EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH FAIR CITY'S REBECCA GRIMES

There's nothing short of drama on Fair City recently between the women's revolution, Paul realising Niamh stole his money and of course the Katy story line, anyone following the soap will agree it's been nothing less than entertaining and one young actress has been in the hype of it all, Rebecca Grimes, aka Miss Hayley Collins.
 I'm obsessed with Rebecca's character Hayley, she's my all time favourite Fair City character. Her sassy yet empowering personality, her amzing sense of fashion and her PR background I think she is the coolest gal on the block but after doing some research I realised the girl behind Hayley the lovely Rebecca Grimes is just as hard working, ambitious and determent as her character... just a lot nicer!!

I first came across the real Rebecca Grimes when I was on my lunch break in work reading a little interview she had done with a magazine and I couldn't get over how lovely she came across.  When I got home that evening I decided to look into her work and she what else she had been up to and I was blown away. From theatre to television she's never stopped, knowing exactly what she wanted and never giving up. So many traits which I admire so you can only imagine the excitement I had when I got the chance to ask Rebecca a few questions. I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I enjoyed doing it :)

What made you want to follow a career into acting? Was it something you were always interested in perusing or did it just happen for you?

 I was always involved in speech and drama classes growing up. When I went to secondary school I took part in all the school productions that we had and I guess that's where i really fell in love with it. I didn't really realise at that time that you could pursue it further. I remember filling out my CAO form and being clueless because nothing appealed to me. I knew I never wanted a conventional 9-5 job, once I realised I could get proper training and try to make a go of acting as a career my mind was made up!

When you realised you were on the right path how did you get involved in the acting scene?

Well I was very young when I finished school, I had my leaving cert done at 16. I was too late for some of the acting courses that year (and I didn't get into some of the others!)  so I decided to do a post leaving cert course in Theatre Performance. That year was brilliant for me because it gave me a complete introduction into the world I was getting into. We studied texts, went to see plays, put on our own productions. It was really great and for me it was the best stepping stone into what I wanted to do. At the end of that year I ended up getting an audition for a new Passion Machine play. I got the part and had my first professional part as Clare Maguire in A Little Bit of Blue directed by Paul Mercier at Andrews Lane theatre. After that I got signed with an agent and tried my hand at auditions here and there for a year but it quickly became clear I needed more training. It was then I decided I needed to go back and apply for the Gaiety School of Acting.

How was your time in the Gaiety? 

It was a great experience. It was very tough and it really does separate the men from the boys! It is a very intensive two year full time course, you have a massive workload, long days from 8:30am til usually 6pm . Then you might be trying to keep a part time job going too, as well as getting your assignments done, seeing shows and preparing for the next day. That said it gave us invaluable experiences and I made some of the best friends of my life there!

Is it important for aspiring actors to go to college or can you pick it up? 

I don't necessarily think a degree is important- I don't have one myself, but I do  think formal training is a hugely valuable asset to anyone looking to pursue acting as a career. Of course there is always an element of natural talent but you learn so much about the industry and about yourself as a performer , and about the type of work you are interested in making whilst training.

Like I mentioned above your CV is jam packed and it's so easy to see you're hardworking and determent, what was your big break?

Oh gosh :) well, there's been some very very quiet times in my career. After graduating the gaiety I didn't work for three years... I was waitressing full time to pay my rent and not getting any of the auditions I was going for. Its a very tough time as an actor because you begin to doubt yourself and the path you've chosen. Eventually I got a part in a play-unpaid of course! And from that somebody from a different agency saw me. I decided to apply to this agency and luckily I was accepted. From there, very slowly things started happening. I think I needed a change as much as anything and the new start with this agency was the fresh start I Needed. I got parts in plays here and there including a show in The Gate and various fringe productions. Then I got some bit parts a couple of short films and TV shows such as Ripper Street and Vikings.

What's been your most special memory of the industry?

There's been so many lovely moments thankfully. I guess turning 18 on that first show in Andrews Lane was really special. The cast all bought me a cake and a beautiful book signed by them all. I had my first legal drink served to me in the bar that night and then we all went out for karaoke. That's a great memory :)

How did Fair City happen for you?

Well actually I auditioned for fair city YEARS ago. I read for the role of Louise Doyle when she was coming back into the show a while back. Obviously the part went to the much better suited, fabulous Leah Egan. I got the standard rejection email "we loved you, but not this time. ..we'll be in touch if anything else comes up" . I took it with a pinch of salt as unfortunately rejection mails are ten a penny in this business, but lo and behold about three years later I got an email from Fair City one day while I was working a temporary December Job. They said they'd had me in a few years previous and a part had come up that they thought I was suitable for-was I interested? Was i what! I couldn't believe it- it was the best Christmas Present!

What's a typical day like for you on set?

There's no such thing as a typical day!! ;)

 However it usually starts I'm up at 5:30am to do my hair and drive to the studio. Then I'm in makeup at 7.20. We start filming at 8:15 You could be in every scene of the day, or you might only appear in one. It all depends on.what's happening in the storyline at the moment. We get an hour for lunch during the day which I usually spend grabbing some food and going over my scenes for that afternoon or the following day. Then we wrap filming at 6:35, unless we're on a late shoot which could mean anytime!

Is acting as glamorous as people think?

