Hello from the other side

Hello friends,

Maybe you can relate to this? Around mid December, I decided that I was going to take a social media break over Christmas. A full break up isn't possible in my line of work (so much gets done in those DMs!), but I had found myself, more and more, sharing less and scrolling more.

I resented the pressure to post, to grow my business through reels, to update and yet at the same time kept missing my blog, a place to share idle musings, recent work and casual chats.

So while The Motherhood Sessions isn’t going anywhere, I’m going to try and hang here a bit more. Expect: snippets of Galway life, work updates and random and often nerdy recommendations. It’s all a bit hodge podge and very anti-algorithm, and certainly not the cohesive, aestethic, super consistent experience social pressures us to deliver. But I hope you’ll find something worth hanging around for just the same.

Recent life

An interior design tip I hear often and return to regularly is to shop your own home: if a room is feeling staid or un-fun, finding ways to move things around from other places can be just the handy (and free!) shot in the arm it needs. Case in point: relocating my trusty ancient disco ball from the study to the kitchen.

Slightly dodge phone pic above, but you get the joyful gist.

Galway round-up

I write this on a mild and sunny Galway day, so the ice seems like many moons ago, but loved capturing the kiddos exploring it. Some other recent Galway recommendations below.

• Eating in… Taquila, a new-ish Mexican restaurant
• Returning to… Magpie (especially now that Ean is no more 😢)
• Curious about… Áitiúil in Barna
• Trying… some yoga classes with the wonderful Lisa Berry (and they have been divine)

Recent work: writing and editing

• Galway Now winter edition: This issue, with the wonderful Nora-Jane Noone on the cover, marked my fourth as editor and a full year of working with Galway Now. I really feel like we’re just getting started, there is so much to discover and showcase here in the west.
• Beauty and the Bot: Published in the autumn ‘24 print edition of Image, my piece exploring the intersection of tech and the beauty industry is now online.
• galwaynow.ie: Towards the end of last year, I oversaw the relaunch of Galway Now’s website. It was my first proper foray into working with the Ghost CMS and I do love how much control it gives publishers and creators. We’re still finding our feet, and are enjoying taking a slower, more mindful approach to online content.
• House & Home news pages: Absolutely delighted to be back writing the news pages of the gorgeous House & Home magazine – the new issue is out now.
• Celebrate the small stuff: I originally wrote this several years ago, but I do love how Image have reshared it every January for the past few years as it bears repeating (to me as much as anyone).
• Image Interiors project profile: For the autumn/winter edition of Image Interiors magazine, I interviewed the inspiring Alex and Liz of Dublin-based design studio Anam about a beautiful, modernist new build (you can spy a little peek of it in this reel).

Recent work: photography

Winter chefs at home: A gorgeous commission for the Winter edition of Image magazine which saw me photograph four chefs in the West. You can see some of the pics here.

Portrait shoot with celebrant Maeve Bryan: A close mamma friend, beautiful soul and incredible celebrant, it was a joy to photograph Maeve around Galway. We have lots of gorgeous juicy plans for fun collaborations (if only our toddlers would let us get some sleep 😅).

Galway Wool: I learned so much when photographing the passionate Blatnaid Gallagher of Galway Wool on her farm for the Winter edition of Galway Now. Looking forward to sharing the piece once it’s online, and safe to say I haven’t looked at an an “Irish” jumper the same way since.

Kasha Connolly’s Burren home: Also for Galway Now’s winter edition, I photographed Hazel Mountain’s Kasha’s gorgeous Nordic-inspired self-build – wee BTS vs the shot reel here.

Random recommend: Revisiting old books in new ways

A recent habit I’ve been enjoying is listening to books I have previously read and loved in audiobook format. There is something cosy and comforting to it; your attention can occasionally drift, wander and return without any friction or frustration. I opt for books that are either available through my library (via the Borrowbox app) or already bundled with my Spotify subscription. Some recent favourites include:

• The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins-Reed

Nathalie Marquez Courtney is a lifestyle photographer and magazine editor living in Galway Ireland. website | photography portfolio | writing samples