the wren
t h e w r e n wings her way to you today with our edit of useful and beautiful things, a love letter to concepts and creations we admire - from style, art, beauty, food, interiors and any other lovely things we feel you’ll like - for when a little aesthetic distraction is required - curated with care by Heyday founder Ellie Balfe and Marie Kelly.
Table service
If you enjoy the art of tablescaping, then check out The Designed Table, launched last year by Kildare-based businesswoman Tara O’Connor. From table runners and napkin rings to table cloths and placements, O’Connor has pulled together beautifully curated collections of table linen and accessories to help you elevate every dining experience. The newly launched spring collection (pictured) embraces this year’s Pantone Colour of the Year, Very Peri, mixing it with zesty lemon and subdued shades of jade for a punchy but polished aesthetic.
MK.
Tee time
by is.la was founded by Brazilian-born Isabela Lana, who after years working on glossy magazines from Marie Claire to InStyle settled in Ireland and launched her own collection of organic T-shirts and sweatshirts. Inscribed with words and phrases such as ‘dramatique’, ‘formidable’ and ‘je suis indispensable’, all of the garments have an individuality and whimsy that makes them feel fresh and contemporary. T-shirts cost €31 and sweatshirts, €60.
MK.
Art with heart
Fine art printers Hang Tough in Dublin, in collaboration with artist Niall Staines, is selling this beautiful print entitled Ukraine Is Not isolated to raise money for the emergency response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It costs just €50, and €40 from the sale of each print will go directly to Razom for Ukraine. In another initiative, the printers are also having a Mystery Tube Sale to raise money for the crisis. The sale will feature prints by 70 artists from past Hang Tough collections, editions and releases, and each piece will be signed, numbered and embossed. For just €50 you can receive a surprise print, discovering a new artist, perhaps, and supporting Ukraine at the same time.
MK.
Keep swimming
If you’re planning a glamorous escape this summer for the first time since the pandemic hit, then you might want to invest in some suitably glamorous beachwear. Luxury Irish swimwear brand Mona Swims currently has an archive sale on its website where you can snap up exquisite swim and beachwear for significantly less than usual. The brand’s signature dramatic prints bring a high-fashion aesthetic to every design as do the sophisticated silhouettes. Champagne skin-print silk sarong (pictured), €190 (was €280).
MK.
Beauty and utility
It’s true that everyday chores became less of a duty and more of a delight when we use beautiful, sustainably made tools and utensils. For an edit of classic, timeless items for your bathroom, kitchen, living and outdoor rooms, check out Kim Gray General Store in the south county Dublin coastal town of Dun Laoghaire. This attractive hand wash set, which includes a soap dish, nail brush and bar of vegetable soap costs €35.
MK
Yoga, Music and Yeats
Do you need some head and heart space? Some Irish culture, restorative yoga and quality conversation? All together in a beautiful setting? The dream, right? Irish born and LA-based Heyday writer, philosopher and yoga teacher, Dearbhla Kelly, has created a retreat taking place in Sligo this June that encompasses all of this. Featuring her yoga classes each morning, with music provided by her Grammy-nominated husband Dave Stringer. They are also joined for intimate performances and chat with their friends, the beloved Irish musicians Liam O Maonlai (Hothouse Flowers) and Rónán O Snodaigh (Kila) as well as sessions with a seanchai and local tours of Yeats country.
The itinerary reads like the immersive, magical experience that it is sure to be, and Dearbhla is kindly offering HEYDAY members and friends €200 off the price by using code: Wren200.
- Morning yoga classes taught by Dearbhla with musical accompaniment by Dave
- Morning chanting and kirtan led by Dave
- Evening music sessions with Dave, Liam & Rónán
- Immersive poetry reading sessions of Irish poetry: W.B. Yeats & Séamus Heaney
- Stay at @templehouse a 17th century Georgian manor on 100 acres with a private lake and castle ruins in Yeats Country, ancestral home of W.B. Yeats
- Locally sourced farm-to-table food
- Guided tour of Yeats Country with local tour guide and visit to Yeats grave
- Local tour guided excursion to Neolithic monuments
- Fireside evening with local #seanchai / storyteller
- Beach walks at Wild Atlantic Way
Optional activities: horse riding; archery; eagle watching; bodhrán lessons and more
Full concert with @liamomaonlai and @ronano.snodaigh
EB.
No ordinary basic
There’s no better brand than Cos to breathe new life into the most ordinary of wardrobe staples. This white shirt, with its pretty lace panel and elbow-length sleeves, makes the perfect summer style statement. Ideal for the office, but equally cool worn with washed-out jeans, this shirt is one of those elevated basics you’ll never regret buying; €89.
MK
Bags for life
The McWilliam brand is nothing less than an institution in Cork, where its totes and holdalls are seen on sailors, teenagers and holidaymakers alike. Handmade in its Crosshaven studio, the totes and holdalls are created using old sails resulting in incredibly durable and practical bags, which are brightened up by the brand’s signature vivid stripes. Colours can be customised to your own taste, and any wear and tear will be repaired by McWilliam for a nominal cost of €20. This is circular fashion that delivers on all fronts: style, sustainability and practicality. Tote bag, €60
EB
dear reader, share with us the lovely things in the comments below
join the conversation
share and comment below, we’d love to hear your thoughts…