There are definitely glamorous elements! Its lovely to get your hair and makeup done and to wear nice clothes, but the reality of it is often long days, lots of waiting around. Very often you're outside all day in all weather conditions. I've been on productions where we had to stand in a river in the freezing cold and rain all day. Thankfully the crew were amazing and wrapped us in warm blankets and gave us hot water bottles in between takes, but its still tough going. That definitely wasn't a glamorous day! 

 I love Hayley, but what do you think of her? Are you anything like her in real life?

Well we both have curly hair!! :) but no Hayely is way more feisty and outspoken than me! I also don't sleep with other people's husband's in real life!! 

Speaking of sleeping with husbands, you were recently part of the all women's episode how was it working along side Celia Murphy (Niamh Brennan) for the past couple of months?

Clelia is one of the funniest people going and we get on great! We shared a dressing room during that block of filming and we got on like a house on fire. She's also a stunning actress and I loved watching her in action. We had great fun shooting the scenes between Aisling O'Neill- another fabulous actress, Clelia and myself. We were like The Witches of Eastwick plotting against Paul. It was a real honour to get to be part of those storylines.

What can we expect for her in the upcoming months? 

 I have absolutely no idea!! I'm so interested to see what's next for her. Its always so exciting when we get the scripts, I'm always wondering what mischief Hayley will be up to next!

Was there ever a time you felt like acting wasn't going to happen for you and considered throwing in the towel? 

Absolutely! There were plenty of wobbly moments over the years. The first three years after graduating were definitely the hardest. It gets so tiring to be told no time and time again, its hard to not let that effect your self confidence. I was really lucky in that I had a very strong network of close friends after the Gaiety. We were all able to encourage and support each other through tough times. Thankfully something came up just in the nick of time every time I felt like quitting! 

Have you ever written any plays yourself? 

Yes I wrote and performed in a play called Mavericks that was on about two

years ago. It ran at Theatre Upstairs (which is run by Karl Shiels who plays Robbie in Fair City). After that, we were invited to perform at Bewleys Cafe Theatre on Grafton St. We were actually the last show to perform there in the old space. It was a piece I was very proud of and had the best time working on. I wrote it with a friend and we had been working on it for years. He took a step back from it to pursue another career and eventually I finished it. Somehow I managed to convince the most amazing team to work with me and we put it on. It was a play about two out of work actors trying to put on a play :) I suppose its true that you should write what you know! 

 Writing is something I absolutely love and I definitely plan to do more of in the future.

What can you tell us about yourself that might surprise us? 

I teach group fitness classes in Finglas four times a week. People are usually surprised when they hear that. You get the odd person saying it to me in class but most of my girls don't even bat an eyelid now, unless they're trying to find out some story line secrets! Obviously I never divulge anything but we have a good laugh anyway.

Finally Rebecca, what advice can you give someone hoping to follow in your footsteps and peruse an acting career?

Never ever give up, if its something you really want you will find a way to do it. Work hard, keep your head down and stay focused. Go see as much theatre and films as you possibly can, find out what you like and what you don't. Read everything you can get your hands on and try to learn about what type of work you want to create. Then surround yourself with like minded people who will support and encourage you! 

And there you have it my interview with the lovely Rebecca Grimes, see I told you she was a sweetheart!!

Huge thanks to Rebecca for taking her time out to answer these questions for me!!

It was a privilege!!

Lynda xx 

Q&A With Inglot MUA Lydia Everett

Waterford based MUA (make up artist) Lydia Everett is without a doubt one of the most stunning, creative women I know. Having started out as a self taught freelancer she now works with one of the countries biggest brands, Inglot and is quickly becoming one of the most in demand make up artists in the country.

From her favourite beauty products to her soon to be YouTube account I hope you enjoy this little Q&A with the fabulous Lydia Everett. 

So Lydia, how did you get involved in the beauty industry? 

I was always interested in makeup since school but I didn't know I wanted a career in it until I was about 19. I actually did a year of Equine Science in UL and realised that wasn't for me and then I got into makeup.

What's a typical day like for you? 

A typical day is going to work in Inglot and doing makeovers, makeup lessons, courses etc and then when I go home I do snapchat tutorials if im not too tired. My snapchat name is makeupbylydie 

Where do you get your inspiration from? 

I like to keep all the looks I do really different. I don't think I have a certain style of makeup I love trying out different looks. Most of my inspiration comes from random artists I find on Instagram. The girls I work with really inspire me as well were constantly learning off each other.

What MUA's do you admire? 

Plouise, Stacey Marie McDonald, Emily Casanova, Jamie Genevieve and all my Inglot gals.

What's the best thing about being a make up artist? 

It's probably the easiest and most enjoyable job in the world if you have a genuine passion for it. It never gets boring because there's always new trends and looks to try.

You have a huge following on Snapchat now, but how do you feel about having these new 'fans' 

 I wouldn't say fans now I cringed when I read that word lol but I'm so thankful for the followers I do have they're always asking questions and recreating looks I do and it really motivates me to keep active on social media.

You often comment about people screenshotting make up free snaps of you, what are the downsides to having a hugely active snapchat account? 

 Yeah that's one of the downsides I try not to let it bother me too much.. I don't mind when I have makeup on or there's a caption with the name of products etc but it's hard not to feel like some girls are slagging you off!

Are you going to make a YouTube Chanel?

Yeah I've been wanting to make one for a while now but I am nervous of negative comments etc at least with snapchat it's just there 24 hours but YouTube is a bit scarier.

What advice would you give aspiring MUA's?

