My Weekend: We are surrounded by the most amazing scenery and stunning beaches

Tell us a little bit about yourself;

My name is Sinead. I live on the river in the beautiful village of Crosshaven with my husband John and my two children, aged 11 and seven. Myself and John are originally from Skibbereen in West Cork. We absolutely love where we live. Crosshaven is such a special place. We are surrounded by the most amazing scenery and stunning beaches. The sense of community here is outstanding, the village affords our children the ability to grow up in a safe, laid back village with loads of freedom to explore and spend time outdoors. All of us sail and we love to spend time out on the water. Our girl is a member of the 1st Cork Crosshaven Sea Scouts and both children play sport in the many sports clubs on our doorstep. We are so close to the city, yet it’s like a whole different world down here, where city dwellers have holidayed for many years and still day trip on the weekends.

Essentially, all of this was my impetus to start doing what I now do and has been the inspiration behind Cockleshell Crosshaven. 

I have always loved visiting local craft and artisan stores when at home in West Cork and when abroad on our travels.

 They’re my favourite places to have a browse around and are always the most wonderful places to pick up a unique piece for yourself, your home or as a gift. This was my vision for Cockleshell Crosshaven. I wanted to tie the name of the business with something of local historical sentiment. Blending the old with the new. The building which now houses La Scala was once the Cockleshell Hall, so that’s the origin of my decision to call the business as I did.

I select every stock item with care and am specifically drawn to more unique items that aren’t otherwise readily available in the immediate locality. I also place an emphasis on quality workmanship in the products I choose to stock and with sustainability in mind. I stock a variety of brands both locally produced and from across Europe. Although there is a distinct coastal theme running across many of the items I sell, my tagline is that I’m ‘so much more than a Concept Store by the coast’.

I have also developed my own range of customised products designed uniquely by, and for Cockleshell Crosshaven. I also stock my own range of reusable cups and drinkware under the brand Ecosip.

Currently I run the business from my own home where we’ve a store room and office set up. Prior to my website being live I’ve sold successfully for six months via Social Media and by appointment at my home. 

I have been eager to get the website live as my product range is so extensive it’s the best way to showcase them.

The RCYC Christmas Market was my first showcase for my products, followed by a Christmas Market at our friends Alex and Jen Barry’s Store, Centra Crosshaven. I plan to also do the Coastal Market at the upcoming Cork Week event at RCYC in July and may also pop up occasionally during the summer season at our home on The Point, Crosshaven.

Longer term, I would like a bricks and mortar store in the centre of the village but for now I plan to grow slowly at a rate I’m comfortable with.

My background isnt in retail. I’ve a Business Management Degree and previously spent my working career working in public relations, business development and marketing. I also have a Dip in Journalism and I feel that all of this background experience has helped as I forge my way in retail.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

I am a real home bird. I love being at home after a busy week. That said though, we do love to socialise locally. We’ve some amazing eateries and bars here in Crosshaven and we love that we can just nip out for an hour and walk home after, that’s another amazing thing about living in the village. 

Everything is so laid back and casual and easy.

Music is one of the big loves of my life, spanning all genres and during the winter there is nothing I like to do more than curl up on a Friday night with a glass of wine and listen to some good music.

The energy shifts here in the summer though, and I like to be outdoors more. The village gets busier, there is more activity both in the village and on the water so in summer we might go out for a spin on the boat on a Friday evening or entertain outdoors.

Lie ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

I would love to be able to lie in but I can’t! My mind doesn’t allow me. We are always up early from Monday to Friday so at the weekend, if I am not in a rush to be at a kids activity or don’t have somewhere to be I often just relax with a book or spend some time doing some product research to add to my stock repertoire.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

It does. I don’t mind that though, it’s what I signed up for!. Right now I work seven days a week. Less certainly at the weekend than during the week but I find when you work for yourself and especially in a business which is still in it infancy you get the work done when you can.

