Reasons To Be Cheerful Pt 2023

Carry that weight…

t was a far from vintage year, 2023 being dragged down by two major wars, AI further blurring the lines between truth and lies, fascism continuing to fester in uncertain times, a forever-looming recession, climate chaos, and the seemingly never-ending jetlag from all that lockdown isolation.

Is it any wonder there’s been a glitch or two in the matrix of late…?

That said, there were plenty of reasons to be cheerful too, if you knew where to look.

And who to ask.

Which is why we have once again called upon a bunch of Greystonians to reveal all the happy that 2023 has brought them.

Síofra Lawless Boxer
This year was a very eventful one for me, starting off with my 3rd all-Ireland win in April and ending with gold – and Boxer Of The Tournament – at The Junior World Boxing Championships in Armenia at the end of November.

Inbetween, there were plenty of ups and downs – and punches – but that’s all part of the thrill. Both in the ring and out. You never know, but you can prepare, you can get yourself primed, and even though I headed out to Armenia with a cold, thanks to a lucky draw, I had a week before my first fight. And when that time came, I was so ready…

It was a dream come true to stand top of the podium and have my name and flag behind me with my national anthem playing.

Andrea Splendori Guru
The Plaza Market brought new life into the town. People were given the chance to express their creativity, and agreat atmosphere was created by traders and punters alike. A real sense of community. A sense of togetherness.
And a great reason to be cheerful, seeing this town get together and create something for us all to enjoy. Wonderful to see so many creative people. The future is bright.  Happy New Year.

Seamus Clear God As An Astronaut
This is the year when everyone realised that everything they know is wrong, and that you can’t trust anything you read, or anything you see on the news. Especially when it’s on the internet. So, be sure to make up your own mind. And to look after one another.

Anya Llewelln Real Estate
Six years on and I still pinch myself every day when I go for my daily walk. How lucky are we to be living right here? From the sea to the mountains, we have it all. And that’s why, after years of working in real estate all over Ireland, I decided to step out on my own in 2023.

I love living here, and I feel, after six years, I know every nook and cranny, every spectacular view, every tiny little hideaway. And yet, when you’re faced with the South Beach, the North Beach, Kindlestown Woods , Glen of the Downs, Drummin Hill, The Sugar Loaf, and beyond, you know that there’s always going to be more to explore. And I’ve got my hiking boots on…

Trish Hennessy Halfway Up The Stairs
What a year we had! The highlight of the year was winning the An Post Bookshop of the Year Award in November. As a specialist children’s bookshop, this is an achievement we are hugely proud of. We work very hard to be able to recommend the best books to the children of Greystones and beyond, as well as local and nationwide schools, and we bring top class authors to the shop on a regular basis.

It was amazing to be featured on RTÉ and in the national papers! We also won Independent Bookshop of the Year in the Irish category of the British Book Awards earlier in the year. Again, this recognition means a huge amount to us.

We held many events this year – including events with world famous authors such as Eoin Colfer, Hannah Gold, John Patrick Green and Louie Stowell, local authors Ellen Ryan, Peter Donnelly and Alan Nolan, and shop favourites Marita Conlon-McKenna, Judi Curtin and Shane Hegarty, among many more. We held some of these events in schools and in the Whale Theatre, reaching a bigger audience. We have many more events in the pipeline for next year!

We also worked with dozens of schools during the year, local and wider afield, recommending books and helping them stock their libraries. We are really grateful to our customers for their support – it’s hugely important to us and much appreciated.

Lillian Jauregui Blissful Spa Retreat
The year 2023 has brought forth a lot of reasons to be cheerful, particularly with the launch of my massage business following a challenging layoff. The outpouring of support from the Greystones community has been truly heartwarming. It’s been incredible to bring a holistic approach to wellbeing, tailoring each session to cater to individual needs. The journey’s been inspiring, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do what I love most.

Katie Donovan Cove Massage
This is going to sound like an advert but, joining the Guide in April really made a huge difference this year. Starting up any new business can be tough, and just having someone who spread the word – and designed monthly campaigns, tightened up the wording, etc – was such a plus. And then there’s all the wonderful people I’ve met through Cove Massage, a whole new circle of friends, which has made me feel enormously welcomed, and it all made me realise very quickly, I’m home. So, I’m entering 2024 with a lot of joy and optimism in my heart. And a whole bunch of wonderful people here in Greystones to share it with.