My main advice is to keep practising and watching lots of different tutorials.. there's so many makeup artists out there now so you want to make yourself stand out by always trying different looks and developing your own style.

What are your top 5 Inglot products?

Duraline, eyeshadows, body sparkles, 77 gel liner and under eye concealer.

What's it really like working for Inglot?
I love working for Inglot I've had unbelievable training with our regional trainer Sarah Cummins and I feel like I'm constantly improving since I started working with Inglot. I made so many friends since I started working there as well were like a lil family. 

How long does it take you to get ready for work? 
On a normal day around an hour to do my makeup and when we have trend days maybe another half an hour.

What's your signature look?
I'm not sure if I have a signature look because I'm always trying different looks.. maybe cut crease or half cut crease because I do prefer dramatic looks.

What are the challenges MUA's have to face?

Probably hate from other girls.. a lot of girls slag MUAS because there are sooo many MUAs out there but it doesn't really bother me much.. I think it kinda makes you look like an asshole if you slag someone for doing something they love.

What beauty product can you not live without?

Lashes definitely because I feel like I look like an egg without them lol.. and brow gel is another must have. 

Do you have any other interests outside of make up and work?

I'm gone kind of lazy at the moment I used to do a lot of horse riding but now I go to the gym 2 times a week if I can.

Finally Lydia what can people expect from you?
I'm trying to do more tutorials and eventually I'lll start a YouTube channel.. I'm also trying to start doing more freelance makeup/lessons/courses etc and I can be contacted through my email everettlydia@gmail.com

So there you have it a quick Q&A with who in my opinion is one of, if not the greatest make up artist in the country. I wouldn't go to anyone other than Lydia anymore she's so talented and such a lovely girl.
Be sure to follow Lydia on the forums below...

Snapchat - makeupbylydie

Facebook - makeupbylydie

Instagram - lydiaeverett_makeup

Thanks so much Lydia for answering these questions for us :) 

Interview With One Third Of The Fupin Eejits - Eddie Whelan

''If you can laugh at yourself you are going to be fine.

If you allow others to laugh with you, you will be great''

A quote that really reflects the motto of a group I'm going to be talking about today. 

Psychiatric nurses Eddie Whelan, Senan Byrne and Stevie Cahill make up a comedy three piece known as The Fupin Eejits. Sketches you've probably came across on Facebook such as The Leaving Cert sketch and on popular app 'Vine' for those of you living under a rock and haven't yet heard of Vine it's an app that allows you to make 6.5 second long videos that loop and aim to have you in stitches by the end something that these three lads seem to do very well. 

 I first came across The Fupin Eejits when I discovered their helium balloons vine and to this day it's a video I don't think I'll ever get over, sheer comedy gold!! 

I was delighted when I got the opportunity to meet with one third of the The Fupin Eejits Clonmel's Eddie Whelan to chat all about how the group started, where their ideas came from and how things have changed since they began. 

Who would have known that by downloading one app so much could change for the three lads but it was Senan who got the ball rolling and encouraged Eddie to jump on board: 

''Senan and myself initially became friends through work. I always knew he had  a keen interest in computers and technology so it wasn't unusual for him to be asking me to download apps for the phone but at the time we never thought an app simply called Vine would have such an impact on us. Now Senan on one front is usually so mature and professional however to this day I still think he only wanted to have someone goofy in videos so the embarrassment would not just be on him as he used videos to express his creative genius.Our interest grew when some of our videos together went relatively viral We ended up doing a few videos together and they actually did very well on Vine and went viral. Again it was through work we bumped into the legend that is Stevie Cahill, who was already massive on his own page 'The Irish Take'. The three of us just clicked and became great friends, we always have such a good laugh together anyway that all we needed was a camera to record what we were doing''

It's unbelievable what makes Irish people laugh, the originality of 'fupin' is comical to me a nd few know it actually came from the greatest show ever placed on television Father Ted, the Fupp off! episode (Father Ted -Fupp off!

''I'll have to give the credit to Senan for this one, It came from Father Ted - the episode where they can't curse at the picnic and the reason being is because we didn't want people to think we were taking ourselves as serious comedians. We knew we were going to be making goofy videos so we're slagging ourselves before anyone else gets it in, it's original'' 

Eddie and Senan are both Tipp men hailing from Clonmel and Stevie from up the road in Kilkenny and when watching the videos you'll notice they're all filmed around these local areas, a prime example is 'Trainspotting' which was filmed in the one and only fine town of Carrick On Suir in Tipperary (swear I'm not biased at all) but it's not the lad's aim to keep it local it just has to be that way: 

''It's all down to timing, we're all psychiatric nurses in Kilkenny so it can be hard to find time. Stevie is married to Claire with three lovely children, Senan is engaged to Lynsey so I probably have the most free time, but trying to find the time for us all that's the hard part'

From my own experience I know that there's days when I sit down to write a blog post and I have no inspiration but with such amazing, original content uploaded regularly you have to wonder where the ideas stem from: 

''Our ideas comes from everyday life, we're all mature and in our thirties so we like to put our own slant on things. We don't copy anybody else we like to think that we're that little bit more original. I was always acting the eejit as a young fella, the class clown and Stevie openly admitted he was a messer too so making videos is a form of expression we're under no pressure which is great and we've full time jobs so this is just a hobby'' 

Nursing and comedy seems miles apart but in reality they say a sense of humour is the best way to handle a profession in nursing, for Eddie this is a statement he really agrees with and having other hobbies to occupy your mind is the best way to go, 

''I was told humour is so important in my very first lecture in nursing especially in psychiatric nursing, you need to have a sense of humour and I really enjoy making people smile, even if it's at my expense'' 

I'm also big into sport and play with Moyle Rovers GAA, I love soccer and hurling but it's hard to find time to commit to a club with so much going on. This year I'm going to try get back into it all''

With so much going on one might ask 'would you ever go fully in to comedy' but it's not on the agenda for Eddie just yet, 

''I actually really enjoy my job so I don't think I'd ever give up the nursing and that's what makes it so relaxed and enjoyable making the videos. There's no pressure on any of us. The boys and myself all enjoy the acting side of things but we are however looking into stand up sketches because that's something we would like to try, why not?!'' 

