Desire Lines: Live music will have spirits high at Samhain festival

Plus: The indulgent chocolate treat stocking-stuffer

Check out this week's highlights from the Weekend team.

Sat, 31 Oct, 2026 - 01:00

The collection

Stella Jumper in Cashmere and Lurex - €690

This September, designer Laura Chambers celebrates 10 years in business and a milestone birthday with a cashmere collection bursting with colour.

“One of the beauties of ageing is you care less about what people think and more about what makes you happy,” she reflects. “I intend to apply that to my own wardrobe and my collections.”

Crimson and amethyst bring a bold hit of colour to the autumn/winter 2026 collection, but it’s the Stella sweater that has caught our eye. A reimagining of the label’s bestselling Ger sweater, it comes in navy cashmere threaded with silver Lurex for a subtle shimmer. Available in sizes 8–16, €690.

laura-chambers.com

The hair tool

A perennial favourite on Irish customer’s Christmas wish lists, GHD is giving its styling staples a festive makeover this year in a luxe beige-and-gold colourway. The GHD Gold Hair Straightener set, €215, is the OG workhorse tool that can straighten, wave or curl, and comes complete with a paddle brush and wash bag.

petermark.ie

The fragrance brand

Siblings Adrienne and Jeff White are the founders of SisterBrother

Family memories are at the heart of SisterBrother, a new luxury home fragrance brand founded by siblings Adrienne and Jeff White.

Drawing inspiration from their Dublin upbringing, their debut collection of five fragrances evokes memories of freshly cut grass, woodland play, beach fires at Donabate, salty coastal air in Malahide, and the comforting aromas of sweet tea and baked pastry in their grandmother’s Drumcondra kitchen.

Adrienne, founder of the lifestyle store Sea Salt Coastal Living in Tralee, brings her knowledge and passion for retail and interiors, while Jeff, one of Ireland’s leading creative directors, contributes his expertise in branding and design. Candles from €38, reed diffusers from €42.

sisterbrother.ie

The scent

Drawing on the heritage of Namibia, Ritual’s has launched its new Uukumwe collection. Translating as unity and togetherness, the range is inspired by the spirit of connection – encouraging intentional living, warmth, and community. We adore the all-over fragrance mist, with Marula Oil and Namibian Myrrh. €26.90.

rituals.com

The Halloween thrill

Púca Festival will take place in Co Meath this weekend

The county of Meath will once again serve as Ireland’s Halloween capital this weekend with today’s Púca Festival bringing a spirited mix of live music, Samhain fire-lighting ceremonies and sunrise meditations, while The Waterboys take to the stage tomorrow night for the grand finale.

For family-friendly frights nearby, Emerald Park’s Mega Monster event continues all weekend, with Halloween pantos, character meet-and-greets and all the usual rollercoaster thrills.

pucafestival.com

The chocolate treat

Butlers has long been synonymous with their festive hot chocolates, but this season there’s another indulgence to consider, the BiG Bar.

Available in four tempting flavours, there’s honeycomb and puffed rice (yellow), salted caramel and almond praline (blue), salty butterscotch and candied almond (brown), and hazelnut and crisp rice praline (green).

And for those who enjoy a wee chocolate in daily instalments, the Butlers Chocolate Advent Calendar, €22, is a rather lovely way to count down to Christmas.

butlers.ie

The 15-minute facial

With a busy Christmas party season on the horizon, might we put Cutera’s Laser Genesis treatment on your radar?

Using gentle micro-pulses of laser energy, the treatment works beneath the surface to stimulate collagen production and target the appearance of redness, uneven texture and fine lines to give skin a fresh, healthy-looking glow.

The best part? It’s painless, quick (a session can take as little as 15 minutes) and features no downtime, meaning you don’t need to consider work-from-home days. In fact, we popped into The Kelly Clinic in Dublin on a lunchbreak for a session recently and still had time to grab a bite. From €150 per session at Irish clinics.