My Weekend: I rediscovered the joy of colouring during lockdown... a great way to slow down and switch off

WOW Business women feature Clodagh O'Donovan
My dad passed away last year and I miss him every day. My mam is, thankfully, in good health and is adored by her grandkids. My brother is the eldest and lives in Sweden, with his wife and daughter, and my sister is living in Galway, with her husband and three kids.
I have lived in East Cork for nearly 12 years now, eight years in Carrigtwohill and almost four in Midleton. I live there with my husband, Joe, and two kids, Conor, aged five, and Kate, nearly three.

I love Midleton: There is loads to do between walks in Ballyannan Woods, the farmers market every Saturday, and plenty of options for an outdoor cuppa and bite to eat.
After working in different HR roles for 20 years, I set up my business, AdvanceHR, to support owners of small businesses who do not need a full-time HR person, but who do need an expert they can trust to help them manage HR compliance risk and deal with the staff issues that come up time and time again. I absolutely love what I do and especially enjoy listening to people’s stories and figuring out the best approach for them, their business, and their people.
Like a lot of people, I work remote and while it is great to be able to work from home, I do miss the face-to-face interaction and find myself suggesting outdoor meetings lately to get away from the laptop and phone.

I’m not a coffee drinker, but I have a huge sweet tooth and find it impossible to drink a cup of tea on its own. I love the gluten-free treat options that Bramley Lodge offer, so would often pop in for a yummy, white-chocolate-and-raspberry tart or banoffee tart with my takeaway tea. The Granary, in Midleton, do fabulous gluten-free salads, while Ferrit & Lee is one of my favourite places to go for dinner in Midleton. When I’m in Cork, it’s got to be the Liberty Grill for brunch and Electric for dinner.