So with all this committed time to making people laugh are there any benefits to it? 

''Benefits? Senan and Stevie are getting the benefits alright but they told me it's because they do most of the editing and Stevie once told me that I was the best extra in Ireland. We got brought over to Bordeaux for the Euros and also got to see the twitter offices in London which was a brilliant experience''

As stupid as I'm going to sound here, I actually got starstruck when I first met Eddie a couple of months back, and do you want to know the most embarrassing part?? Eddie didn't even realise!! It was back in October I passed him leaving a shop and just stood there speechless but thankfully for my sake Eddie and the boys do get recognised quite a lot *praise the Lord I'm not the only one* 

''If getting called a f*cking eejit is being recognised then we get it all the time. I don't know if it's becuase people mispronounce the name or they just don't like me!!
We're doing something that we enjoy, we're three really good friends and we enjoy making videos that make some people laugh.
 And just for the record me and Stevie never fight, we always agree on everything ''
*** Said With A Big Smirky Head***  

Tommy, the unofficial fourth member of The Fupin Eejits appears in loads of videos and on Eddie's snapchat (such as this video about Donald Trump) and honestly makes my day every time I see him appear, 

''The main question I get 'is that Tommy fella your father?' for the record he's a family friend who retired from nursing a few years ago, he was initially in one of my snapchat videos by chance and the feedback I got was unbelievable, I suppose people love his laid back attitude so now when I put up a snapchat without Tommy people tune out. Tommy has become my best friend now because of this....I'm only messing, he pays for the coffee...Ahhh I'm only messing''

There's still a big stigma towards mental health in Ireland and with the lads being psychiatric nurses it's a serious issue they have considered speaking about in the future with a lot of celebrities coming out about it in recent times.

''Great question Lynda! It's something me and the lads have been threatening to address as we feel celebrities are coming out talking about dealing with depression and anxiety issues which is great however mental health also involves disorders such as bipolar and schizophrenia and it's something we'd like to highlight in the future''  

You can check out the lads on facebook - FupinEejits

Youtube - Fupin Eejits

Twitter - fupineejits

A huge thanks to Eddie for meeting with me and taking his time out to give us an insight into the world of the Fupin Eejits!! Without a doubt one of the nicest, funniest men I've ever came across in my life!!

It was an absolute pleasure :) 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE OWNER OF LOFTUS HALL, AIDAN QUIGLEY!!!

For the past three months one of the questions I get asked constantly is 'What is with your obsession with Loftus Hall' everyday ..and I'm not kidding I'm guaranteed to be asked about Loftus at least once and to be fair with the amount of times I mention it there's no shock I'm asked that much and hey! there are worse things to talk about ey ;)
 Believe it or not last week I spent yet another night locked inside Ireland's most haunted house for my second paranormal investigation (you can read about my first one here) and was asked by one of my readers to write about the second one and of course being the obliging soul that I am decided that of course I would but this one would be very different as I got to sit down with the owner of Loftus Hall, Aidan Quigley and find out the real story behind this incredible place just for you.

If you don't know the story behind Loftus Hall it's something I've spoken about before but if you want to find out in depth you can do so here  but basically in my simple terms the legend of Loftus is that one night a storm stuck on the hook and a boat carrying one man crashed onto the shore. The man on board the ship made his way to the only place where he could find lights which was of course Loftus Hall. The dark stranger was allowed to stay when he got very familiar with the family in particular the daughter Anne Tottenham, one night the family and the stranger played a game of cards and when Anne bent down to pick up a card she realised the stranger had hooved feet and with the anger that he'd been discovered he shot up through the roof in a ball of fire ... The hole still remains in the roof to this day.
The story itself is enough to make you second think even stepping into the house but when you're in there it's unbelievable. I've had a weird admiration with Lady Anne since I first heard about her so one thing I always love is going into the house she once lived in..it's surreal!!

I fist came across the owner Aidan Quigley during my first lock down in October and was amazed by how passionate and genuine he was. I don't know why but I always imagined the owner of Loftus Hall to be very up himself and just there to make money but mark my words that is most certainly not the case. Before you start a lock down you get a tour of the house run by Aidan himself and the knowledge he has of not only the house but the area in general is amazing especially if you're someone like me who loves history. Any question you have Aidan can answer it and I couldn't believe my luck when I realised I had the chance to chat to someone as inspirational as Aidan and it was an experience in itself believe you and me.

The house was purchased in 2011 after being neglected for many years but it wasn't always going to be open the way you and me know it today as Aidan and his brother didn't actually know themselves what was going to happen,
''There was no original plan to open up, the idea was to mothball the house until there was a proper plan but from the minute we took possession of the house we realised that the roof needed a lot of work and that kick started the whole process a lot earlier than I would have anticipated, which did end up being a good thing.''

