Weekend Loves: Irish-made threads, beautiful bras and Cork Science Festival

Ruth O'Connor's weekly guide to bright ideas and beautiful things

Sat, 12 Nov, 2022 - 02:00

Ruth O'Connor

A selkie-themed sustainable collaboration

Sustainable fashion designer Aoife McNamara has teamed up with Greg Hall, founder of Execute Exist, to create a limited edition t-shirt with 10% of profits going to Clean Coasts — a non-profit organisation protecting Ireland’s beaches, seas, and marine life.

The t-shirt features 1970s-style artwork by Hall featuring selkies, mythological beings said to transform from seals to humans and to move between worlds.

Each t-shirt is hand-printed in Limerick using water-based inks on t-shirts made from undyed, oatmeal-coloured, organic cotton. The Aoife McNamara x Execute Exist charity t-shirt (€80) is available in sizes XS to XXL.

aoifemcnamara.com

The Franklin bra (32B to 36E, €170) and g-string (€105); Andres Sards at Susan Hunter

Beautiful styles and a great fit at Susan Hunter

If your underwear drawer is in need of an update then why not turn to the expert? With almost 40 years in business, Susan Moylett of the Susan Hunter lingerie boutique in Dublin’s Westbury Mall knows a thing or two about boobs.

The store stocks a beautiful range of bras and other items including divine silk sleepwear, beautiful kimonos and silk dressing gowns. Susan can take one look at you and know the best bra for your shape and size so that it looks good, supports your bust and stays in place all day.

Her range includes luxurious brands such as Andres Sarda, Marie Jo, and Cadolle while even her practical bras are pretty — such as underwired sports bras by Prima Donna. With a huge range of styles, and sizes from 30C to 50D, you’ll find the perfect fit at Susan Hunter.

susanhunter.ie

Six-year-olds Evelyn Twomey and Abigail Horgan from Douglas at the launch of Cork Science Festival at APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre. Photo: Darragh Kane

Explore infinity and beyond at Cork Science Festival

Cork Science Festival launches tomorrow and runs till November 20, with a host of events for people of all ages. The theme this year is the ‘infinite possibilities of science’ and the festival sees live science shows, workshops, virtual science sessions, and an extensive schools programme taking place. A main partner of Science Week Ireland, Cork Science Festival takes place in venues across the city including UCC, MTU, and Tyndall.

The programme features live events including lab visits, shows, and tours. The free ‘Celebrate Science’ family day kicks off proceedings tomorrow at the Western Gateway Building in UCC — think science shows, hands-on workshops, and drop-in activities including the brilliant ‘Dr. Brain’s Fun-believable Science Show’, Lego robotics, coding, and DNA workshops.

To find out more go to corksciencefestival.ie.

Helen James Considered Collection at Dunnes Stores

Helen James Considered at Dunnes Stores

Not only do we find ourselves returning to Helen James’ book A Sense of Home time and time again but the designer’s range for Dunnes Stores seems to similarly straddle style and substance.

This season, her Evissa collection includes beautiful blue stoneware made in Portugal — plates, espresso cups, pasta bowls, serving dishes, and more which are stylishly rustic and far more affordable than similar items elsewhere.

The range also includes lovely table linens and wooden accessories including scoops, egg cups, serving trays, and pinch bowls that are perfect for entertaining. Look out for the Irish language mugs too — ideal gifts for Irish family or friends living abroad.

Available at stores nationwide and dunnesstores.com.

Loominations Throw Blankets. Photo: Joleen Cronin

Wild Swimming by Loominations

Originally beginning with throws for the tourist market, the Cork-based founder of Loominations, Jamie Monagan, has also introduced lots of other designs to her range of throw blankets to suit a wider audience. Her range includes art-inspired pieces such as her William Morris and Frank Lloyd Wright designs.

The Wild Swimming throw blanket, an abstract design in greens and blues, makes for a thoughtful gift for lovers of the sea and of wild swimming as it can be used in many ways — as a towel after a dip, to sit on as a blanket, or at home as a throw for visual interest. The throw blanket is 100% cotton so it’s machine washable and thus practical too. €149.

loominations.ie

The Proclamation Whiskey gift pack - a great gift for history and whiskey lovers

A boozy treat for history lovers

The award-winning Proclamation Irish Whiskey was created in honour of the printers of the Irish Proclamation document - three lesser-known characters William O’Brien, Michael Molloy and Christopher Joseph Brady. The label on this Irish whiskey bottle features the quirks of the original document including the distinctive font.

The whiskey itself is carefully blended and matured in bourbon casks with a touch of sherry finished malt to give a rounded, toasted finish. This gift pack comes with two specially designed tumblers so it can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or with a drop of water. It won’t disappoint in a Christmas Irish coffee either. Supervalu and independent retailers nationwide. €35.