An outline of two apps, Indyx and Yuka and their uses.

Illustration courtesy of Wix My son Eoin is home from San Francisco for a week to attend a stag-party and, separately, a wedding of two of his friends. The fact that it clashes with my birthday is a happy coincidence! (Thanks and good luck to Séamus, Rebecca and Domo!) Eoin loves his food and the quality of our Irish food is one of the aspects of life that he really misses while living abroad. Where and when they can, he and his wife try to shop and buy produce in farmers' ma

My experience of golf in Ireland and Helsinki.

But I can continue to be a Thermobore... Thermomix (Shutterstock image) I was thinking recently about what I had missed and was grateful to have back in my life since we came home from Helsinki. And, being the sad person I am, my Thermomix was up there towards the top of my list. For those of you who may not be familiar, a Thermomix , according to the blurb, is a revolutionary kitchen appliance that combines the functions of more than 20 appliances in one: it can chop, beat,

What is the secret of the success of the Nordic countries?

The Turku Archipelago is a great destination for an activity-based holiday.

Cathedral in Senate Square Helsinki, January 2026 We are saying goodbye to Helsinki, at least for now, on Wednesday next. My husband has, somewhat prematurely, been re-assigned to a construction project back in Dublin, beginning next week. So it is with bitter-sweet emotions we are packing up our belongings, at least six months earlier than we had originally envisaged. We, of course, will be delighted to be back with family and friends in Ireland, but perhaps we were not quit

On my way from my car to the supermarket entrance, I regularly stop to look at the window display in Book Haven in Knocklyon to see what new titles they have on show. Naturally, I am often tempted to go in for a better look (and to feel and smell!), and I frequently purchase a new book before I buy my groceries. Food for the soul and spirit is every bit as important as food for the body, I would argue. Imagine my delight yesterday morning, when I stood in front of the window

The launch of Kathryn Crowley's new collection of stories 'Love, Lycra and Tattoos' took place on the 4th of December 2025 in Dublin.

A short and to-the-point blog post this week! I would love to see all of my blog subscribers at the event in the Teachers' Club in Dublin on Thursday next. It will be a joint book launch with my fellow-writer and Emu Ink stable-mate John Fintan McCutcheon. I invite you to kick off your Christmas shopping by buying signed copies of our two books on the evening.

I am delighted to have my first published poem, a glosa called 'The Emergency is Now' published in 'The Stony Thursday Book 50.'

We attended a jazz concert in Musiikkitalo on Halloween night.

I attended the 2025 Helsinki Book Fair last week.

Announcing the upcoming book launches of Kathryn Crowley and Fintan McCutcheon.

During the summer, life happened. Family and friends came to visit us in Helsinki (thank you all!) and I went back to Ireland for various...

There are just two days left to enter your poem or flash fiction piece in the Knocklyon Literary Festival writing competition. Don't...

Happy Midsummer from Finland, or perhaps I should say Head Jaanipäeva from Estonia, as we were actually in Tallinn for the white night ,...

Porvoo Shore Houses (Photo courtesy of Visit Finland website) There are at least three lots of visitors coming to visit with us in...

My goodness, but Helsinki has woken up! With the first rise in temperature and rays of sunshine, a new energy and vibe has hit the city...

Jean Sibelius. Photo by Daniel Nyblin (c.1898-1900) The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius is a national hero in Finland. Born in 1865, he...