Things Irish mothers say when Christmas shopping

1. There’ll be a lot of traffic now- we want to be up there at 11 so we’ll leave at 7.30:

Ah yes, Irish mothers love to plan their trips to ‘the big shmoke’ (Dublin). It will ultimately end up with the whole family having to get up at some ungodly hour to ‘beat the traffic’.

2. Well there’s no recession around here!

Another firm favourite, Irish mothers love proclaiming about how there seems to be obvious economic success in the country due to the large numbers of people shopping.

3. Be careful and mind your money-you know what it’s like:

No shopping trip is complete without ample warning of muggers and ‘the likes’ around. This will be followed by warnings to put your phone away in the shopping centre only to later receive three texts from your mother saying 'Ans your fone'. 

4. I might pop into Marks and Spencers for a while:

Ah-Marks and Spencers, a haven for the typical Irish mother. Despite her cries of the grocery shopping being too dear, Marks is her go-to call for clothes, and may be the only place she visits in the shopping centre.

5. I must get a pair of trousers for your father:

Whatever time of year, my father seems to need a new pair of trousers. I don’t think my father has ever bought trousers himself but he manages to have 12 pairs of the same colour beige which mammy declares as being ‘lovely’. Bought in Marks and Spencers, of course.

6. I got myself a lovely jacket:

She will proudly show off this jacket at every occasion, but also over-contemplate saying, “I dunno, I’m a bit iffy about it.” The best thing to do in this situation is agree that it looks lovely on her, yes it’s very good value for money and of course she can wear it to the wedding next year.

7. Dublin is grand for the day-but I wouldn't like to live here:

The Irish mother will often pause for thought after the day’s shopping, usually in the car as her husband curses the traffic going down the M7. On reflection, the Irish mother will comment on how well she did with all her shopping today, how she got ‘all her bits’ done and how even though Dublin might be grand for the day, she wouldn't like to live there.

Beauty Bits on a Budget

Beauty Bits on a Budget

I wrote this piece for the University of Limerick newspaper, An Focal. Enjoy! 

How to lighten a dye job:

We’ve all been there, you go for that darker colour hoping to look like Megan Fox but end up looking as washed out as a sixth year during exams. So how do you fix it? Another expensive trip to the hairdressers? Thankfully it’s not necessary, as pouring diet coke over the dye job will lighten the colour. But be warned, it may remove the dye completely, so be careful with how much you use!                                                   

Hair coffee:

If you would like to lighten your natural highlights without a salon appointment, extra-strong coffee does the trick! After the liquid has cooled, pour into a spray bottle and spritz all over your hair. Ideally you should sit out in the sun afterwards (we can all dream during the Irish winter)!

Lipstick remedies:

Breaking a lippie on a night out is the epitome of a first-world problem. However this heartbreak can be softened. Take the broken part of the lipstick and wave a lit match underneath it. When it begins to melt slightly, place it back on to the base.  Then place it in the fridge uncovered for half an hour.

It’s all in the eyes:

Running low on mascara? Coating your eyelashes with olive oil is a remedy for helping them two weeks for best results.

For those late nights when the mascara seems determined to cling onto your eyelashes only to dramatically streak on to your face the following morning, use olive oil or baby oil to remove it. The oil will also leave the area around your eyes feeling rejuvenated. Wash off gently with water afterwards.

A blotch job of a tan:

Instead of paying an arm and a leg for an exfoliator, body scrub and tan removers, rubbing a lemon wedge over the area will solve this as the acid from the lemon will lighten the tan colour. The more vigourously you use the lemon, the more tan comes off.

Oh honey, those lips!

A fast way to make lip balm, and yes you read that right, how to make lip balm, is by mixing two tablespoons of Vaseline with half a tablespoon of honey and microwave it for 15 seconds at a low setting. When finished, stir thoroughly and allow to cool.

To make your lips look more luscious simply exfoliate them with your toothbrush! It might seem crazy at first but the bristles really do soften your lips and get rid of peeling. Pop on some lip balm and it’s gorgeous lips in seconds!

Problem pits

Running low on shaving foam? Use conditioner! You will get the same results but the conditioner may clog up the razor so it’s best seldom used.

"Laois? Laois."

Now that I've become more worldly and travelled (yes, I go to college in Limerick), I have noticed that very few people are aware of where Laois is, or if it is a county at all. I have decided to reply to some of the most commonly asked questions.

1. "Is Laois a county?"
Ah yes, many people outside of the Midlands do not know or acknowledge that Laois is an actual county, not just a stop-off on the way to Dublin.

2. "Is Laois in Portlaoise?"
Another popular question I've been asked. To clarify, Portlaoise is the county town of Laois, whereas Laois is the actual county. Portlaoise is just 'Da Town'. 

3. "Laois and Leitrim - I always get those two mixed up"
No, you can't just stick us in with Leitrim because we both major in farming industries, or have a passion of going to the bog and enjoy using the words Yoke, Savage and describing a person as "Yer Wan". 







