Latest news with #You'llNeverWalkAlone
The Citizen
15 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Kaminskys: Husband and wife team heavily rely on talent
Pandemic couldn't choke them; they still joke, create and build towards their goal. creativity in their blood. Dana and Carlo Kaminsky are a rare husband and wife team. Picture: Supplied Imagine having to reinvent yourself once, then again at middle age. All the while relying on your talent, gut feel and the only partner you have ever truly trusted. Husband and wife team Dana and Carlo Kaminsky did – and then had to do exactly that again. The first time when they took the leap, they started their own business. The second, when the pandemic almost squeezed their livelihood to a full choke. A rare partnership Husband and wife teams are not uncommon. But a pair that can joke, create and build together towards a common goal is rarer still, especially when the intimate and business coupling stretches over decades. And when the going got tough, the Kaminskys just kept going. Dana met Carlo while working at a printing company in Bellevue. He was a graphic designer, sharp, restless and creative. But he had to commune with suits at several corporates. Breaking free from corporate 'He did a stint at Anglo American. But it was too stiff, too boxed in. I told him: 'Get out. Do your own thing,'' said Dana. He did and together they started Hands On Design, which later became Art of Design, and focused on wildlife-themed clothing. 'He's the artist. I handle the rest,' she said. 'It worked. We were supplying lodges, Kruger Park, even airports.' ALSO READ: Elderly Craighall Park couple face R143k City Power bill, for a meter that's not theirs Wildlife art boom The wildlife T-shirt business, among other ventures, did well. There wasn't a souvenir store at a game lodge that either didn't stock their product or hadn't heard of their wearable art. And then it hit the fan in 2020. 'We had just received a big order from Kruger for five stores,' said Dana. 'Stock was about to go into production and then the e-mail landed: 'Don't proceed. Shops are closing.' That was it. The lodges pulled out. No tourism. No sales.' 'It was daunting,' Dana said. 'You think you're there. Comfortable. And then you're back at the start, figuring it all out again.' A new identity: Atlas bear It could have ended there. Instead, they started over. Again. So, instead of flogging a rapidly dying horse, the Kaminskys started a new brand to mark a new chapter. It was christened Atlas Bear. The name came from their son in Australia, who also has an interest in the business. 'He told us about the Atlas bear. It was the first wild animal to go extinct in Africa. Hunted to death by the Romans. I read the story and thought it resonated. Difference being though, we just refused to disappear and go extinct.' ALSO READ: How some of your favourite comedians would fix the world Football and survival To put food on the table during the first few, very tough years, Carlo began designing T-shirts with slogans tied to football clubs starting with Liverpool and its anthem You'll Never Walk Alone. 'I wasn't sold on it at first,' Dana said. 'But that shirt saved us. The fans loved it. It was affordable, local and something they couldn't get easily.' Local humour, local design They started adding South African sayings and tongue-in-cheek designs. La Linea, a cartoon character from the '70s, was redrawn to reflect everyday frustrations that South Africans face. These, of course, include potholes, load shedding, broken taps and water shedding among a long list of other irritations. 'People get it immediately. They laugh and they buy into the humour,' she said. 'All our designs are pure South African. If you don't live here, you won't get it.' One of their bestsellers came from a customer's joke: If Chuck Norris were a bit tougher, he would have been South African. 'I came home and told Carlo. He designed it and it took off.' And just like the idioms and localisms printed on the tees, the shirts are made in the Western Cape and printed in Joburg. 'Local is important to us. And it matters to customers, too. When they hear that we are all South African, they also seem to be keener to support us,' she said. Creative on all fronts The pair are also authors. Carlo is busy writing and compiling books on branding, design and marketing and on his desk, there are several print and layout prototypes. Dana's already self-published a historical novel – Curse of Gold – detailing aspects of the 1900's gold rush in the Eastern Transvaal, now known as Mpumalanga. The couple's home is a testament to creativity. Carlo has designed I Love Johannesburg tog bags, there are knick-knacks on display all over and a portion of their lounge is now a stockroom and somewhat of a testament and showcase of the sweat and love that has gone into their business. And, as most couples do, the pair disagrees on at least one thing. The future. 'Carlo wants a shop. I'm not convinced. The economy's not right. I'd rather franchise one day. It's a big dream.' READ NEXT: New faces, new love: Who is your favourite 'Married at First Sight' couple?
Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish singer recalls moment she felt Diogo Jota's presence before Liverpool game
Claudia Rose Maguire has opened up about the poignant moment when he felt the presence of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva during the minute's silence held in their honour last weekend. The Irish singer, and wife of former Preston North End striker Sean Magure, also revealed how she got the call to sing You'll Never Walk Alone at a packed Deepdale ahead of the pre-season friendly. Tributes were paid to the two brothers, who passed away earlier this month in a car crash in Spain, before and during the game between Preston and Liverpool. As Maguire sang, Lilywhites captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in front of the away fans, and a minute's silence was held ahead of kick-off. Recalling the day, Maguire told Newstalk's Lunchtime show: 'They had the Preston North End captain, he presented the Liverpool fans with a wreath in the Preston colours, just to honour them and let them know, yeah, okay, it's a pre-season friendly game, but there is a much bigger meaning behind it, and we are all treating it as a game to pay our respects to Diogo Jota and his brother as well, and all the players as well. 'For the Liverpool players, it must have been the most emotional thing for them to have to step onto the pitch for the first time knowing he is sadly not with them on the pitch. So it was a big build up before the game.' Then she revealed the moment she felt that the late Liverpool striker's presence on the pitch. 'They had the minute's silence. During the minute's silence I was being taken back to my seat,' she said. 'Obviously we stopped to pay our respects, but there was a white butterfly just flying around the pitch, near the players. I was trying to signal to the photographer, can you get that. But because it was a minute's silence, I couldn't say anything. 'But that, to me, I felt like that was their presence, to let his teammates know, I'm here and I'm with you on the pitch.' Claudia Rose Maguire (Image: Dave Howarth - CameraSport via Getty Images) Maguire added that her husband, capped 11 times for Ireland, took the call from his former club that led to her flying over from Cork to sing in front of the Preston and Liverpool fans. 'Ben Rhodes, I don't even know what his job title is because that man is absolutely amazing, he runs Preston North End, he does everyone's job, he gave Sean a call,' she said. 'We've always kept in touch, so we just thought maybe, I don't know, there was a reason for calling. We weren't thinking of anything like that. 'Then Sean hung up and said, 'I have a major thing to ask you'. I thought he was going to tell me we have to move again. I was like, 'No way, I'm sorry, the answer is no'. He was, like, 'No, it's about you'. 'He explained what the match was for and he said they want you to sing Can't Help Falling in Love With You. Even then my legs went like jelly when he said it to me. But I knew that song and because I had sung it there before, I thought, okay, of course I'm not passing up that opportunity. 'It wasn't until Friday that Ben Rhodes called me himself. We were just chatting and he said, 'You do know you are singing the two songs, don't you?'. And I was like, 'No, Sean left that little detail out, that I was singing You'll Never Walk Alone as well'. 'So, he said, 'Yeah, we want you to sing both, is that okay with you?'. I wasn't going to say no, of course, so I was like, 'Yeah, I know it so well'. 'I do know the song, but I wouldn't have known it to stand on the spot and just belt it out in front of however many fans. 'I said, 'Yeah, no problem', and I hung up the phone. Then for two days straight, You'll Never Walk Alone was played over and over. My neighbours were probably pulling their hair out of their heads, I was singing it so much. But I didn't want to mess it up.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
The Irish Sun
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Super emotional' Irish singer reveals ‘biggest fear' ahead of ‘special' Liverpool match song tribute for Diogo Jota
