. Underneath the finely stitched hooves, Gisela has embroidered a slain soldier, his head separated from his body.

There is a slim register above the horse’s heads, where the younger craftswoman (let’s call her Marian) has outlined a bird, also in madder-dyed wool. This register is populated by many symbolic animals in a style reminiscent of Anglo-Saxon book illumination, which anyone familiar with the Book of Kells will recognise. Perhaps our Marian knew similar illuminated manuscripts? Certainly the composer of the tapestry did (the abbot of St. Augustine’s at the time had previously headed a scriptorium).

How long did it take these craftswomen to fulfil this commission from their conquerors? It is impossible to say, however seventy metres and fifty-eight scenes later the embroidered tapestry left their careful hands to travel over the channel, presumably to Bayeux Cathedral in Normandy, where it is first recorded in an inventory of 1476. Scholars have since suggested that it was made to fit the south, west and north arcades of the nave, which, if true, would make some sense. In such a setting the faithful could follow the story of the conquest around the church, much as they would follow the story of Christ through the Stations of the Cross.

Great friezes – storyboards in essence – have been, since ancient times, one of the primary means of myth-building, of forging and controlling the narrative of nations, kingdoms, empires. The compositions of such, unless compartmentalised into ‘stories’ (such as with Giotto’s fresco cycle in the Basilica of St. Francis) are often subordinate to the flow of the narrative. It is impossible to take in such an image at a glance. Instead one follows it, walks a symbolic pilgrimage from scene to scene. Such is the case with this marvel from Bayeux.

I am thinking once more about my fugues, those infernal, ghostlike repetitions which rise and fall in my consciousness. Perhaps it is time to return to them, perhaps a four metre concertina book, doubling my previous effort? Or a cycle of paintings, which flow unbroken on the walls, around a room, a secular chapel of colour? I can feel it, a continuous exposition, like a Gregorian chant, seductive in its soft and unifying rhythm. The Bayeux Tapestry, by contrast, is jagged and graphic, a portrayal of carnage. Its figures disturb the silence, haunt the centuries, and will for as long as its fibres last.

James will be giving a seminar on the work of the contemporary Italian painter, Roberto Ferri, on Thursday, August 6, 7:30-8:30pm. Limited spaces. Bookings via: www.clonarts.ie

by Galyna Zaitseva

When I first met Saeeda, I was struck by her quiet presence. She speaks softly, listens carefully and has no natural desire to be the centre of attention. At first, she seems shy and reserved. Yet the more time you spend with her, the more clearly you begin to notice the strength beneath that gentleness. I saw the same quiet strength in her studio.

I had imagined a busy creative space filled with fabrics, threads, patterns and unfinished ideas. Instead, everything was carefully organised in containers, with every object in its place. Only the sewing machine and a painting still in progress revealed that this was an artist’s workspace.

Then Saeeda began opening the containers.

One by one, she brought out dresses, blouses, jewellery and embroidered fabrics. She showed me the details she had made by hand and explained the techniques behind them. With each new piece, another part of her creative world appeared.

I had come to select outfits for the photoshoot, but very quickly I stopped choosing and simply began admiring her work. Every garment felt different. Some pieces were delicate and understated, while others were full of colour, embroidery and painted detail. Choosing only three looks was far more difficult than I had expected. I wanted to show everything.

For Saeeda, fashion has always been closely connected to art.

“As an artist, I have always dreamed of seeing people wear my art,” she says. “I love working with my hands, exploring crafts, textures and traditional techniques. Fashion has given me a beautiful way to turn my creativity into something people can wear and enjoy in their everyday lives.”

Saeeda has lived in Clonakilty since June 2024, having come directly to West Cork from Pakistan with her four children. Arriving in Ireland meant leaving behind her home, familiar surroundings and the life she had built.

At a time when almost everything around her was already changing, she also faced breast cancer, surgery and treatment.

“My battle with breast cancer came at a time when my whole life had already changed,” she says. “Facing cancer, surgery and treatment in a new country, largely on my own, was one of the biggest challenges of my life.”

She speaks about this period openly, but without allowing it to become the only story she tells about herself. During our conversation, her thoughts continually returned to the future: to fabrics she would like to try, techniques she wants to explore and ideas she hopes to develop.

“I have never believed in giving up,” she says. “I try not to spend too much time mourning what I have lost or what has been left behind. Instead, I think about what I can create, improve and build next.”

That way of thinking seems to shape both her life and her work.

Today, Saeeda creates clothing under the name S.fusion. The brand reflects her desire to bring different ideas, cultures, artistic traditions and styles together, while keeping comfort and individuality at the heart of every design.

“It is about creating a fusion while keeping comfort and individuality at the centre of everything I do,” she explains.

