You Said It 

Star letter - Lockdown Loves
I just wanted to write to you as you said to send in some photos of lockdown and it's a lovely idea. I have to compliment you on your article on issue 21/22 on 'lockdown Loves'. It was absolutely brilliant. From ‘Socially Distanced Queues’ to ‘Zoom, sorry but we are done with you’. It is an excellent piece - one of the best I have read in a while. It’s really good that I can relate to it so much but I bet everyone that read the article would relate to it too. Well done WW team take a bow. Also, here is a photo of our lockdown doggie, Suzie. My son David and I have her for just a year and a half. Suzie was a rescue dog and she has been our companion, a sense of comfort and friend over lockdown - we wouldn't let her go. Here she is posing gracefully for a photo. Thank you Woman's Way for always producing a great magazine that I always buy and read.

Joan Poland, Co Galway 


Facing Fears

Norah Casey’s article on facing fear was really inspiring. I think a lot of people can empathise and relate to Caroline’s situation - public speaking can be terrifying for some. Reading Caroline's determination to overcome her fear of giving a speech at her daughter’s wedding was heartwarming. Sometimes with fear we can feel isolated, which magnifies the emotion by 100 but Caroline was brave enough to reach out to Norah to share her fear, then overcome it. And it paid off. I was delighted for Caroline - how proud her daughter and their family must have been. It has inspired me to take a chance on overcoming my own fear. Thank you to Norah and the Woman’s Way team! 

Valerie Jackson, Co Wexford 

Different Generation, Same Magazine 

I never thought that I would turn into my mother!

I watched my mother throughout the years, getting her weekly copy of Woman’s Way and enjoying it so much. And now I am in my early 50’s doing the same thing! I love all of the fashion and beauty features, and it’s thanks to Woman’s Way that I am making better purchases on cosmetics, especially AYU, which I hadn’t heard about before. My mother is in her late 70’s, and you guessed right, still reading and enjoying her Woman’s Way!

Pauline McElroy, Co Monaghan 

Oxendales

I love the competitions in your magazine. The recent one for Oxendales brought back great memories. I remember being invited to a wedding of a friend of a friend, when I was only seventeen and still at school. Needless to say, I did not have money to go on big shopping trips. My mother however came across an Oxendales Catalogue. I spent a whole weekend going through it and finally picked a navy and cream dress which we ordered by post and it was delivered a few days later. It was a beautiful dress with a cream hat. I felt like a princess! It was the beginning of our family shopping relationship with Oxendales which continued for years.

Oxendales has been giving great service for sixty years and I still shop with them from time to time. Of course, we order in a much more modern way today but there is still that great thrill when opening a parcel from Oxendales.
Marian Dalton, Co Carlow 

Enjoyable 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your cover piece on the lovely Aoibín Garrihy this week. I have followed Aoibhín’s career since she first appeared in Fair City. Before lockdown, I was even fortunate enough to attend one of her Beo events and would love to do so again when restrictions are lifted. I am around the same age as Aoibhín so it is great to see her, a young Irish woman, make a successful mark on the world. She’s an inspiration.

Marion Webb, Co Offaly

Italian Amore
Italian food has always been my go-to. It was a bit of a stretch to call it ‘Italian food’ when I would put a dollop of pesto on my store-bought pasta but I like to think my palette has since matured. I really loved hearing Theo Randall saying he has an ‘Italian soul’ - I feel the same. I’m really looking forward to trying out the Tiremisu recipe. Maybe when the weather gets better, I’ll make it for a garden party with my friends.
Mary O’Neill, Co Waterford 

Big Thanks
I love your magazine. I look forward to getting my issue each week at my local supermarket. The competitions are great and the prizes are ace. Thank you to all the staff who put together the magazine every two weeks.

Dorcas Phillipson, Co Dublin.  