THE Irish singer who moved fans with her rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone in tribute to Diogo Jota has told how she only found out she was performing two days in advance. Claudia Rose, from Advertisement 4 Cork woman Claudia Rose is married to former Preston and Ireland star Sean Maguire 4 A tribute was paid to Diogo Jota during Liverpool's pre-season friendly at Preston on Sunday Claudia - who is married to former Preston and Speaking to Claudia Rose believed she was only going to sing the Preston song Can't Help Falling in Love with You, and was comfortable with that having performed it two years ago at a match on New Year's Day. Advertisement READ MORE IN SHOWBIZ Eleven-times capped Sean - who played 159 times for Preston - found himself in hot water for a short while as Claudia Rose had to start practicing singing the Liverpool anthem at short notice. Claudia Rose said: 'It was last Wednesday, we got the phone call to ask if I would fly in for the game. "At the time I was told it was to sing Preston's anthem. 'It was Sean who took the call and then on Friday they asked me, 'Do you know you are singing the two songs?' I got such a shock. Advertisement Most read in Music 'I started blasting out You'll Never Walk Alone for two full days and I must have driven my neighbours mad. 'This was the first friendly match of the pre-season. It was always going to be a big game regardless because any time Preston has played Liverpool it's always been a massive thing. Portugal manager in tears as fans hold up Diogo Jota pictures during Women's Euro minute's silence for Liverpool 'But obviously, because of Diogo and his brother Andre's deaths, there was a much bigger meaning behind it.' The mum-of-one said she couldn't allow herself to become overly emotional as she didn't want to break down and cry in the middle of either song. Advertisement She said: 'I am a very soft person. I was super emotional but I just didn't want to break down and cry. 'That was my biggest fear. And then it was weird as once I started singing I actually let the emotion go to the back of my head. 'I remember thinking, 'You have to get through this', because this is for the fans, for the WORK PRIDE "I said, 'Think of the job in hand', which I did. Advertisement 'It was afterwards the emotions hit. I had to take a few deep breaths and my legs went like jelly afterwards.' Claudia Rose, 27, mainly sings at She said: 'When I sing, it's the most important job I do as every time it means something to someone. 'Yesterday it was a different feeling as I felt I was doing it solely for the family and the fans so when it was over I felt a pride that I got through it. Advertisement FAMILY TIME "I can say I honoured everyone, especially Diogo and Andre, in the best way I could.' Claudia is also involved in She started an events company a few months after moving back to She and hubby Sean, who plays for Cork City, moved home from Advertisement She said: 'I wanted my family around me and I wanted to have him grow up with all my family around him and Sean's family who live in BEST IDEA 'We were living in Preston for nearly eight years. It was such a familiar feeling getting back there.' Claudia Rose and Sean met on Tinder. She said: 'We used to lie about how we met for years and then we just said, 'What's the point in lying, we might as well be honest about it'. What a great ad we are for Tinder.' Advertisement She added: 'Returning to Cork and Sean joining Cork City was one of the best things we have ever done. 'The club is struggling at the moment but if you were to take away the results it's the best thing we have done in his football career. 'Cork is amazing and everyone is like family. When you walk down the street people go, 'Hi Seanie.'" 4 The game was Liverpool's first since the death of Diogo Jota Advertisement 4 Claudia Rose sang You'll Never Walk Alone and Can't Help Falling in Love at the game's opening
Irish Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Liverpool legend was struck by double tragedy on the day of Diogo Jota's death
John Aldridge has revealed that he lost a close friend on the same day that news of Liverpool striker Diogo Jota's death emerged. The former Anfield and Ireland striker says he is only coming to terms now with the tragedy earlier this month that took the lives of Jota and his brother André Silva. And he has urged Arne Slot's side to honour their late teammate by winning back-to-back Premier League titles. Jota was killed in a car crash in Spain on July 3 and Aldridge told MirrorSport: 'A friend of mine, the same day, died outside the gym. 'He was only in his 60s, same as me, so I couldn't… I was just in shock for a few days, to be honest. 'You didn't really realise the enormity of the impact that it had on the Liverpool family, and how well liked (Jota) was. 'It was such a tragic, tragic story as well; he just got married, his brother too. The whole story is so tragic and horrible.' Aldridge paid tribute to Liverpool fans for their collective outpouring of grief and love in the wake of Jota's passing. 