Review of ‘The Middle Place’ by Kealan Ryan

What an incredible first novel. No, what a brilliant novel. Full Stop.   I was an English teacher in a former life and I know the narrator of The Middle Place. I taught him. I taught plenty like him and they were great ‘craic’. Cheeky, chirpy, funny, confident. You had to like them. But you
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Hilda and instagram husband

Beside the Hilda – confessions of an Instagram Husband!

This post – confessions of an Instagram Husband – first appeared two years ago and I thought it time to give it a second airing. I asked Graham if he had any changes to make to the original. You can read his answer at the end of this post.   My husband Graham (a.k.a. GG)
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crannog in National Heritage Park

Irish National Heritage Park is highlight of Wexford visit

A visit to the Irish National Heritage Park, less than a mile from The Ferrycarrig Hotel, was one of the highlights of our brief stay in Wexford. I had heard great reports of the park from hordes of pupils and teachers who had visited it, so was delighted to finally see it for myself. We
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March Madness Murder Mystery Party

It is ‘March Madness’ with The Style Not Age Collective and I decided that there is nothing ‘MADDER’ than a theme party. I did mention in my Sunshine Blogger post that there is nothing I like more than a fancy-dress party and we have had some fun over the years throwing and attending them. MURDER
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wexford harbour

What to see, what to do and where to eat in Wexford

Wexford, a Viking town in the south-east of Ireland, has always been a favourite of ours and we spent a pleasant few days there recently. We stayed at The Ferrycarraig Hotel about four kilometres outside the  town centre. The Ferrycarraig Hotel We booked our hotel through a discount online  site and it seemed to be
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Nomination for The Sunshine Blogger Award

I am honoured to be nominated for a Sunshine Blogger Award by two of my lovely blogger friends: Gail from IsThisMutton and Jacqui from Mummabstylish Thank you so much for the nomination, Gail and Jacqui. I got to know these two ladies through our ‘Style Not Age’ challenge and even met Gail at The Bias
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How to Look after your Skin at Any Age

Those of you who are regular readers know that I am always careful in recommending beauty treatments and products, because I believe that we all have different skin and concerns. I can only explain to you what my skin is like and tell you my results and thoughts. But I have come to realise that
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How to look Younger and Slimmer by wearing the Right Colours

I recently spent a very pleasant few hours having my colours ‘done’ or analysed by House of Colour consultant Maria Macklin in her County Monaghan studio (below). The process is fascinating. The basis of colour analysis is working out whether your skin colour is warm or cool. You might have an idea already. Check out
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‘Wherever I lay my hat, that’s my home’ 

Home is where the heart is, they say, and I’m certainly very happy with the home I’ve shared with GG for over 30 years. But I’m also fascinated by what other people have done with their homes. So I am always drawn to television programmes on houses, home make-overs and properties under the hammer. Homes on
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Checking my Fit Factor at Genofit

Our genetic material (a.k.a genomes), fitness levels and lifestyle choices all affect our overall health so I jumped at the chance of being checked out (for free) in the Genofit Research Study at the UCD Institute of Sport & Health. Organised by Genomics Medicine Ireland, the study aims to identify genomic changes in the Irish
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8 things you should know about India before you go

Our trip to India with TDactive was an adventure, an incredible experience; it was not a holiday, if you expect a holiday to be relaxing. We covered a lot of ground and were constantly on the go. Early starts (a few at five o’clock) were the norm and a lie-in until 8.00 a.m. was a
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Stylish Mondays Collaboration Ladies in Red

Welcome to ‘Stylish Mondays’ and this week we are ladies in red! The words of Chris de Burgh came into my head as I was writing this: ‘The lady in red is dancing with me, cheek to cheek There’s nobody here, it’s just you and me It’s where I want to be But I hardly
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The Revamped Morgan Hotel Perfect for Exploring Dublin

The newly revamped Morgan Hotel in the heart of Dublin is more than just the ideal location for exploring Dublin. It is the perfect hotel for a get-away with your loved one. With Valentine’s Day coming up, it might just be the perfect present. You know what I am talking about: cocktails in The Morgan,
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Style Not Age – Our January Jumpers

It is our first ‘Style Not Age’ challenge of 2019 and we are showcasing our January Jumpers! Jumpers are possibly the single most versatile item of clothing in our wardrobes. A jumper/sweater can be worn on its own next to the skin, or over a shirt or tee. It looks great with jeans and trousers.
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Follow Friday: Meet Andrea Schwartz from PearlsandPantsuits

One of the benefits and delights of blogging is the online connections you make with other bloggers.  I am delighted to introduce Andrea Lyons Schwartz. Her friends call her Andy! Andy describes herself as a ‘small town girl’ from Louisiana USA. Below is the view of a sunset from her back yard! We have been
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Looking Back on 2018 – A Mix of Good and Bad

2018 – what a year! Like most years it had a mixture of bad and good.   GORGEOUS GRAHAM! Health-wise, GG certainly had a mixed year. He had a hip operation in March and while a lot better than he was before the operation, I wouldn’t say that he is back to full mobility yet.
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indian parade

Adventure Holiday in India with TDactive – part 2

So we are half way through our trip to India with TDactive and I hope you continue to vicariously enjoy the journey. Thank you for all your lovely comments on Part 1. From Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, we took an express train to Jhansi en route to the incredible medieval Orccha fort complex
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Adventure Holiday in India with TDactive – part 1

“Nothing can possibly prepare you for the journey ahead. India will impress, bewilder, fascinate, depress, thrill, frustrate, inspire and amaze you.” These are words provided by TDactive before we left on our Indian adventure recently and never could so many verbs have more accurately described what we experienced! We have used Travel Department on many
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Incredible Wedding was Highlight of 2018

We may be in 2019 but looking back to last year, there was really only one outstanding highlight from our perspective. It is nearly six months since Kirstin and Mark’s wonderful wedding at Ballymagarvey Village in County Meath and we have had great fun recently looking through the photos and the video, seeing all the
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‘Style Not Age’ Sequins Challenge

I have only one item with sequins in my wardrobe, a top I bought in Oasis years ago but have never worn. I love sequins on others; they are sparkly, they shine and catch the light, so why don’t I wear them? I consider myself a sparkly fun-loving person, so surely it should be reflected
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Skin Cancer Health Scare What You Need To Know

Ageing, no matter how young you feel or look CAN bring health problems. My previous posts have included writing about the MENOPAUSE and getting a DEXA SCAN. I also go to the wonderful Patrick Leahy of THE LASER CENTRE in Hume Street Dublin for various ailments. He has dealt with my Varicose veins, plantar faciitis, knee pain
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Gift Guide Part 2 – the ‘Smelly Stuff’

My most memorable gift when I was teenager was perfume. Who remembers ‘Charlie’, a floral fragrance with sandalwood and musk produced by Revlon? The perfume epitomised the modern girl and I considered myself one of those. The TV and print advertisements with Shelley Hack (later of ‘Charlie’s Angels’ fame) in her jumpsuit was the girl
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A Novel for Midlifers; ‘It’s Who We Are’

Those of you who are regular readers will know that I love a good book and now and again I write reviews. These are not always fiction; in fact, my most recent review was ‘The Secret Lives of Adults’, written by psychologist Allison Keating. This book, ‘It’s Who We Are’, is fiction and is written
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Gift Guide for Christmas or Anytime

  Buying the right gift can be a nightmare for some people. If the man in your life needs some help, get him to read this. BEAUTY I have been very privileged to try many different beauty treatments and products this year. I only wrote about those that suited my skin or improved it in
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