
‘I'd hate to ever get to a position in my life where I feel I've peaked. I feel I'm just starting'
As Domhnall O'Donoghue's fourth novel is published, he tells Aine Toner about the change in genre direction and why he's always happy to improve
There hasn't been a day in at least the last decade, if not more, that author and actor Domhnall O'Donoghue hasn't written — an article, book or script.
Putting pen to paper for his fourth novel, The (Wonderful) Life of Connie Maguire, began the day after his aunt's funeral in 2019, where his love of 'connecting names with meaning' sparked an idea of his new protagonist.

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Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Daily Record
Jeremy Clarkson's Farm pub plagued by walkouts as staff quit in 'disaster'
Jeremy Clarkson's pub The Farmer's Dog was hit with a mass walkout with staff storming out the bar and demanding to quit. Jeremy Clarkson's pub launch was overshadowed by staff walkouts, details of which have only now come to light. The ex-Top Gear host faced intense challenges during the inaugural weekend of The Farmer's Dog in August last year. The Farmer's Dog is located in Burford, Oxfordshire, in the heart of the Cotswolds. But in the season four finale of Clarkson's Farm, released on Prime Video last week, the 65-year-old is forced to acknowledge a string of mishaps. In a candid conversation with Charlie Ireland after a tumultuous opening day at his licensed establishment, Clarkson admits: "We've lost two waitresses. We lost a pot washer. After one day." His troubles are compounded when he engages in urgent discussions with Sue and Rachel, his front of house team, in the pub's upstairs bar. The duo convey their concerns, indicating that the situation is dire with "too many problems" to operate a "successful business," reports the Express. They reveal the staff's fatigue, saying: "Everyone is exhausted, even when we say go for a break, there is no staff room," and highlight the less-than-ideal working conditions: "They're weeing in a port aloo. It's not lovely conditions." Offering some reassurance to Clarkson, they add: "They love you. They're excited about the British food," to which Clarkson insists: "I have no problem with the staff. Not one single problem with the staff. They're all brilliant. They are smiling. They are nice." However, Sue and Rachel warn him about the impending crisis in the kitchen as they explain: "The kitchen is about to go pop, those chefs have had it.... It might be worth popping into the kitchen," they suggest. "I just popped in," Clarkson retorts, to which Sue and Rachel reply: "go back." Jeremy, worn out from juggling farm duties and preparing the pub for its opening, hits back: "Do you want me to go and find a manager? Or go back into the kitchen?" His sarcastic tirade about his workload continues: "Or do you want me to mend the leak? Or do you want me to deal with the car parking issues? Or do you want me to deal with the neighbours? "Do you want me to deal with the council? I've got plenty to be doing and I'll get on with it. Thank you." This outburst was the last straw for the pair who subsequently resigned. However, an undeterred Jeremy insists he has a solution. "We've worked out if we shut the lavatories and use plastic glasses instead of glass ones, we'll have enough water to serve food until six," he concedes. "The next problem is Sue and Rachel, who brilliantly set up the pub, have now left. So it's a Sunday morning, I've managed to secure a new front of house person who is the head of sixth form at the local village school. That's good." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.


Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Sugababes admit comeback 'obstacles' as fans deserved 'different ending'
EXCLUSIVE: The Sugababes have opened up about their meteoric comeback and gaining the right to use their band name again, but admit their fans deserved the reunion The Sugababes admit facing "obstacles" during their comeback without having the iconic band name. Original members, Muyua Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy left fans gobsmacked in 2011 when it emerged that they would be reuniting for the first time since Donaghy's departure in 2011. But after Keisha's exit from the group in 2009, the original members joined forces under the name MKS and performed a string of sell-out shows across the country, as well as releasing original music. But it was in 2019 that the band won back the legal rights to use their name, which propelled them to fame. Reflecting on their comeback during an exclusive chat with the Mirror, Siobhán admits that the legacy behind the iconic girl group is "amazing". She said: "On one hand, it makes everything super easy when you're doing a show, everyone sings along to every show. Also, it's a lot to live up to, so it's a bit of good pressure in terms of new music – I think that's a good pressure and it motivates us." Keisha added: "It's always been important to us, and I think that was one of the main things for us getting back together, is that we wanted to pick up where we left off." Mutya added: "And give back to the fans as well, I think we've had such great supporters from then til now." Keisha added: "They deserved a different ending." Speaking about the bombshell MKS reunion, Keisha said: "That was amazing." Mutya added on their reaction from fans: "Like they still cared and we were still relevant because when you haven't done something for so long, you don't know how the tickets are going to sell, you don't even know if people still like you." Keisha added: "That was incredible, we hadn't had the name back yet. And so we were meeting all these different obstacles of 'Can you do it without the name? Can you do this?' We always knew that with us, it was about the music, and our voices were the most recognisable thing, even without the name. "So being able to come back and having all these obstacles and still being able to have sell-out shows and the support we had was really great." But the band admit it has been a "long journey" since they reformed, revealing that the past three to four years have been the most hectic for them. "It was a whole ten-year journey before that," Keisha said, adding: "When it was starting to happen, it was everything that we dreamt of and more." The band are now busier than ever, having recently performed a sell-out arena tour across the UK, as well as appearing at dozens of festivals. Two of those festivals were Glastonbury, which saw an unprecedented demand for the group, with the fields being closed down on both occasions. Siobhan admitted that the band would have loved to shut the fields down but had no idea it would actually happen on both occasions in 2022 and 2024. But how do the band get their heads around the staggering success of the band? "We kind of embrace it," Keisha explained. She went on to add: "Like Siobhán was saying, it's such a big legacy and it's great when we're on stage, the hardest thing when you're performing is trying to reintroduce new stuff. "Even when we were first performing the Round Round's and Overload's, I think really, the goal is what legacy you leave. The fact that we can come back 25 years later, we started so young, and reintroduce things in a different way. Everything is reimagined in the music, and it sounds very current." One thing they have reintroduced is a new version of Too Lost In You, with a garage aspect on the classic ballad, which has since become a fan favourite at Sugababes concerts. Siobhán said: "It's not as mentally daunting being in your mind as when you're a teenager." The band were in their early teens when they were signed by Ron Tom and Sarah Stennet before going on to release their debut single, Overload, in 2000 – which peaked at Number 6. "We're very humble," says Mutya, adding that they count their blessings. Despite their current and rather hectic schedules ahead of festivals, the band admit that there will be new music soon". "More festivals, singles and an album," said Keisha, before Siobhán joked they needed to "hurry up." She added: "The body of work is there, we just need to finish it off, we've gone straight from touring to festival season, we're finding the slots where we can get the opportunity," before confirming the singles are "lined up." Although the band are leading the industry with their top-tier vocals, Keisha admits that there are "so many talented" female vocal groups. She added: "It's so good that we get to be amongst them. Back then, it was really about the harmonies; we did have a unique way of doing our harmonies. Even the boy bands are singing now." "We've got some great British groups and vocalists," said Mutya. One thing Mutya doesn't understand is why the UK's Eurovision Song Contest entry, Remember Mondays received no points. "I actually thought they were good, they got zero," she said, adding: "I think people were just being really mean. Vocally, they were really, really good. "They didn't deserve zero." Since finding fame in 1998, what has been their favourite look and fashion highlight? "I really liked my Glastonbury look," said Siobhán, adding: "I used to wear a lot of Vivienne Westwood, I'm a massive fan." Mutya went on to say: "I don't know, I always seem to like a baggy look, cropped jacket, I don't mind where it's from. On the tour, I did Evisu, I kind of brought that back out for myself." Keisha said: "For me, I feel like braids, the chunky ones. "I didn't really do braids throughout the Sugababes. I had one nightmare, I had this bobbed braid in Year 7, and it was done really badly by someone. I walked in, and one of the boys was like, 'Your hair looks like worms.' It was just done terribly. There's a knack to how you do it. "I was obsessed with Brandy [Norwood], so that's why I had it done. Looking back, when I had that moment, I didn't do it again until I we did the video for Round Round – my cousin was really good with braids, so I did it that one time and that was it. I do like the braids." Mutya added: "I love Keisha with braids." The Soundtrack of Style — Celebrating 30 Years at Cheshire Oaks. Sugababes were unveiled as the secret headliner of Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet's 30th anniversary event, providing shoppers and the local community with the ultimate surprise and delight moment to celebrate three decades in fashion and business. The iconic pop group performed at the one-off non-ticketed event, supported by Take That 's Howard Donald and Hits Radio DJ and former Pussycat Dolls star Kimberly Wyatt to honour the outlet's 30-year legacy.


Belfast Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
‘I'd hate to ever get to a position in my life where I feel I've peaked. I feel I'm just starting'
As Domhnall O'Donoghue's fourth novel is published, he tells Aine Toner about the change in genre direction and why he's always happy to improve There hasn't been a day in at least the last decade, if not more, that author and actor Domhnall O'Donoghue hasn't written — an article, book or script. Putting pen to paper for his fourth novel, The (Wonderful) Life of Connie Maguire, began the day after his aunt's funeral in 2019, where his love of 'connecting names with meaning' sparked an idea of his new protagonist.