Monday to Friday I work while the children are at school and often later in the evening again. On the weekends I am often busy with friends and locals who call to buy a last minute gift or a treat. I love this, it’s part of the reason I set up the business. I want to be the go to place for locals to shop for nice things.

If money was no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I would go to Berlin with John. We spent five days there many years ago and absolutely loved it. We always intended to return but life and the children happened so we haven’t been able to YET!

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

John and I go to the sauna in Fountainstown every Friday morning without fail for an hour. Luke, who runs Happy Place Saunas there, is a fantastic guy and we absolutely love the decompress and chill out that an hour in the sauna does for us. 

We never miss our Friday slot and the benefits it brings us mentally and physically after a busy work week are incomparable to anything else! 

We have our ‘Sauna Friends’ as we call them and we all love to catch up each Friday morning. There really is nothing like it and the benefits last long after the sauna’s finished.

In the summer we like to spend sunny days relaxing and pier jumping at Fort Davis near Whitegate. The kids love it there and so do we.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

I love to go out for long coastal walks with my friends on the weekend, very often it’s the only time we get to catch up and there is nothing better than chatting our way through various different topics with the bracing sea air as company. It’s like therapy. 

I love casual catch ups with friends, often when the weather is good, our friends will pop in with their children. 

I find that mostly our social life revolves around the children and many of the parents of the children’s friends have become good friends of ours and this makes for great entertaining as the children occupy themselves whilst the adults catch up after a busy week. I also have many friends who’ve become the most loyal customers so they’ll pop in to collect their purchases, often bring their children and then hang around for a coffee and a catch up. I love that!

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I’m not terribly sporty but we all do love a good game of badminton in the garden in the summer, it is and has always been my favourite sport to play. I occasionally play a game of tennis on the fab new courts in Fountainstown with friends and two summers ago I had the very best time racing, with the most amazing group of girl friends on the harbour. I am not a skilled sailor at all but I had the best time with the girls and of course we also enjoyed the apres!

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

We do love having friends over for a barbecue in the summer. I love making nice salads to accompany. I don’t really have a signature dish but I do love cooking and cook from scratch most evenings of the week. I love cheese boards from Adrienne at Pretty Little Grazing here in Crosshaven. They are so appetising and make for very easy entertaining.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork — where are your go to spots for coffee/ lunch/ special meal?

Locally I love the Riversend Cafe and 2Point Road for a coffee or brunch with friends. We always get a hearty dinner in The Anchor Inn, in Crosshaven and have enjoyed eating there for many years. I cannot forget to mention Pine Lodge in Myrtleville which is just over the road. You cannot beat sitting outside in the courtyard on a sunny evening.

Further afield, John and I always loved going to Flemings Restaurant in Tivoli as a dinner treat. Michael and his wife were the most amazing hosts, the surroundings were second to none and the food was amazing. We regularly lament its closure.

In the city, I love Paladar, its cocktails are outstanding and it serves the most devine range of tasty and unusual tapas. In Douglas we love Okura which is a Japanese restaurant. Amazing service, fantastic ambience and the best food.

When at home in West Cork we cannot leave without having pizza at La Jolie Brise in Baltimore.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

Lament that the weekend passed so quickly! Get my to do list for the week done and make a plan for whatever activities the children have going on over the forthcoming week.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

Usually about 7, certainly whilst the children are in school.

Anything else you are up to right now?

I have been so busy over the past few weeks with getting the website ready to launch that I haven’t been able to spend much time working on other elements of the business. 

Now that work is done it’s time to plan ahead for stock, research new items to stock and catch up on some admin work. 

I also want to do more work on my own personalised stock. I recently launched a range of Crosshaven branded t-shirts which are fab and have sold really well, so I need to expand that stock range and make a plan for where to go with it and which items to add to the range. I also need to spend some time working with our Local Enterprise Office regarding scaling plans and sorting my stock for the Coastal Market on in July as part of Volvo Cork Week at the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

For more see cockleshellcrosshaven.ie/