 If you were to go on and own Ireland's most haunted house would you be a believer or a septic? Me personally? the more I get into paranormal I'm becoming more sceptical but for aidan it's been that way since the beginning, but there are things he just can't explain and being a local man he understands the importance for the house..
''I grew up only a short distance from here, and where I'm originally from you can see the lighthouse from my house, so Loftus Hall was a huge part of my culture growing up. 
I was a big time sceptic when I was taking over the house I didn't really have any belief. It wasn't something that ever came across my radar but it's then you see how much fear and respect locals have for the house'' 

For a young person living on the Hook I can only imagine the fear of God when you heard the legend behind the house, imaging living within walking distance from a place the Devil once slept. Now that being said I do

live near a person who I would consider to have devil like tendencies but all jokes aside it must have been freaky as feck..
''I was eight the first time I was in Loftus Hall and I remember going into the loo and thinking that the devil could be in there you were always conscious of it, almost too young to understand it but were always afraid of it. Then I moved away and lived in Carlow and Dublin so you sort of remove yourself away from it but I know people who stayed around here all their lives and they've still retained their fear and would not step foot in this house, or even up the drive.'' 

I feel like everyone who goes into Loftus Hall has their own experience and mine are generally good ones expect on this specific lockdown on the middle floor, I can't really explain it but it's as if a man was leaning on me and trying to push me out of the way, the freakiest part?? I could see this shadow and in the pitch black room. It scared me so much I literally had to close my eyes for the rest of the investigation and from chatting to other visitors and even Anne who works in Loftus Hall everyone has their own little experiences that has scared them,
'' I personally haven't had an experience that's terrified me, but when I lived here for six months there has been some unsettling, weird things happening and not things that you can ask people 'do you know what this is like' because it's not like anything you know. It's not like you can see anything it's more the feeling. 
 That's what we say to people when they go into the house, be aware of what can be around you but I wouldn't have a fear of it now I don't think there's anything to be afraid of I just have more a curiosity for it'' 

The room that freaks me out but at the same time brings me peace is weirdly the Tapestry room which would have been the room in which Lady Anne was locked away and her dead infants body buried in the wall and I don't know if it's because I feel close to Lady Anne anyway but this room always stops me in my tracks. It's my favourite room but for Aidan it's not exactly a room that gets him, and with a background in farming and building it's no shock. ''The place I love the most is the roof I remember sitting up on that roof in the first summer and it was all just sinking in, I was used to working in big cities but I was sitting up here 50 feet above everything just letting it all sink in''  

I grew up watching the likes of 'Most Haunted' which I hated with a passion, no joke growing up ghosts and paranormal scared the life out of me but if you watch shows like that then you're guaranteed to have seen or at least know of the American show Ghost Adventurers and they were actually the first team ever allowed into the house,
 ''I had no clue what a paranormal investigation was until three years ago and it was one of the first things that I was approached about, it was only then we realised what we were dealing with in terms of the house, the legends and the history and when the approach was made and we looked into them we decided to go ahead. 
I t was great, the last night they were here Zac got an awful land altogether and had to be taken there. 

It was like Hollywood on the hook!! 

 This year was huge for Loftus with it being the 666th anniversary but with the Halloween events, a music festival, lock downs, daily tours, restoring the gardens  and even a million and a half euro movie after been shot in the house what's left you might ask??!!  

''In 2017 we're going to take a rest, we crammed so much into last year that this year that we're going to sit back and smell the roses.

 What's Loftus Hall going to be in five years times, or ten years time. It's got a cult status and you can't go tempering with that now, what it has is that moment in time, it's got that feeling that you wont get in many places.''

The older I get the more I realise I know nothing, you'd be a gobshite to come in there and stand on them stairs and tell people you know everything and that's how you know people are spoofers, when they claim to know everything. You meet lovely people and of course some pain in the arses. 

Its an old building on the peninsula i believe it's full of stories and f you come in here with a good imagination you can go to any era. 

-Aidan Quigley

And there you have it, the most interesting night of my life in Loftus Hall. This is a post I could have continued to write about for pages and pages but I decided to wind it up, as much as I'd love to talk you through every second I had in Loftus I want you to go out and have your own experiences and not have mine in the back of your head. It's your own story and like Aidan said once you go in with an open mind you're going to come out with a story to tell.

 Huge thanks again to Anne and Aidan for inviting me back and giving me your time. I've had the time of my life in Loftus and roll on Janurary when I'm back again!! 

Of course if you want to find out more on Loftus Hall you can check out their Facebook page. 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH IRISH GHOSTBUSTER TINA BARCOE

 I've always had a fascination with the unknown but growing up even the idea of ghosts and spirits freaked me out, I couldn't watch a horror film and actually to this day I couldn't watch one on my own but over the past year my love for the paranormal world flourished especially with my recent trips to Loftus Hall.
On my last visit there, which you can read about here the investigation was lead by Tina Barcoe and her team, The Paranormal Researchers Ireland and I couldn't believe how normal the team, especially Tina was, I felt so at ease and everything was done so respectfully that I couldn't help but admire the PRI team and it left me with millions of questions and who better to ask than one of the top paranormal researchers in Ireland Tina Barcoe.
I know this post won't be everyone's cup of tea but whether you believe in ghosts or not it's completely up to you, I'm not here to change your mind, either is Tina but there are some things that you just can't explain. I spent my morning chatting to Tina and I can truthfully say I had one of the most interesting conversations of my life and I hope you enjoy this little piece of Tina Barcoe.

