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Esther_McCarthy

Esther N McCarthy

Esther McCarthy is a columnist covering the chaos, comedy and complexities of life for Irish women.

clothes hanging on a rack in a flea market

Esther McCarthy: My addiction to Vinted isn’t very sustainable

I do love a charity shop haul, but for me, 2026 signalled the Year Of Vinted

Sat, 09 May, 2026

Esther McCarthy: Enough mansplaining, here's some womansplaining for ye

Esther McCarthy: Enough mansplaining, here's some womansplaining for ye

Like it or lump it, listen up jerks!

Sat, 02 May, 2026

Stack of bath towels

Esther McCarthy: Every era has its own type of weirdness, and my descendants will have questions

Good Towels, cluttered shelves, and the plastic bag drawer

Sat, 25 Apr, 2026

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

Esther McCarthy: Going cold turkey on HRT leaves me in a flux

Trigger warning: This column contains psychotic, perimenopause-induced ramblings. You can’t say you weren’t warned.

Sat, 18 Apr, 2026

Couple relaxing in their home at night.

Esther McCarthy: Are Irish families really compatible with open-plan living?

Open-plan is an open SCAM

Sat, 11 Apr, 2026

Sad woman complaining alone sitting on a coffee shop terrace

Esther McCarthy: They say you get calmer with age, what a load of rubbish

I’ve decided to embrace the fury.

Sat, 04 Apr, 2026

Unbreakable bond, a woman sharing a tender moment with her dog

Esther McCarthy: Do owners really end up looking like their pets?

I had hoped that by adopting a lurcher, I too would magically become slender and svelte. Alas, the opposite seems to have occurred.

Sat, 28 Mar, 2026

Tired young woman standing at kitchen room

Esther McCarthy: The dirty truth about who does housework

Currently, we have a weekly jobs sheet pinned to the noticeboard. For every job you do, you put your initial next to it. At the end of the week, we tot them up

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Esther McCarthy: I gave Swedish death cleaning a go — here's what happened

Esther McCarthy: I gave Swedish death cleaning a go — here's what happened

Swedish death cleaning is a gentle, practical decluttering method for the benefit of those you leave behind

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Rainy Day Goldendoodle Walk

Esther McCarthy: From Jessie Buckley to dogs in tiny coats, here are my reasons to be cheerful

Four reasons to be cheerful. No, really

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026