Wish List: Seven super ideas for your life and living space this week

Irish Examiner

02-05-2025

Scandi style
Big news for Cork's northside — JYSK has just opened a shiny new store at Blackpool Retail Park, bringing the Danish home brand's Cork tally to four (joining Youghal, Ballincollig, and Eastgate). The opening creates around 10 new jobs locally too.
Pictured above are Aoibheann and Abigail Flynn from Shanakiel jumping for joy — though we're guessing the shop won't encourage that kind of excitement in the cushion aisle. Expect stylish, Scandi-inspired pieces for every corner of your home and garden. More at Jysk.
Open-air gallery
Art lovers, mark your calendar. From June 1-29, Castlemartyr Resort will become a walkable open-air gallery, with works by Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, and Damien Hirst dotted throughout the grounds.
The Art + Soul exhibition will feature over 350 pieces — and if you've never been, the gardens alone are worth the trip.
A special preview evening takes place on Friday, May 30, with art, fine dining, and great company. Tickets, €100, are on Eventbrite, via [e-mail] or 021-421 9000. Fancy making a night of it? Overnight packages are available from June 1.
Holistic health
On the Bathroom Shelf this month: Novomins Cranberry & D-Mannose Gummies — a welcome addition if you're prone to UTIs. (I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's a man's world). The B-Corp-certified brand is led by doctors, scientists and nutritionists, and focuses on holistic women's health.
Also in the range: PMS and Menobalance gummies — just hook them to my veins, honestly. Available via Chemist Warehouse, Novomins, and Irish TikTok Shop.
Metallic magic
Add a bit of wow to your walls with a piece by Irish-Mexican artist Jess Kelly. Known for her layered metallic textures, her work features in Michelin-star restaurants, luxury homes and hotels around the world — including Lough Eske Castle.
Fans include Amy Huberman and the Real Housewives of New York (Is that one of their baths? I must know.) Her latest exhibition Origins: Chapter II is on now upstairs at Chupi on Clarendon Street. Details at Jesskellyart.
Wallpaper wow
Wallpaper envy incoming. The once-derelict Little Island Resort in West Cork has been brought back to life by sisters Aislinn and Nicole O'Shea, transforming it into a dreamy boutique hotel overlooking Owenahincha Beach.
The 40-year-empty property now features restored original details, an outdoor pool, and a strong focus on sustainability. It's giving California vibes — but better, cos it's at Castlefreke. More at Thelittleisland.
Sublime scents
I have to declare a candle crush. We're longtime fans of La Bougie, the Irish candle brand hand-poured in West Cork. Their latest? Cedar Atlas — think notes of thyme, cedarwood and oud, with a 50-hour burn time.
Left, La Bougie's Cedar Atlas candle; right, Caitlin Godfrey practising yoga at Mount Congreve Gardens, Co Waterford, which hosts Restival this May bank holiday weekend.
The full range of candles, diffusers, and linen sprays is available at Labougie, Brown Thomas, Avoca, Meadows & Byrne, and over 100 Irish independents.
Wonder and wellness
Into wellness with a side of woods? Restival lands at Mount Congreve Gardens, Co Waterford, this May bank holiday weekend. Highlights include yoga with Catherine O'Donoghue, Pilates with Helen O'Donovan, and a workout with Karl Henry. There's also guided forest bathing (shinrin-yoku, if you don't mind), and wellness talks including a Wim Hof Method session with expert Marta Vera. Tickets from €39 at Mountcongreve or grab one at the gate if you're feeling spontaneous.