Weekend Loves: A ‘wild’ waterpark, perfumery workshops and your next true crime must-watch
The Wild Atlantic Waterpark in Kenmare
A new Wild Atlantic Waterpark in Kenmare has just been launched by Star Outdoors, who have spent lockdown putting the finishing touches to what is now one of Ireland’s largest inflatable water parks. This literal floating island of adventure, spread over 40 acres, caters for all ages (from 6 to 90) and includes a catapult, rope swing, climbing wall, trampoline, obstacle course, jungle bars and slipping waves.
And if you don’t feel like dipping your toe in preferring activities on dry land, they have also redesigned and extended the purpose-built centre which specialises in kayaking, paintball, splat ball, archery with cruise trips of stunning Kenmare Bay alongside the waterpark.
“We’re an outdoors centre, we’re on the water, we have plenty of space and fresh air – the two key things that experts are advising – so we tick the boxes to provide an extremely safe experience for our guests,” explained Managing Director Daniel McCarthy. All-in-all, it will make for a fantastic family day out this summer.
The team behind the Slane, Meath-based wellness brand The Handmade Soap Company, have been working for 10 years to launch their new workshops, where you can now pick up a skill (perhaps a secret) or two from its founder Donagh Quigley.
Donagh describes soapmaking as consisting of 3 parts: 1-part chemistry, 1-part cooking and 1-part alchemy, and he has now taken this simple philosophy and used it to develop these fragrant, immersive and completely unique workshops.
In them, he will be sharing his exceptional knowledge of hand making the most beautiful products from nature, directly with attendees. Each will have a chance to create 100% natural, vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable products from candles, bath bombs, soaps and lip balms – and you get to take yours home with you, more than a little smug that you made them yourself!
thehandmadesoapcompany.ie, €50 per person
Rarely do products launch that are genuine game-changers, but CeraVe’s SA Smoothing Cream (from €12.50) and SA Smoothing Cleanser (€12.50) are two that do what they say on the tin – and a little more. Those lumps and bumps after shaving? They are a pain, particularly during the summer months.
And just like the skin on your face, body skin also needs a regular routine to ensure it stays as healthy (and bump-free) as it can be. The key thing is that you incorporate a moisturiser that will hydrate skin while keeping signs of rough, bumpy skin at bay.
CeraVe’s SA Smoothing Cream does exactly this; a deeply moisturising cream that’s been created specifically for use on the body, and contains a mixture of effective exfoliating acids designed to soften and remove rough, scaly skin. Also suitable for keratosis pilaris, it combines Lactic Acid with 0.5% Salicylic Acid (a BHA – beta-hydroxy acid – proven to accelerate skin exfoliation) with 10% Urea (which breaks down keratin while helping to loosen and remove dead skin cells) all while providing smoother skin mere days after you begin use.
The cream (best used after a shower, applied straight onto skin that’s still slightly damp), can be used daily and the cleanser is perfect for more stubborn outbreaks. Consistent use is key and you should see a vast difference in the skin the longer you use.
Boots and Boots.ie
‘O Captain, My Captain’ is the story of a Teacher’s Hope for Change in the Irish Education System, from Irish Examiner’s Secret Teacher columnist, Jennifer Horgan. Jennifer, a secondary school teacher in Cork, calls for a root-and-branch reformation of our current system and imagines what ours might look like without the Leaving Cert and the CAO system.
Drawing on her vast teaching experience both here and abroad, alongside academic research and the perspectives of friends and colleagues, she considers the type of learning that might happen in our classrooms without the demands of a single set of high-stakes exams. And she argues that our students and broader society might be more fulfilled and safer as a result.
Essential reading for teachers, parents, policymakers – and anyone who feels our children’s education needs a vital overhaul.
Orpen Press, approx €17.99, out now
Recent BBC drama The Serpent depicting 1970s merciless killer Charles Sobhraj has just landed on Netflix – and it makes for riveting watching. Sobhraj (Tahar Rahim), a French man who posed as a gem dealer, carried out a spree of crimes preying on travellers exploring the "hippie trail" of South Asia.
He would drug, swindle and eventually murder his victims for their money, aided by his accomplices, his girlfriend Marie-Andrée Leclerc (Jenna Coleman) and Ajay Chowdhury. The eight-part limited series based on shocking true events looks at his attempts to evade justice, and how a determined young diplomat at the Dutch Embassy Herman Knippenberg and his wife Angela attempted to bring them down.
You’ll be hooked straight away.
Netflix
If your skin needs a clean break, you’ll love this brand. Just launched in Boots, Skin Proud is an affordable, versatile and straight-talking skincare collection that aims to embrace and highlight your skin's texture, pores and all. Products are made from a combination of science-led ingredients with powerful natural extracts to treat your skin, transparently. There is no hidden formula, just simple and effective innovation with a range that is vegan and cruelty-free.
Highlights include the Sorbet Skin everyday jelly moisturiser (€14.95), the Everything Balm (8.95) and the super hydrating two-in-one overnight face mask, Sleep Hero (€15.95).
Boots and Boots.ie
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