'As a Liverpool supporter, it hit me really hard. It hit loads of supporters hard, because they see this lad as a hero, as a family member in many respects, without being corny. 'It's a massive impact, it really is a huge impact. There is nothing you can say that is going to bring him back, but the respect that the fans have shown by going to Anfield, like a sanctuary, and doing what we did after Hillsborough, shows the respect and what he meant, and what Liverpool means to everyone. 'To be quite honest, I'm only really coming to terms with it this week, over the last couple of days. 'Your heart goes out to everyone who knew him, his family and friends. You don't know what to say. 'From a personal perspective, and from the fans, you couldn't get any better respect than what Liverpool fans have shown him and his family, to try and help them through this.' Emotional tributes were paid to Jota before and after last weekend's pre-season friendly against Preston at Deepdale. Claudia Rose Maguire, the wife of Cork City striker Sean Maguire, sang the famous Anfield anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone', while Preston captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in front of the visiting fans. Images of Diogo and André Silva were shown on the big screen inside the ground, and Darwin Nunez marked his goal with a couple of his late teammate's trademark celebrations. Playing football, Aldridge said, might have been the last thing on the minds of Liverpool's stars over the past fortnight. However, he recalled how he rediscovered his love for the game after the Hillsborough tragedy. 'It was very classy the way they did it,' he said of the Preston friendly. 'You have got to try and use it as motivation now, to try and win the league for him. 'After Hillsborough, I didn't want to play, and I missed the Spain game when we won 1-0 (in the Italia '90 qualifiers). 'But the families (of the Hillsborough victims) told me, that's not what our dad or kids wanted, they loved watching you play, so please play on. 'It sort of resonated with me and gave me a lift to try and get playing again. 'That's what maybe the manager and staff and psychologists around the club have got to do with the players now, because it's a massive hit on them, a huge hit. 'But you have got to play on. It's what Diogo would have wanted, what his family want. Go and represent the club and do it for him, try and do it for him.' # John Aldridge was speaking to MirrorSport on behalf of BetBrain.
Irish Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland star's wife in stirring "You'll never walk alone" performance for Jota
A rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone took on greater significance yesterday as Liverpool played their first match since the death of Diogo Jota. Jota and his brother Andre Silva passed away on July 3rd after being involved in a car accident. It has been reported that a tyre blowout on the Lamborghini that they were driving caused the crash, with the car bursting into flames. On Sunday, Liverpool faced off against Preston in what was meant to be a match that kick-started their preparation for their Premier League title defence. Instead, it was a game that served as a tribute to 28-year-old Jota and his brother. Before kick-off, Claudia Rose Long Maguire - wife of Ireland international and Cork City star Sean Maguire - performed a spine-tingling rendition of Liverpool's famous anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone.' Fans of both Liverpool and Preston sang along with Claudia, with Diogo Jota shirts, scarves and posters being brandished by those in the crowd at Deepdale. As Maguire sang the anthem, Preston captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in memory of Jota on the ground in front of the Liverpool away supporters. On the pitch, Liverpool recorded a comfortable 3-1 win with Cody Gakpo, Conor Bradley and Darwin Nunez netting. After the game, Liverpool players stayed on the pitch for several minutes as fans sung songs in tribute to Jota. Taking to social media, Maguire - who knows Preston well as her husband played for the club - thanked both sets of supporters. "Today was a one for the memory book," She posted on Instagram. "An absolute honour and privilege to have sang at such a memorable event. "To sing for the Preston fans who I got to know every weekend for many years watching Sean play and honour them with their anthem, and to sing you'll never walk alone in remembrance of Diogo Jota and André Silva. "The fans were incredible today and I am so grateful to have been apart of it all. Thank you to @pnefcofficial and @liverpoolfc for having me be apart of this."
