Beginner’s pluck: Researcher and ambassador for Shine Cathy Shah

Cathy Shah is an ambassador for Shine — which involves mental health advocacy. Picture: Conor McCabe

As the second child of seven, Cathy’s Dublin childhood was dysfunctional, yet books played an important role for her. 

“My mam was mad about books — I grew up surrounded by them, and I loved Roald Dahl.”

Writing has always been her dream.

“I’d love to be a children’s writer,” she says. “I did an online course and tried and tried for years.”

But there was always too much else going on. One day, I’ll try again.

She writes poetry too and had two poems published in a journal back in 2015.

Alongside her regular work, Cathy has sold vintage clothes and has set up as a children’s entertainer, which includes face painting.

She wrote her memoir as an extension of her mental health advocacy work.

“I set up an Instagram page then grew my audience. Then I made a public commitment to publish the book in 2025,” she says. 

“When my ideas had come to fruition, I made a loose structure and committed to writing every day. Then it started to flow.”

Who is Cathy Shah?

Date/place of birth: 1984/ London, to an Irish mother and English/ Indian father: “We moved to Ireland when I was three months old.”

Education: St Paul’s Secondary School in Greenhills, Walkinstown. DIT, journalism, for a month: “I went back later and studied media arts for two years but dropped out when I became pregnant.”

Home: Leopardstown and Leitrim.

Family: Partner Cian, one daughter, aged 17, at University College Dublin.

The day job: Research for Ipsos, part time, for past 16 years. Cathy is an ambassador for Shine — which involves mental health advocacy.

In another life: “I’d be an artist. I love painting.”

Favourite writers: Sylvia Plath; Janet Frame; Roald Dahl; Anna Fitzgerald; Katriona O’Sullivan; Evanna Lynch; and Rachel Long.

Second book: “I’m working on my first poetry collection, called The Unforgetting.”

Top tip: “Create a structure, and habit, and write every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes.”

Instagram: @candidlycathyshah

The debut

Rabbit Holes and Rainbows

Independent Publishing Network, €14.78

Rabbit Hole and Rainbows charts Cathy’s mental health struggles; her trauma, her moments of stigma, silence, and despair, as she battles addiction and dysfunctional relationships.

“I hope it inspires people to never give up on their dreams.”

The verdict: A tough read — but it ends with hope.