First things first how does one become interested in paranormal? Is it something you're born with or grow into the boots.
''I was always interested in the paranormal from my teens up but it wasn't until my late twenties/ early thirties that my interest grew and I really got into it'' 

The PRI (Paranormal Researchers Ireland) is an Irish 'ghost busting' team that cover public and private investigations was actually set up by Tina herself and has literally gone from strength to strength.
''I was on a team for a few years but I was more into gathering evidence than the fame side of it so I decided why not make my own team. I met these people through friends of mine and doing investigations and I put the team together' 

I've never doubted that there was spirits, growing up watching Most Haunted with my parents it was just something I've never doubted similar to Tina but as she began her investigations she actually switched roles and began seeing things through a skeptic's eyes,
''It's actually really strange but before I was on a team or got into the paranormal I was a huge believer but when I did get into it I became a skeptic. I became more skeptical because I started to doubt things like the way your eyes can play tricks on you, it's really made me re-think my beliefs. That being said we have caught things that can't be explained but I am quite skeptic'' 

As much as you're into ghosts and spirits the paranormal can be quite scary and even if you're are an investigator like Tina
'' I've had two occasions where I had sheer terror, one of them was in Loftus Hall and it had me questioning whether or not I was actually safe''
One thing that I've always been told to stay away from is the dreaded Ouija boards and this is something Tina and her team stay away from also, growing up it was the one thing I always had such a desire to do but seeing as though I did make a promise to my mother years ago I've never touched them and never will but why?
'' If somebody has weak mental health and they decide to play the Ouija board well the suggestion alone that they could conjure up something demonic the suggestion won't help their mental health. I've been to so many houses for private investigations and people are falling apart becuase they've used an Ouija board. Everything starts going wrong when they play the Ouija boards'' 
When I was in Loftus Hall one thing I spoke about in my previous blog was when we placed a finger on the glass it moved itself which can be similar to an Ouija board and this amazed me but is it what it seems?
'' Scientifically that can be explained, we have muscles in our arms that are tensing all the time and we don't even know about them so that could be an answer but I've also seen people hovering over the glass and it moved so that's something that can't really be explained'' 

I don't know why but for me I always associated the paranormal investigations as very serious and dark but in Loftus Hall we all started laughing at one stage and suddenly we saw the glass move as Tina explained laughter actually creates positive, light energy
''When you laugh you give off positive vibes and when you're inviting somebody in the room with you you want them to be positive, a lot of our energy has been raised when we're having a laugh, having a joke and then you hear a big bang and you're like 'what was that' but positive energy is what you want to attract''   

The PRI team amaze me, they do public investigations at Loftus Hall and Wicklow gaol but more importantly they've helped so many people in their private investigations which they carry out free of charge for the public Tina advises me that ''anyone who charges for private investigations are fake'' . So what's involved when the team get called to a home?
''We do private investigations almost weekly, myself and one of the other member Shane, meet with the person no matter where they are in Ireland, we bring a notebook and pen and document everything. We also get them to keep a diary of activity for a month and then after that month we'll go in and do the investigation. Our private events would be very scientific, very gadget orientated. When we get evidence we then have to go on and see what kind of a haunting it is and how we're going to deal with it from there.'' 

Now and then I think everyone gets the 'OMG there's something in my house' well I know I definitely do but what should someone do if they suspect there is a presence in their home?
''If someone thinks that there is something in their home I would say go and meet with a team, but there are people out there who are playing with fire. They would have went to one paranormal event and decided this is brilliant and have gone looking for ghosts but if you are scared go and ask for help becuase it's not a nice feeling'' 

Everyone in the PRI team does have a day job, Tina herself is a hairdresser so for these guys it's purely the passion they have and the desire to help people and find evidence that drives them on.
''We actually all live off our day to day jobs and we're self funded, there's eight of us on the team and we put money into the kitty and that keeps us going''

When I tell people I'm into this sort of stuff the reaction is always sort of mixed, I have friends who think it's deadly, they want no involvement but think it's cool but I've others who throw dirty looks and that's the same for anyone interested in something off the norm:
''Everybody has a different opinion and if they don't think ghosts exist then that's okay. My parents are very against it I can't even mention it in front of them'' When I started getting into the spiritual realm my mother was so against it too but with good reason because what so many people don't know is it can be very dangerous.

 ''People don't understand how dangerous it is, we always ground ourselves for protection. People who don't believe in it and go just to act the eejit can actually bring home attachments if you believe or don't you should always do a grounding. 
 I'm not sure if this is true but what they say is, you can bring a spirit home if you're not protected and it can then attach itself to the vulnerable, so say if you had a child or a teenager it can attach itself to them and don't forget time is of the essence in the paranormal world it doesn't exist, one day to them can be 50 years so you need to be careful.'' 

If there's ever a time when you do feel scared or feel a presence you can just quickly protect yourself by imagining a white light coming straight through you from the feet out the top of the head and bursting around you and even having this is a lovely thought that you can be protected at any time.
''You can ground yourself at home, if you're home alone and feel something weird call upon your spirit guides and angels and they will protect you. Whether you believe or not there's no harm in doing the grounding.''

