My Weekend: 'I love heading back to my family home in Whitegate when I need a break'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I am Darran Coyle Garde, and I’m originally from Whitegate in East Cork and come from a big, supportive family that always encouraged community spirit. My career in the charity sector began in 2016, when I volunteered in Belarus with families affected by the Chernobyl disaster. It opened my eyes and had a huge impact on me. Ever since, I’ve been committed to working in roles that support people and make a real difference. In my current role as Fundraising Coordinator for the Crann Centre, I focus on fundraising and building connections that help sustain the services our organisation provides to families across Cork.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

My ideal way to spend a Friday night is normally at home with my feet up after a busy week at work and going to the gym. I do however enjoy the odd night out catching up with friends.

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

Given the choice, I’m all for a lie-in! But with how hectic things can be, it doesn’t happen very often - so when it does, I treasure every minute.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Yes, quite a lot. Not every weekend, but often enough. Many of our fundraising and social events with the Crann Centre’s services take place over the weekend, so work does tend to spill into those days.

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

Mexico City is somewhere I’ve always wanted to go - I’ve never been over that side of the world and it really interests me. The other place I would like to go is Reykjavik. It is high on the list. I’ve always been fascinated by the Northern Lights and would love to see them in person. I recently learned my mother always wanted to see the Northern lights, so I would bring her with me.

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

Even though I’m living in Cork city now, I love heading back to my family home in Whitegate when I need a break. During the summer, I spend time on the beaches and get into the water, it always helps me reset.

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

Absolutely! Catching up with family and friends is really important to me, and it’s genuinely one of my favourite ways to spend a weekend. I particularly cherish any time I get with my niece and nephew.

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

I love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. I’ve had a run of injuries, so I haven’t trained for almost a year. At the moment, I’m sticking to the gym and working on getting healthy enough to return to the sport I really enjoy.

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

Entertained. My job with Crann requires me to do a lot of the entertaining, which I love. But I will say it’s nice to be entertained when I can be.

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

I’m a big Soma Coffee fan and go there a lot, especially since they’re a Cork company. And when I’m grabbing food, I usually go for a good burger. Son of a Bun or Bunsen are always great options.

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

By Sunday night, I’m ready to switch off. After spending the day at the gym or catching up with family, I like to chill out with my friends and put on a good film or series. It’s the perfect way to ease into the week.

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

7.30am. I live close enough to the Crann Centre, so it allows me to get that vital 30 mins extra in bed!