Greystones Tidy Towns
Tidy Towns  have had a bumper year on so many fronts. From the actual working of the annual Tidy Towns competition we increased our score this year by twelve points. We were runners up in the Pride of Place for our Sensory Garden.  Greystones has earned global recognition as one of the World’s Most Liveable Communities, not once, but twice – in 2008 and 2021. As well as the normal work we carry out and covering the essential  areas like Sustainability, Climate Action, and Biodiversity we are on top of our brief and this was reflected in our increase in points.

We also won another Gold Medal. County Commended Award, Persons of the Year 2023.  Runners up in the Sustainability Award and Pride of Place. This is all achieved by the hard work of our committee and volunteers who work so hard to make our town, and  environment whilst enhancing and  improving all aspects of the streetscapes, landscaping and the general upkeep and maintenance of Greystones.

Another highlight of the year were the two Markets at the Plaza. One during the summer which was a great success and then the Christmas Market which surpassed our wildest dreams and achieved so much both for the public, Greystones Tidy Towns and the various charities we supported, the huge success of the Tiglin sleep out which was their most successful sleep out event ever for Tiglin also supporting Wicklow Hospice, Greystones Cancer Support as well as various other charities. The key to the markets is that they are community based and as such support the community. So as 2023 fades we look forward to the projects and challenges in 2024, I would urge people if they are interested in becoming volunteers, our organisation is a great way to meet like-minded people and the post-volunteering cup of coffee is always a great bonding session.

On behalf of all our volunteers and the Greystones Tidy Towns Committee I would like to wish everyone a very peaceful end of year and a happy and peaceful 2024.

Ellen Ryan Author
My second book, Gods Don’t Cry, made the bestseller list this Christmas. No easy feat for Irish children’s authors, who struggle to compete against UK behemoths like David Walliams, and The Beano annual. I owe much credit for this success to my fellow Greystonians – for the stellar support they have shown me, and other local artists. We don’t take it for granted.

Elaine and Darryn Scott Harmonics Music School
As we both sit here and reminisce about 2023, we feel such gratitude for all the support everyone has shown us this year. 2024 is going to be one exciting year for Harmonics, with lots going on… so, here’s hoping 2024 is full of the same excitement, positivity and happiness for you all, so we are wishing you a very Happy New Year.

Clara Cullen Oak & Olive Home
In 2024, I’m all smiles because I took a big step — I started my own online shop! For more than 12 years, I worked in retail buying, but then I took a break to take care of my two little boys. During that time, I couldn’t shake off this strong feeling that I wanted to start something new and be my own boss. So, I decided to start my own business from scratch. It hasn’t been easy, let me tell you, juggling kids and a start-up business, with plenty of late nights trying and early mornings. But losing my dad to cancer in 2022 taught me that life is so short, and if you want something, you have to work hard for it. Nobody’s going to just hand it to you. Now, even though I’m hustling, doing what I love never feels like a job. It’s been tough, but I’m so proud that I made this happen…

Vlad Bodarev Photographer
The year 2023 is about the people who have changed my view of photography after many years of just sitting with a camera in the quiet of the morning. Taking portraits, from family shots to Strictly Tiglin, the presence of pure emotion and strong personalities in photography gives it a special value – and the messages conveyed can be priceless.

This change has come about thanks to all the wonderful people I have met this year, who have opened up new horizons for me, not only professionally, but also personally, through their loving characters and strong values. 2024 will be the year in which I combine landscape photography and people’s emotions in a wholly new project for me.

In the meantime, may 2024 bring you exciting new adventures, and wonderful people, to help you broaden your world too. Happy New Year!!!

Jenny Murnane Beautyful By Jenny
This was the year I finally took the leap that I had been gearing myself up for over many years, so, I am super excited and happy to be taking Beautyful by Jenny into the new year. Especially given all the fabulous people who have supported me since the doors opened here in Greystones back in July 2023. I have had the pleasure of meeting some amazing personalities and, to be honest, I’m really looking forward to reopening on January 3rd. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my clients leave the salon with a smile on their face and glow in their heart.

So, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support you have given me in making my dream come true. Happy new year to you all. May it be the brightest and best yet for us all. Much love and gratitude.

Sean O’Reilly Rise At The Cove
For me, there was so, so much to be cheerful about in 2023, with the strongest realisation being, we could all be worse off than we are and we need to be grateful for the life, and the opportunities, we have.

I started the year determined to lose some weight, and now, well, I’m half the man I used to be. Just ask Paddy Casey. Truth be told, I’ve never been happier. Or healthier.

And it was all down to simple choices that I made, nothing more…

You can jump back through the years of Reasons To Be Cheerful right about here.