Blossoms

During the pandemic, I needed a project to stimulate me and like many others, doing my house up seemed as good as any! For the last couple of months, I have been redecorating my 100-year-old home to suit a more modern interior. It wasn’t until I read this week's interiors section in Woman’s Way (which is always a favourite of mine) that it dawned on me that florals would suit my sitting room perfectly. I ordered some rolls of the stunning “pondering peonies duck egg” that I saw featured in this issue and I cannot wait to have it up in my living space. Thank you as always for the fantastic content in your magazine.

Anne-Marie McCabe, Co Dublin

Red Lips
I loved seeing the power of a red lip article in the last issue of Woman’s Way. I have always said I never feel fully dressed without my lipstick. The confidence boost it can give a woman is priceless and it’s so simple at that! For the last 29 years, I have worn red lipstick by Elizabeth Arden. It has gotten me through a whole life of experiences and has acted almost like a mask when I needed a little bit of armour against the world. 

Olive Joyce, Co Mayo

Love Your Body
I think it’s a really great thing Mervyn Reid-Nelson is doing by encouraging women to feel amazing in their bodies. Body confidence and positivity can be a huge issue for some people to overcome but once they do, it is incredibly freeing. I am definitely one of those ‘keep the in-laws happy’ as he mentions in the article but I feel like if people can’t take me as I truly am, then good riddance! I’m not sure I am fully ready to be photographed in my underwear - but it certainly made me look at my body differently. I think maybe in the future I might just put it on the list. Love your body exactly the way it is right now - that’s a great message. Thank you.

Phillipa Daniels, Co Dublin

Inspiring 

I have been an avid Woman’s Way reader for years and I absolutely love the new design. It is fun and fresh. I have been really enjoying the themes, especially the last one about confidence. I loved the article by Julie Cobbe on style confidence. I re-read this piece a few times because there were so many interesting points about embracing who we truly are. I have felt myself becoming more and more self-conscious since the pandemic began and this piece gave me the little boost I needed in the right direction. Thank you for encouraging self-love and appreciation, this feature really helped me.

Beth Leary, Co Fermanagh

Enlightening  

I would consider myself a bit of an Irish history buff and so I really enjoyed reading the piece in Woman’s Way about the Summer Solstice. This piece was enlightening and extremely well-written. I know quite a bit about the summer solstice but there was a lot to learn from this feature. I took note of the best solstice spots and contacted some friends about potentially visiting them for this special occasion.
Deirdre O’Malley, Co Mayo

Lose & Choose
Reading all the things we put ourselves through pre-covid was hilarious and a little bit mind-boggling. The heels and uncomfortable bras will be the first things to go once I’ve done my wardrobe clear out. It’s almost like we’re entering into a new world, with different expectations and nothing is the same (but it feels like it is!). I’m really looking forward to getting all glammed up for the reopening of the restaurants - but don’t worry, I will leave the heels at home. 

Sarah Walsh, Co Tipperary 

Domhnall O’Donoghue
I loved reading about Domhnall’s journey to find his self-confidence. I think it’s a very relatable piece - when we’re young, we are full of confidence. The world is new, exciting and you’re naturally oblivious to fear. But as we get over, through experiences and life lessons, the confidence can begin to diminish. Reading about him walking past a group of youths, dancing on the street reminded me that it’s okay to dance like nobody's watching - as long as you’re happy while doing it. 

Ava Martin, Co Offaly 

Runfulness
I loved this article on ‘Runfulness’ because it highlighted the positives of running, which has nothing to do with weight loss. We can get so caught up with the pressure of exercising to lose weight but in reality, that’s just a bonus. The real reason we should be out, hitting our step goals and braving the weather, is for our mental health. It was great to hear how it boosts our brains and we can become our most creative after a good run. The idea of clearing your mind through exercise, even for 20 minutes, and allowing your brain to ‘reset’ is really appealing to me. The next time I’m stressed at work, I will grab my earphones, hit the streets and hopefully, get those creative juices flowing. 

Daire McMahon, Co Mayo