Limerick’s world famous fashion photographer

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Until an Irish Times piece this week I’d never heard of Limerick man Niall McInerney. Little did I know that one of the most famous fashion photos of all time was shot by him.

In a new book of his photography, McInerney (now 74) explains: “This is my bestselling photograph and was a very lucky shot because very few photographers got a picture of it. At the time, I was the house photographer for Westwood and this was in a small venue in Paris near the Palais-Royal.”

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In conversation with: Chef Wade Murphy

Wade Murphy is obviously a man who likes to keep busy. Chef and co-owner, along with wife Elaine, of 1826 Adare, the Limerick restaurant awarded a Bib Gourmand this year by the Michelin Guide and also RAI Best Restaurant in Munster, he is current Commissioner General of Euro-toques Ireland, the national organisation of outstanding chefs established by Myrtle Allen.

Wade Murphy 1826 Adare

From guesting at Electric Picnic’s Theatre of Food and Irish food symposium ‘Food on the Edge’, Wade is a daytime TV regular on RTE’s Today programme but found time in his hectic schedule for a coffee and a chat during afternoon prep time in the restaurant. Continue reading

Limerick food culture on a platter – Eat in Limerick launch #eatinlimerick

LAUNCH DAY! My new project has been launched to whet our appetites for Limerick food and local dining. Eat in Limerick, supported by GGL Security and LEO, is a personal project after seeing a need to bring the local food scene together and serve it up under one tasty promotional umbrella.

Food writer Valerie O’Connor and Eat in Limerick’s Olivia O’Sullivan at the Milk Market for the launch of the #eatinlimerick foodie guidemap (thanks for the pic Richard Lynch of WWW.ILOVELIMERICK.COM)

I felt we needed a foodie guidemap for Limerick City, there are so many new eateries even locals can’t keep up with happenings, not to mention trying to inform visitors. That’s how Eat in Limerick came about; it was a case of needs must. We have great food heritage here and increasing numbers of local producers so something like this was needed to bring attention to all of that.

Limerick company GGL Security, who operate nationally and internationally and have headquarters in Limerick City, is the main sponsor of the project. Contributing to the launch press release, Derek Tobin, MD of GGL Security, commented: “We are spoiled in Limerick with such a selection of food businesses, there must be 120 food businesses listed on the Eat in Limerick city map. As a Limerick business too, GGL Security is delighted to support this initiative which I’ve no doubt will encourage us all to explore our city and county even more and visit some new eateries.”

Social media users are being encouraged to use the hashtag ’#eatinlimerick‘ on facebook, instagram and twitter to highlight how much is going on in Limerick food, from casual, healthy and gourmet dining, to homegrown produce. Continue reading

Session styling with Castleconnell’s Gareth

Castleconnell native Gareth Bromell has worked with some of the biggest names in the fashion industry. The 31-year-old is based in Los Angeles and works as a session hairstylist on photo shoots for magazine editorials and advertising campaigns. Home in Limerick for a short holiday to visit family and friends, Gareth shared some of his career highlights with me, and explained the journey his career took to where he is today…

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“My career started when I was 15, I had left school early to pursue training to be a chef. I started working as an assistant chef and studying in catering school. Having given it a few months, I realized it wasn’t for me. My mum said to me ‘you either go back to school or start work’ and, as I preferred to work, she organized an interview with her then hairdresser Cyril Morgan at the  Hugh Campbell group. This was the beginning of my career in hairdressing. Continue reading

Alice in fashion wonderland

21-year-old University of Limerick student Alice Carroll, is just bringing to an end her six month internship with international fashion house Fendi in New York City. A familiar face around Limerick, Alice is  studying Business with French in UL, was manager of The Ivory Closet designer dress hire boutique on Shannon Street until heading to New York.

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From Parteen, 6ft tall Alice has modelled with the Holman Lee Agency since 2006 and she won the Miss Clare title in 2010. A past pupil of Laurel Hill College, she took up the role of marketing and public relations intern with Fendi in January and describes her experience as “nothing short of sensational.” Continue reading

Media darling, Limerick’s Madeline Mulqueen

She catapulted to fame following the Rubberbandits’ Horse Outside video, played a character on RTE2’s Republic of Telly, and later this month, this Kildimo girl will feature in TV3’s Celebrity Come Dine With Me. Model Madeline Mulqueen discusses her spiralling career. 

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Age 21, Madeline is from Kildimo, and a former student of The Model school, Laurel Hill Coláiste and Mary I., as well as the Expressive Arts School and Mungret School of Musical Theatre. Back in 2009, she first came to our attention through the Diva Next Door competition, followed by the Martina Costelloe regional model search which she won. She’s been modelling with the Morgan agency in Dublin for the last year… Continue reading

Architecture graduate turned hat designer

Limerick’s Aisling Maher is making quite a name for herself in Irish millinery stakes. The 25 year old from Castleconnell is a graduate of architecture from UCD. Aisling graduated in the summer of 2009 and soon after, while planning a trip to the Galway Races, made her first headpiece for her own outfit.

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