On Saturday, I was a runner. A mother. A teacher. A person whose identity was built on movement — half marathons, daily runs, GAA matches, school sports days, bike rides, endless errands, laughter, and action. Sport was how I connected with my kids. How I reached my students. How I processed stress. It wasn’t just something I did — it was who
We talk a lot about women in sport—performance, dedication, funding, equality, and visibility. But we rarely talk about what happens when it all stops—suddenly, without warning. Today I want to start sharing my Achilles rupture recovery journey with you. Just days ago, I was a busy, active mum of two, juggling a full-time career, sports, and community life, fitting workouts
People have been so kind. “How’s your leg?” they ask — in texts, voice notes, emails. Friends, neighbours, people from the community I might not have spoken to in years — all reaching out with genuine care and compassion. And I appreciate it. I really do. But it’s not just.....
Last Night: When Pain Took Over Last night was brutal. I don’t think I’ve ever felt pain like this — deep, pulsing, unrelenting waves that no amount of medication could touch. And it was only day one of recovery! Despite having major surgery, I was only kept in hospital for one night. Twice during.....
I woke at 4:30 this morning in absolute agony. The pain was intense — deep, sharp, pulsing waves that hit like contractions. Honestly, it reminded me of labour. Two minutes of hell, then a brief break, just long enough to dread the next one. I lay there unable to move,.....
HELP! Most mornings, I’m up at 6 a.m. That was my rhythm. That was me — the matriarch, the organiser, the doer. Everything planned, everything prepped, everything under control. Until now. The Dingle Debacle Every year, we head to Dingle — five families, a mess of cousins, noise, chaos, and.....
The Silence After the Chaos Today, the kids headed off to Dingle with the extended family — five families in total, laughter, wetsuits, chaos, and all the excitement of a proper Irish family getaway. Usually, I’d be right there in the thick of it — packing lunches, organising wetsuits, and.....
Today started so well. A decent sleep, a bit of calm, and a feeling that maybe—just maybe—I could do something for myself. My husband was heading out for a short walk with the dog at 8.30 before work. He said, “Just a quick one.” I saw my moment. I can get upstairs. I can.....
Falling off curbs isn’t just a literal thing for me these days It’s become a bit of a metaphor. I was up at the crack of dawn this morning, not metaphorically, I mean actually before dawn. By 6am, I’d already washed, showered, done my mindfulness practice, and was sitting in.....
“Because sometimes healing looks less like progress — and more like surviving the day. For anyone who knows me, I would never stare at flowers. Never. There’s always too much to do, too much moving, too much life happening. And yet, here I was this morning, stuck in bed, staring.....
It’s about 11 a.m., and my youngest daughter is buzzing with excitement for the Dublin Horse Show. Earlier, she grabbed my crutches and went off like a human tornado. Watching her run around, pretending to be a horse with my crutches, I laughed and wondered how I survived parenthood this.....
When Healing Reopens Old Wounds It’s only day nine since my Achilles injury, and today something unexpected happened — I finally stopped to think about how my past meningitis recovery might have played a role in this whole situation. For years, I brushed off any connection between the two. I.....
What happens when you stop Oxynorm cold turkey — chaos, confusion, and some very unexpected life lessons from opioid withdrawal. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that coming off painkillers would make me question my own sanity. I knew recovery after Achilles surgery wasn’t going to be a.....
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