Small Medium At Large

Dáire Shaw 2026

ell, Dáire Shaw isn’t that small, but she is clairvoyant. And pretty kooky too.

We caught up with Greystones’ new spirit in the sky to try and find out what lies at the end of the road for us all.

And if there even is an end to this road.

That said, if Wicklow County Council is involved, and there’s an annual EU grant at stake, there’s a good chance that the road ahead will never end. Still, there are those who claim to see far beyond the road – right up into the stars, in fact – and one such person is Dáire Shaw, a Greystones woman who has just set up her stall as a clairvoyant.

Given just how nosey GG is, we got in touch. Dáire was expecting our call. Naturally enough.

GG: I’m guessing you’re not the seventh son of a seventh son – so, where did the clairvoyant powers come from?
DS: I always had them to a degree – you could say I was very much a daydreamer as a child, and pretty much lived with my head in the clouds. I would often have strange experiences where spirits would visit me at night – mostly friendly, but some were so powerful that I would be frightened. I grew out of it eventually. Many years later, after I had my daughter – now 16 – I went through a difficult time and took up meditation to help me through it. That lead me to Reiki – a Japanese healing and spiritual development method with roots in Buddhism. I took to Reiki and meditation like a duck to water and my latent spirituality came back with a bang. I spent a few years practising and developing – meditating sometimes up to four or six hours a day while my daughter was sleeping or in school. I developed a close relationship with my guides who trained me step by step, until I began to give healing sessions, readings and to train and teach others. In a reading I calm my mind, mentally focus, clear the space and ask for protection and guidance. Then I ask just one question: “What’s needed here?”. Then I simply relay what the guides tell me to the person who has asked for the reading.

There are believers and non-believers when it comes to the spirit world – have you always been a believer?
For a long time I just didn’t question it – it was just the world I lived in. As I got older and went through my learning process, the guides and angels felt as the Quakers say “closer than hands and feet”. There have been times when I ‘burn out’ and loose the will, and question it all. A sensitive will always be vulnerable to burn out – it’s important to be aware of that and nurture and protect yourself. It’s been a very personal journey for me and it’s not something that I discuss with everyone. I always say it’s important to question and be cautious because there are people who are out to make a quick buck, and don’t care how it affects people, and there are people who are totally ‘away with the fairies!’.

And what of the non-believers – are you happy or sad for them?
I’m happy to leave them be – I always say, ‘what’s true for you is true for you’. I don’t feel the need to convert every soul I come across. They are on the right path for them and I am on the right path for me. I do feel sad for those who are missing a friend or family member who has passed and who I know would be comforted to know that they still exist at peace and happy, but it’s not my place to interfere. You have to live and let live.

When it comes to your own work, I’m guessing you’re far more Deepak Chopra than Derren Brown, right? This is about enhancing your life as opposed to guessing the name of your dead childhood pet…?
That’s it exactly.

I spoke with English comedian Tom Binns recently, and he spent a year learning how to become a medium for a new comic character he was creating, Ian D. Montfort. What shocked me was the fact that there are steps you can take to become a medium – or do you feel that it has to be a gift, first and foremost?
I always say, when people ask me this question – we all have the same energetic anatomy, just like we all have the same physical anatomy. Anyone can go and learn to play football – some are not great at it, some are naturally really good at it, and if some of those work at it, get really fit and train, they can get really good. If you have a sensitive intuitive nature, if you are good at focussing your mind (ideally both), and if you are willing to work past the ego, then yes, you can learn. I’m quite looking forward to Mr Montfort – he sounds very entertaining.

So, is this your first time setting up your stall as a clairvoyant medium? If so, what sparked the move? 
I’ve been giving readings on and off for years, just word of mouth – people would just find me. But recently I suppose I’ve stopped fighting it – it’s just who I am – and friends encouraged me to make it official.

I’m sure you don’t keep a scoreboard, but, what sort of success rate would you expect to have with each new customer? Is it largely hit and miss, or do you always get some kind of connection?
I nearly always get some kind of connection – sometimes it flows beautifully and I get all kinds of great detail, and sometimes it can be difficult, but even then I will usually get something. Actually for the first time ever yesterday I could barely get a connection at all for a lady, even though the reading just before was wonderful! If it’s not happening you just have to honest and say so. Sometimes I know I’m not in the right frame of mind, or I’m very tired, then I’ll tell people it’s not a great time, and to try me again in a week or so.

Just curious – is there life after death?
There really is. You’ll be exactly the same two minutes later. Just less physical. And somewhat surprised.

I went out on a Wednesday night around Greystones recently, and it made me wonder – is there life before death?
On a Wednesday? Debatable. Although Tuesdays are great craic in Dann’s.

There was a fascinating documentary about the often highly lucrative horoscope trade, and when it came to the hugely successful English astrologer Jonathan Cainer, his brother – who handles the daily premium phoneline updates – candidly stated that all horoscopes were basically the same: “Things aren’t great now, but they’re going to get better”. Isn’t it all about giving people some hope, at the end of the day…? They would hardly be there if everything in their life was hunky dory.
A full birth horoscope with the proper birth time and place can be amazingly accurate and helpful, but those weekly ones are so vague – I saw an article once where a roomful of students were all given the same identical weekly horoscope, and they all agreed that yes, they were great! You have to use your discernment. I really wouldn’t advise people to spend money on premium phone lines. I really think they prey on vulnerable people.
You’re better off looking for a recommendation and seeing someone genuine face to face. You’re right in that it is all about giving people some hope – some reassurance, and comfort. If I can do that, then I’m happy.

Finally, can you send me next weekend’s Lotto numbers…?
Haha, nope, sorry! It doesn’t work that way – although I’d like them too!

You can visit Dáire’s website somewhere deep in another dimension.

Sadly, on July 4th 2026, Dáire Shaw passed away, aged just 50…