A Blooming Good Way to Welcome Summer
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

A Blooming Good Way to Welcome Summer

May has always belonged to flowers. From Bealtaine blossoms at the door to chive flowers on warm potatoes, edible flowers are one of the simplest ways to bring seasonality, colour and delight to the table. This piece explores what is blooming now, how to use May flowers safely in food and tea, and why beauty belongs in nourishment too.

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Not All Hunger Looks the Same: What the Scairbhรญn Still Teaches Us
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Not All Hunger Looks the Same: What the Scairbhรญn Still Teaches Us

An old Irish word, scairbhรญn, once described a time of year when food ran low and people felt itโ€”not as famine, but as a quieter kind of hunger. A hundred years on, the cupboards are full, but not all hunger looks the same. Whatโ€™s changed is not just how much food we have, but how well it truly sustains us.

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Feed Them Well and Theyโ€™ll Look After You
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Feed Them Well and Theyโ€™ll Look After You

What we eat doesnโ€™t just feed us โ€” it feeds everything living within us. This piece explores the often-overlooked role of postbiotics, and why itโ€™s not just about what we eat, but what our microbes are able to make from it.

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Chocolate: From Food of the Gods to Something Else Entirely
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Chocolate: From Food of the Gods to Something Else Entirely

Chocolate was once revered โ€” a food of ceremony, nourishment, and even currency. Today, itโ€™s something else entirely. This piece explores how chocolate lost its way, and how we might find our way back to something more real.

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Nettles, A Timely Tonic (If Youโ€™re Brave Enough!)
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Nettles, A Timely Tonic (If Youโ€™re Brave Enough!)

A plant we spend most of our time avoiding is quietly offering exactly what we need this time of year. Nettles are back โ€” fresh, green, mineral-rich and right on time. Long used as food and medicine, they support the bodyโ€™s natural shift into Spring, asking only that we pause, look a little closer, and see them differently.

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Faith, Food and the Making of a Saint
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Faith, Food and the Making of a Saint

Every year on St Patrickโ€™s Day we celebrate with corned beef, cabbage and spuds โ€” a meal recognised around the world as โ€œtraditionally Irishโ€. But when Saint Patrick himself was travelling across Ireland in the 5th century, that famous dish wasnโ€™t on the menu at all. So what did he actually eat?

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Shedding Light on Seasonal Shedding
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Shedding Light on Seasonal Shedding

If your hairbrush seems busier than usual this spring, donโ€™t panic. Hair doesnโ€™t follow the calendar โ€” it follows stress, sleep and nourishment. Hereโ€™s why seasonal shedding happens, and how to support steady rebuilding from the inside out.

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Valentineโ€™s Day Foods for Love & Libido: The Nutrition Behind Romance
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Valentineโ€™s Day Foods for Love & Libido: The Nutrition Behind Romance

Love is in the airโ€”and on your plate! From zinc-packed oysters to luscious dark chocolate, the foods we eat can do more than just satisfy hunger; they can ignite passion and enhance well-being. In this post, I explore the science behind aphrodisiac foods, the power of frisky fruits and why green tea might just be a better wingman than wine. Whether you're planning a romantic dinner or simply looking to nourish your body, discover how the right ingredients can help fan the flames of romance.

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Food Trends for 2026: Hype, Hope and a Head of Cabbage
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Food Trends for 2026: Hype, Hope and a Head of Cabbage

Food trends come and go, but they often reveal more about our anxieties than our appetites. In this piece, I reflect on whatโ€™s emerging for 2026 โ€” not to tell you what to eat, but to question why weโ€™re eating the way we are, and what might actually nourish us now.

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Harvest Health: Food to Soothe a Busy Mind
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Harvest Health: Food to Soothe a Busy Mind

Late Summerโ€™s harvest is more than fuel โ€” itโ€™s medicine for body and mind. Seasonal fruits, grains and vegetables can soothe the nervous system, steady digestion and help us reset after the whirlwind of Summer.

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Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot? Then Eat Chili!
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot? Then Eat Chili!

Feeling the heat? It might be time to turn it up with chili. Sounds mad, but spicy food can actually help you cool down โ€” and itโ€™s been doing just that for thousands of years. From ancient remedies to modern science and a few sweaty truths in between, this oneโ€™s for the sunshine lovers who like a little kick on their plate.

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The Faerie Tree and Matters of the Heart: Exploring the Wonders of Hawthorn
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

The Faerie Tree and Matters of the Heart: Exploring the Wonders of Hawthorn

What if the tree blooming in our hedgerows right now holds ancient wisdom for modern hearts?
Steeped in folklore, feared by bulldozers, and celebrated in herbal medicine, Hawthorn is more than just a pretty blossom. From faerie tales to heart health, discover why this humble tree may be the most magicalโ€”and medicinalโ€”plant of the season.

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Letโ€™s Stalk About Rhubarb
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Letโ€™s Stalk About Rhubarb

Spring is well and truly hereโ€”and with it, a burst of fresh energy (and fresh produce!). In this article I revisited a vibrant seasonal favourite that often gets tucked away under too much sugar and not enough appreciation: rhubarb. But rhubarb is so much more than the crumble queen of the veg patch.

Read on to explore its curious history, digestive superpowers and surprising versatilityโ€”from stews to salsas. Whether youโ€™re a rhubarb devotee or just curious to try something new, you might find yourself looking at those ruby-red stalks in a whole new way.

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Breathe Easy This Spring: A Nutritional Approach to Hay Fever
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Breathe Easy This Spring: A Nutritional Approach to Hay Fever

Spring is in the air โ€“ quite literally โ€“ and while longer days and blossoming hedgerows are welcome signs of the season, they can also spell trouble for many. If you find yourself sniffling, sneezing, or constantly reaching for tissues, you're not alone. Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) affects around one in five people in Ireland and itโ€™s not just the pollen to blame โ€” itโ€™s how your immune system reacts to it.


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