She currently works mainly with 100 per cent cotton and traditional hand block-printing techniques. Her next step is to explore eco-printing on cotton, and she hopes to work more with organic materials and handwoven textiles in the future.

For Saeeda, the way clothing feels is just as important as the way it looks.

“My purpose is not only to create beautiful and stylish clothing,” she says. “I want to think about people’s comfort and wellbeing too. Clothes can be artistic and stylish while still being breathable, comfortable and kind to the skin.”

What she loves most is beginning with a simple piece of fabric and gradually giving it a character of its own.

“For me, fashion is another form of art. I love taking a simple piece of fabric and giving it its own story. My dream is to let people wear that art.”

Saeeda does not believe personal style should be shaped by every passing trend. For her, clothing is a way of expressing personality, confidence and even mood.

She is especially passionate about reminding women that style does not disappear with age. Bodies change and the clothes that once felt right may no longer suit who we have become. Saeeda sees this not as a reason to withdraw from fashion, but as an opportunity to discover something new.

“Never believe that beauty or style has an age limit. We should never stop expressing ourselves or taking care of how we feel.”

Her advice is to look beyond perfection and pay attention to the way clothes make us feel.

Experimentation is an important part of Saeeda’s own work. She enjoys bringing traditional techniques into modern, uncomplicated silhouettes and exploring unfamiliar combinations of colour and texture.

“Sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone can help you discover a completely new and beautiful side of yourself,” she says.

The photoshoot asked Saeeda to step outside her own comfort zone. For most of her creative life, she had worked behind the scenes, designing clothes and creating looks. This time, she was the one wearing the designs and standing in front of the camera.

“I am quite camera-shy, so it was something completely new for me,” she says. “The photographer made me feel very comfortable, and wearing my own designs gave me a new connection with my work.”

At the beginning of the shoot, Saeeda was understandably reserved. She was more accustomed to adjusting a garment or considering how a look should be presented than thinking about her own position in front of the lens.

Gradually, she began to relax.

“I was very tired by the end and definitely realised that modelling is not as easy as it looks,” she says with humour. “But overall, it was a really beautiful and positive experience.”

During the day, she also experienced a quieter and more personal realisation.

“I suddenly realised that I had almost forgotten to smile. It reminded me that I need to find my smile again.” Those words stayed with me.

By the end of the shoot, Saeeda was no longer thinking so carefully about the camera. She was laughing freely and naturally, surrounded by the clothes she had designed and made with her own hands.

The photoshoot did not turn her into somebody new. It allowed her to see herself – and her work – from another side. For a little while, she was not only the artist behind the clothes, but also the woman wearing them, enjoying them and allowing herself to be seen.

“Cancer changed many things in my life, but it did not take away my creativity or my desire to move forward,” she says. “I am still creating, learning and building new dreams for myself and my children.”

Look One

This look brings together soft shades of green, natural texture and detailed handwork.

Relaxed olive-green trousers create an uncomplicated foundation, while the pistachio-green top, made from artisan-woven natural fabric, introduces texture and delicate hand embroidery. Its easy silhouette allows the beauty of the material to remain visible without making the outfit feel formal.

The long handmade overlayer is the focal point of the look. It has been carefully tailored and embroidered, while the back features a hand-painted floral design. This painted detail makes the garment unmistakably individual – a piece shaped not only by technique, but also by Saeeda’s hand as an artist.

The floral elements on the top and overlayer create a gentle connection between the pieces. They do not match exactly, but they seem to belong to the same story.

Minimal jewellery allows the woven fabric, embroidery and painting to remain at the centre of the outfit. The finished look feels calm and considered, with each handmade detail given space to be noticed.

Stylist’s tip: When wearing a detailed handcrafted piece, pair it with simple shapes and restrained accessories. Let the embroidery, texture or painted detail become the part of the outfit that draws the eye.

Look Two

The second look is light, joyful and full of summer colour.

At its centre is a yellow dress made from natural fabric and decorated with a traditional hand-block print. The warm shade brings brightness and energy, while the relaxed shape keeps the look comfortable and easy to wear.

Underneath, Saeeda wears a powder-blue blouse with full sleeves, hand embroidery at the shoulder and decorative inserts running along the arms. These details give the blouse its own identity rather than allowing it to disappear beneath the dress.

The combination of yellow and pale blue feels fresh and slightly unexpected. Small yellow elements within the embroidery connect the blouse to the dress, making the layering feel natural and balanced.

A caramel-toned handbag adds warmth and complements the earthy quality of the printed cotton. Together, the colours create an outfit that feels expressive without becoming overwhelming.

Stylist’s tip: When layering two contrasting garments, look for one small detail that connects them. A repeated colour in embroidery, print or trim can bring the whole outfit together.

Look Three

The third look is built around shades of blue and a gentle contrast between delicate fabrics and relaxed denim.

