One day of sunshine and I am excitedly packaging up all the wooly jumpers and pulling out my summer shorts and bikinis. As we cautiously put all thoughts of winter to the back of our minds we know we will slowly start to feel less sluggish. Hopefully the winter sniffles will gradually dry up too....
Women used to have to give up their jobs in Ireland once they got married – did you know that? Periods were taboo and god forbid you fed your child in public the way nature intended. As depressing as all that sounds, all is not lost. We are slowly emerging from the dark ages (we...
“Time-consuming pursuit isn’t so much about exercise as an existential cry for help.” Brian O’Connor Standing Up For Amateur Athletes Humans are teetering on the edge of a precipice. Over the centuries, the changes have been gradual, but in the words of Sam Cooke, A change is gonna come. We have made a decision that...
When it came to reducing my household waste and my use of plastic, I knew I wanted to try, but I really didn’t know where to begin. I did a large family shop one week and the amount of plastic waste just from packaging was unbelievable. The rubbish bin was completely full of plastic before...
Jellyfish and drowning are two of the top fears held by open water swimmers. Following closely behind are swans and seals. These fears are very reasonable. Without a doubt, OWS (open water swimming) is a sport that requires a significant amount of skill, not only in swimming, but in judging conditions and safety of the...
I started this blog every single day this week at least three times a day. I wanted to talk about my kidney transplant but I have realised this morning that I’m not quite ready to go there. I’m not ready to talk about the tears of joy and fear. I don’t want to share the...
I’m a particularly positive person. When it’s raining, the coats and wellies go on and we are out the door. When I’m injured, its an opportunity to try something new and give the injury a rest. When I get bad news, I take a very logical approach, I decide what the next move will be...
“What would you like for dinner kids, please choose anything from our extensive menu” – Said NO parent EVER! Have you ever tried herding cats? Well, try feeding a family of five and pleasing everyone. The effort required is the same, as is the outcome! It is so difficult to please everyone at the dinner...
Well, here we are, at another new beginning! fionaodonnell.ie is the new official blog. While I have always had lots to say, it has occurred to me (based on continuous messages and emails) that some of you actually want to hear about my exploits and adventures – be they food failures, triathlons, kids lunchbox ideas...
I remember my first pregnancy like it was yesterday. All I wanted was sour cream on pizza (yes, that was a thing) and profiteroles. Unfortunately for me, I indulged in my cravings. When my oldest was born 9 months worth of cheat days later I was, as my mother would put it, grand and strong....
