Corkonians abroad: 'I'm training to be a wedding celebrant in London'

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Cork, originally I lived on Cathedral Road before moving to St Luke’s with my family (my late mother Maria, my dad JJ, and my older brother Shane) to live with my late Granda, John Joe, in his house on Military Hill. He ran a psychiatric nursing home out of the house for many years and my dad grew up there.

I absolutely loved growing up in Cork city, I went to school in Scoil Mhuire just down the road and went to college in UCC - it was hard to get me away from Cork.

Where do you currently live?

I currently live in Brixton, London, where I have been since July, 2021. I live with my boyfriend David and we’ve lived in Brixton, South London, since we made the move over.

How did you end up in London?

Growing up, I went to visit London on a couple of occasions with my mother and as part of trips with CADA Performing Arts. I always loved the energy in the city, no matter where you go, there’s always something going on and, following on from the pandemic, it felt like the right time to take the leap.

It’s also not too far from Cork, which is a big selling point for me! As much as I love the idea of it, Australia was never really on the cards so London felt like a good, happy medium.

What is life like in your new home?

I love it here. For the first couple of years, I definitely felt like a tourist in London. Now that I’ve been here for over three and a half years, I feel a lot more settled and it’s started feeling a lot more like home.

As hectic as it can be, one thing I adore about London is the variety. Since moving here I’ve tried dance classes, DJ lessons, life drawing, singing classes, tennis, squash, volunteering with children - the list goes on.

What has been the biggest challenge?

As cliche as it is - the biggest challenge has definitely been being away from friends and family. I’m very lucky to have an amazing group of girl friends who I’ve been attached to at the hip since the age of five. Being away from them means when we do meet up at Christmas, life has changed a lot between the last meet-up and this one, which is tough.

Thankfully, two of my closest friends, Amy and Steph, live over here and I get to see them quite often.

I’m also super-close to my dad JJ and it initially felt very difficult moving over here, but I try to get back as often as possible and, luckily, my dad absolutely loves a night out in Bethnal Green so he comes over here when he can.

It’s quite tough living far away from my brother Shane and my two nephews, Archie and Georgie - every time I come back they have gotten so much taller and more grown-up.

How might you spend your weekends?

Weekends vary a lot in London! I’ve just started volunteering with a charity called KEEN, which runs sports and activity sessions for children with additional needs that take up most Saturday mornings.

Saturday afternoons are usually spent meeting friends for coffee/a few drinks, and every so often, we have a big night out. My favourite spot is the iconic Heaven in Soho!

Sundays are usually spent going for a long stroll around the city - or getting the train to spots such as Cambridge, Oxford and Kent for a gander.

Tell us a bit about the culture of where you live?

Brixton is one of the most unique, vibrant areas to live in South London. With a long history of immigration from Ireland, it certainly has touches of home. We love the mix of different cultures on show, especially when it comes to the diverse food and music scene.

The average day in Brixton can be more hectic than a Bank Holiday weekend on Patrick Street, but you don’t move to London for the peace and quiet, and the energy in Brixton truly is electric!

Tell us about your career?

This year, I started working in the wedding industry here in London, which I really love.

I work for a company called Bridebook and my role involves working closely with wedding venues across the UK to help them grow their wedding business. I’ve always wanted to work in this space - I was obsessed with Franc growing up!

I’m currently training to become a wedding celebrant. I really love the idea of being part of one of the most special days in a person’s life.

Any special mentions to friends or family back in Cork?

Oh, of course! I’d love to give a special mention to my wonderful father JJ and his partner Jean. My brother Shane, his wife Tracey and their kids Archie, Georgie and Kelsey. My neighbour Barry. My aunties Rena, Cora, Pat, Ger and Helen. My nana Eily and her husband Jimmy. My partner David’s lovely granny Fionnuala and grandad Michael. And of course, my beautiful girlies - Kate, Emma, Sinead (Botty), Jess, Diane, Isobel, Tara and Holly. Kate’s nan Mary on Popham’s Road!

If you were back in Cork for one day, what would be the ideal day for you?

Now this is a tough one, there’s so much to choose from. The day would start with a fry-up at my dad’s house on Military Hill - I’ve yet to find a full English over here that beats it.

Then I’d head out to my brother’s house to see the kids and we’d head to Youghal for a spin and stop in Doyle’s for a bag of chips.

Then I’d head back to Military Hill, throw on some of my dad’s ’70s disco records and get ready for a night out with the girls.

The night starts in Cask, cocktails and a catch-up next to the water fountain, then we head to my favourite pub in Cork, Counihans, for a chat before heading into Crane Lane for a dance and a nose.

If I had a weekend - honorable mentions go to a trip to Kinsale with my dad for fish and chips and a visit to my Aunty Pat’s up the northside for a meet-up with all my aunties.

Is there anything that you especially miss about Cork?

The brown bread! I can’t find a good brown bread over here for the life of me.

What is the most memorable moment from your new home?

I think that when people move to a new place or even go travelling for an extended period, there is an ‘expectation anxiety’ that can often loom large in people’s minds, a pressure for their lives to be entirely different or filled with these transformative experiences every day.

The reality is much more mundane. My time in London has been filled with thousands of little, insignificant pockets of happiness - from grey days spent watching films with friends and stuffy journeys on the Underground while exploring new parts of the city to quiet walks in the countryside on a rainy day.

These aren’t the moments you’d write home about. But it is the reality of daily life in a new place - it is far from glamorous, but it is special to me. Not necessarily because of where I am, but because of who I am with.