The flowing handmade overlayer moves lightly around the body, while fine bead embroidery catches the light with each step. Beneath it, a handmade blouse finished with lace adds another layer of softness and detail.

Wide-leg pale-blue jeans give the outfit a more grounded, contemporary feeling. Their simple structure provides an effective contrast to the sheer fabric, lace and beadwork above.

Because the colours remain within the same family, the different textures become the most interesting part of the look. Denim, transparency, lace and small areas of shimmer each contribute something different while preserving the calmness of the blue palette.

The result is relaxed but distinctive – an outfit that allows handcrafted pieces to become part of everyday dressing rather than reserving them only for special occasions.

Stylist’s tip: A monochromatic outfit becomes more interesting when you combine different fabrics. Denim, lace, sheer layers and beadwork can add depth and movement even when the colours are closely related.

For enquiries or commissions contact Saeeda through instagram (saeedamakeupartist) or Facebook (Saeeda Naeem)

There’s a story about wildland firefighters from David Epstein’s book ‘Range’. The firefighters train to fight wildfires. Their protocol states that when they are in danger, they have to drop everything: their heavy tools, their uniform, and run.

But what has been recorded again and again since the ‘90s is the surprising reality that, even when the command is clear and their lives are on the line, many firefighters choose to hold on to their tools and uniforms. This choice often costs them their lives.

Why don’t they save their lives? Epstein draws on the work of Karl Weick, an organisational psychologist who found that firefighting tools define firefighters’ identities and give them a sense of belonging. The fire axe, the saw, the shovel become extensions of their bodies. One firefighter shared that only after running a good few kilometres uphill did he realise he was still holding his heavy axe. Firefighters practise fighting fires; their identity is around running towards the fire, not running away from it. They weren’t able to follow the command because it brought an existential crisis, asking them to drop their singular identity associated with their tools and uniforms.

And they are not alone. Many of us spend years building a narrow identity that holds our life together. And when it stops serving us, we hold onto it anyway, telling ourselves the same story about who we are, even when all evidence says we’d be better off dropping it. We hope for the best; we tell ourselves: “it will be grand”; we ignore any signals or advice that following the familiar path would result in a crisis.

I shared this story with my clients and asked: “What are you holding onto that, if you dropped, would let you move forward with more ease?”

And people shared with me the ‘tools’ they wished to drop. The tools were different, and yet familiar. The examples below are based on the conversations I’ve had. Names and details changed.

Alex, a musician, would like to drop his people-pleasing habit and the expectation to be only a musician. Without these, “I’d feel freer, curious, malleable. I’d be willing to make mistakes, I’d be childlike, in a really good way.”

Sam, a business owner, wished to let go of the fear of what other people think; fear of being judged as having ‘notions’ was a common thread of many of the answers I heard. Sam said, “I stop myself from dreaming big because I think I’ll be regarded as big-headed.” Without the fear, she would be free to “sing from the rooftops!”

Gwen, who sold two successful businesses and is in the process of starting a third, wished to drop always chasing the hardest, most disruptive version of everything, the need to be “the cutting edge” – instead she’d want to feel more connected, and enjoy the simple things.

My own answer is “doing.” I come from generations of doers. My great-grandmother ran a farm and raised twelve children alone while her husband was stranded abroad for seven years during the war. My grandmother and my mother continue her legacy, never taking a relaxing holiday. I built a career as a communication consultant on the same instinct: bring me the chaos, I’ll organise it, I’ll hold it, I’ll do it. By expanding beyond the doer identity, I found a base for my coaching career. As a coach, I don’t need to “do,” but hold space for my clients to find their own path. And unlike my ancestors, I now can enjoy a lazy day on the beach.

The need to change and expand our identity comes to all of us in so many ways: from starting a business, giving birth or losing a loved one, to advancements in technology and AI that are forcing many to rethink their careers overnight. Whatever the shape of it, the same inner judge tends to show up with “what’s wrong with you?” or “It’s easier for everyone else!”. The firefighter’s story helped me to remember that dropping the familiar and trusted “tools” is never easily done, and I don’t even have blazing fire to force my hand.

So if you feel stuck in business or life, answer the same question I asked my clients: what are you holding onto that, if you dropped, would let you move forward with more ease? And how would you know you dropped it? What would be different?

Before answering the question, ground yourself. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Tune into your body. This will help you tap into a deeper sense of knowing. Feel your feet touching the ground, the clothes touching your skin. Pay attention to any words or images that come to mind. Stay open and curious.

Set a five-minute timer and write or draw. Let yourself be surprised by what emerges on the page.

Did you resonate with the article and feel ready to expand your identity and business? I’d love to work with you. Coaching sessions run for 75 minutes and cost €95.

Visit www.thinkvisual.ie/letschat to book a free discovery call or email me naomi@thinkvisual.ie.