And finally what message would Tina pass on to anyone interested in the paranormal
''Before you dabble try and find out what you're doing, there's too many people watching it on TV or going to lockdowns and coming out ghost hunters. What I'd say is hold back, do your research try get in touch with a team in your area and try go with them on a couple of investigations. It can be dangerous so be safe and try figure out what you're doing before you jump in'' 

And on that note my little interview with the lovely Tina ends, I have to say it was without a doubt one of the most interesting conversations I have ever had and Tina is such a lovely, kind woman. I'll be back to Loftus Hall on the 17th December so looking forward to meeting Tina again then.

A huge thanks to Tina for putting up with me this morning, it was a pleasure.

You can follow the team on their facebook page - Paranormal Researchers Ireland

Images - Facebook, PRI, The Irish Sun, Loftus Hall Blog

The Christmas Tractors 2016 - Bigger! Better! Brighter!

Credit: Patrick Lyons Photography 

For most people Christmas begins when Costa release their Christmas menu, or when John Lewis tries to make everyone cry but for me, Christmas begins with the Christmas tractors of Carrick On Suir and when I woke up this morning to see they had set a date for this year, well...well what can I say?!?!

It's CHRISTMASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

Now I don't know how long this new and improved love for Christmas Lynda will last considering I work in what can only be described as Winter Wonderland but as of now thanks to Stuart John Downie and the fellow tractor boys I cannot wait for this year.

For those of you who may not know what happens here in the little town of Carrick On Suir every year then you're missing out big time, but incase you don't they are a parade of tractors which go through the town in December each year, but these aren't normal tractors, No! These are the most done up, extravagant, Christmassy tractors known to man, and it's unreal. Last year we even had the little 'Fear The Deer' himself Michael Hayden as a guest and it's one of the biggest events in the town bringing everyone together and making the town stand in pride. 

Last year founder Stuart John Downie told me:

”I came up with the idea from friends telling me that they went to see the Coca Cola truck and were queueing for ages to see it. I figured why not deck out the tractor for the laugh and trundle down the Main street. I roped in a few of my friends and the whole thing took off.We had people from as far away as Athy and Limerick looking to bring tractors down and join in.

We funded the entire event ourselves, we each spent over 100 euro and we all took our tractors away from work by 1 pm that day. The local traders and COSBA(Carrick On Suir Business Association)  were a huge help for us. Glanbia in Carrick Beg gave us the use of their grain store for the evening to decorate the tractors away from the damp weather and prying eyes and COSBA funded the insurance of the car park. The gardai then jumped on board and we were up and running”

And that was that, the Christmas Tractors are back on the 10th of December and I am buzzing!! To find out more head over to the facebook page.

Looking forward to seeing you all there :)

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ACTOR JACK DERGES

Jack Derges is fresh out of Albert Square having spent six months working alongside the Mitchell sisters on the nation's favourite soap Eastenders Jack who played Ronnie's daughter Danielle's brother Andy Flynn was out for revenge and brought so much excitement to the square I could hardly stand it...who was he? was he going to kill Ronnie? did he really love Roxy? he was the most mysterious lovable character to ever grace our screens and from speaking to Jack yesterday morning he's as lovable as Andy (just minus the weirdness)...even though which one of us has the cutest dog still remains a mystery
             Monty Vs Mursher
 I couldn't believe my luck when I was told I'd have the opportunity to interview Jack so I wrecked his brains on Eastenders, his career, acting, rugby and of course lots of other things. Have a read below and I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed doing it.

It's by no surprise Jack is no stranger to the television screens having been on Channel 4's Humans but acting wasn't something Jack had his eyes on from the very beginning with a keen interest in sport growing up Jack told me he always thought he would become a PE teacher, or a rugby player but 'he wasn't really good enough' his words, not mine! but slowly but surely got into acting through a friend of the family
'' A really good friend of the family came to me and said 'to me you are an actor' and from that it ran it's course and she unlocked the potential in me. I liked being the centre of attention at the time so it seemed right. Apart from going to college in Devon it was all natural progression for me''

Jack attended drama school for three years uprooting his life from a small town in Devon to the capital city London where he began television and film studies with a friend ''It's three years full on training so you really do unlock your potential, in the third year it's when you're put in front of agents and casting directors it's hard work 
 I got picked up by an agent, just started auditioning and the rest is history really''

Thinking back to when I was in college (I studied media and public relations in Carlow) I loved going out, so much so that the local nightclub 'The Foundry' became my best friend on a Wednesday night but obviously moving to London didn't come cheap and Jack had to work his back off just to survive living there but that doesn't mean he didn't have the craic and live it up ''My best mates who were doing sport science in Uni only had about 12 hours a week so spent a lot of their time with cans of strongbow but like I said I was in drama school and it was school, 9 to 5 everyday but obviously we were living for the weekend''
Coming from a small town I relate to Jack on the moving to a city isn't as cheap as you'd think and for the first few years he would practically work seven days a week to make his passion and lifestyle work '' Living in London you have to be able to support yourself, I was working in Hollister on Saturday's and then in a restaurant on Saturday and Sunday evenings before heading back to school on the Monday so it was very full on'' 