4. "Why do people from Laois have a flat accent?"
If you know anyone from Laois, you have probably realised that t's and d's are dropped from words like there's no tomorrow and the 'th' may as well be forgotten about. For example, the popular brand of snack, Tayto, is pronounced as Tay-ho. The same applies for pronouncing the river Thames as the river 'Tames' and 'this, that, these and those' as 'dis, dat, dese and dose'. 

5. "Is that the place with the Prison?"
Other towns and cities across Ireland may have cathedrals, castles and historical monuments- Laois has Portlaoise Prison. People from Laois can boast that it is Ireland's only high security prison and this remains a highlight for Laois' tourism industry. Claim to fame: John Gilligan rang Joe Duffy's Liveline from inside the prison which made many Dublin listeners aware that there is such a place as Laois.

Six stereotypes you’ll find at the Electric Picnic

The Out and Out Alcoholic

A common sight at events such as the Electric Picnic. Can often be seen carrying multiple crates of beer and is always up for a session. The music simply accompanies the drink for this festival go-er and as a result, they rarely venture out of the campsite.

The 15 year-old wannabe hipster girl

We all know them. Flower handband, a kimono and shorts stuck to their legs. This type of girl is here for one thing and one thing only: to let others know she was here. A Facebook status, a photo album dedicated to the event and multiple Instagram posts will confirm this. Is often seen looking to get on the shoulders of young lads during a concert to get that ultimate crowd selfie.

The Cultured Artist (also known as the tortured artist)

The original hipster. Seen moping around the lesser-known sites, disregarding anything that seems too mainstream. Will ultimately express their views about music and what they believe music to be, even without you asking. Body and Soul provides a refuge for this creative bunch.

The Stoners

For lack of a better word, the stoners are instantly recognisable at any outdoor event. Smelling like burnt grass and Lynx, this lot are purely here for the excuse to use a prohibited substance. Can be heard saying: “Awh man, my head is fried” up to 50 times a day.

The Girl that only knows one song

This one speaks for itself. She pays €180 for a ticket to acts she has never heard of, apart from the headliners of course. An arch-enemy of the cultured artist.

The Parents

Ah yes, how could we forget the parents? Young parents seem to make a dash for the Electric Picnic every year, hanging around the face painting and smaller settings and steering well away from the campsites. Will have rucksacks filled with crisps and sandwiches ready to go 24/7. 

Oscar Pistorius trial-what's your verdict?

It was announced today at the High Court in Pretoria that Paralympics champion and first amputee to win an able-bodied world track medal, Oscar Pistorius, was to receive a 5 year sentence for the killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The Olympic runner was convicted of culpable homicide, or negligent killing, but acquitted for murder in February 2013.

Pistorius in court

So what's your verdict on this case? Most of us are shocked that Pistorius will only receive a five-year sentence for taking another person's life (whether it be intentional or unintentional). On the Irish Times website it stated that Pistorius’ defence lawyer Barry Roux said he expected the jailed athlete to serve only 10 months of the five-year sentence behind bars, and the remainder under house arrest. Does this really seem like a fair sentence? 
Do you think there has been allowances made for the athlete, due to his success in the 2012 Olympics or Paralympics? Or are his claims of self-defence, believing there was an intruder in his home, justified? 

Another argument is the attitude towards violence against women in South Africa. Delving deeper into the background of criminal cases in South Africa, it is alarming to see the difference between the sentencing for violence against women there than in a 1st world country. The Huffington Post documented in August 2013 that South Africa had the highest rate of violence against women in the world. "If data for all violent assaults, rapes and other sexual assaults against women are taken into account, then approximately 200,000 adult women are reported as being attacked in South Africa every year," Lerato Moloi of the South African Institute for Race Relations said. The real figure is considerably higher, she said, since most cases are never reported. 

So what's your verdict on the case? Do you think if Pistorius lived in another part of the world that his sentence would be harsher? Or do you think that the South African judicial system should have made an example out of the case in order to protect women's rights and given him a stricter sentence? Feel free to comment on your opinions below.

Lots of love,
Siun X

                            Introduction to Me

Hi guys! Well as you can probably guess by now, my name is Siún Lennon and this is my blog! (Not half obvious, I know). 
Well as an introduction I just wanted to.... get to know you :D I'm here not only to write about what interests me but also about what interests you. 
Whether it be fashion, politics, celebrity, even cookery shows I generally have an interest in ANYTHING so if you feel that there is a topic out there that you believe more should be covered on just post it on the page! (Well I think you can do that, I'm not really up-to-date with this whole blog thing just yet! :D)



Some links to stuff about me which you may find useful (but probably won't):
https://www.facebook.com/siun.lennon
http://instagram.com/siunlennon

https://twitter.com/Crocs_Wi_Socks




Lots of love,
Siun X