 London holds such a strong place in my heart with it being my good aul pops hometown and for Jack straight away he knew this was the place for him 'I wasn't nervous moving to London, I knew it was the next stage of my life most people say you get homesick when you go to uni but there wasn't a sense of that for me. 
 Growing up where I grew up in Devon it was a rat race to see who could get out not because it was bad but because you wanted to move on, moving to London has always been the aim'' 
   Personally growing up in a small town I know whenever I'm away from my home the smell of pig sh*t will straight away remind me how great my hometown of Carrick On Suir is (I know, wonderful how the smell of shite reminds me of home) but it wasn't until Jack was away from home that it made him realise how much he loved it ''I never thought I'd appreciate being back and seeing the hills and clear sky at night when I grew up there I did not appreciate any of that but I certainly do now'' 

In March this year Jack took on one of the biggest soaps and began working with BBC's Eastenders which is

probably what he is now best known for working along side The Mitchell sisters, stalking Ronnie and falling for Roxy and getting a right aul clobber from Jack Branning a whole experience which Derges will never forget,
'' There's no great story to how Eastenders came about, it's just another job but I changed agents just after I did humans and we do auditions all the time it came at the right time but with something as big as Eastenders a lot of other things come with it like you have to have social media training, you're briefed on how to deal with certain fans it was just one of those things that came at the right time and it would involve me in a big storyline so I thought it would be perfect'' 

''It was one of those jobs that really took me by surprise, I wasn't nervous but I felt like I was in a surreal environment for my first few days it was really fast paced. You're shooting four shows a week but you just have to crack on with your work.
 The first thing that got me was first going on the set I was with Leo who played Linford we were casually walking up to set and then suddenly I'm on the square and we were mid conversation and I had to stop them like 'sorry I need to take this in'. 
 It looks smaller than you think it would, it's kind of like a small toy town'. 


 Things can change so quickly in terms of the scripts and on one occasion this was experienced when Andy's final scene with Stacey Slater was added in ''You get given your script three or four weeks in advance so I've never really had much of a change but how it was going to plan out was with Andy and Ronnie going on a roller coaster of emotions and the last scene was supposed to be between me and Ronnie when she gave Andy her pendant but the writers came to me and said they were working on a little scene between me and Stacey and the final added scene with Stacey wasn't supposed to happen.
 Would there be a return to Eastenders though??? Well 'never say never I'm aware that I haven't been killed off so we'll see what happens' ;) 

 Swapping the Albert for the live stage is what's next as he hits the West end something Jack cannot wait for '' I'm so looking forward to working on the stage, It's so important for actors to mix up their work. I feel very, very comfortable on stage probably more than when I'm on screen'' 

Dogs...Dogs...Dogs...Dogs if you read my blog or know me at all you'll know one of my biggest loves in my life is my spaniel mixed retriever Mursher, she's my baby but imagine having a dog more popular than yourself, well that's exactly what Jack must face day in and day out.

Monty The Mini Dachshund who you can follow here has  over 37,000 followers on Instagram and gets more attention than you, I, and Jack put together ''It make me very proud haha and jealous I use Monty's page to try flog the Soap insiders awards I try get the dog community to support me.

 I started it by taking little cute pictures of him and social media is a weird thing, there are brands who get in touch wanting to send food, collars, toys and whenever any brand writes to us they start the message with 'Hi Moty' like do you realise he can't reply??? haha he pays for himself -we've got a celebrity right here' 

Do you ever think about your life and say 'hmm if I was a movie who would play me?' well I didn't until the

other day and it got me thinking, who would play me?? a short blonde girl with an Irish accent? it's near to impossible to choose so I put Jack on the spot and made him choose and you've got the exclusive here if Jack Derges life was turned into a movie he would be played by.... James Norton 'he's one of those actors I've recently noticed and I really admire his work''

One of my biggest passions in life is rugby, Munster rugby particularly and as a lover of all things sport one of Jack's biggest passions also is rugby ''I was watching Usain Bolt until four o'clock this morning acting is my work, but sport is my life''

For any aspiring actors out there Jack's advice to you is 'Its all on the individual, I get asked by my old drama school to go back and give talks but I remember when I was in school getting talks from actors and they would give this blanket advice and the minute you start saying what you should and shouldn't do the individual starts to adhere to some type of rules.
 Some people will really learn from the training by finding what works for you but there are certain people who would not benefit from that at all and if they have the confidence in them to be able to hold themselves on casting calls well then it could be a waste of time and money.
 I couldn't say exactly but the biggest piece of advice I could give is to go and speak to people in the industry try and get through to influential people. People that are seriously interested in acting should go speak to an actor, speak to a casting director and say 'look this is what I want to do' what do you think and they could want you straight away.''

And on that note my interview with the lovely Jack Derges has come to an end, over the past few years I've interviewed so many amazing people who I look up to and admire and I can truthfully say I've never enjoyed doing an interview so much with a person, it was a bundle of laughs and I'm still pinching myself..
Huge thank you to Jack for taking his time out to speak with me and to Amber for arranging the interview for me. I genuinely hope you enjoyed this little post x

Iskra Lawrence Interview

For me, the best part of blogging or any area of the media industry is the interviewing side. There's nothing I rather than getting the opportunity to chat to new, interesting people and there's sometimes I literally have to pinch myself for having the opportunity to interview people I genuinely look up too and my first interview of 2016 is with a young woman I idolise and that's UK model Iskra Lawrence.

 A couple of months ago as I scrolled through instagram I came across a picture of a girl I had never seen before lifting some pretty heavy weights and thought to myself 'Wow, what a woman' so I went onto her page and learned she was a UK model living in New York called Iskra Lawrence and she's a pretty big deal with a huge instagram following of 791k people.  I couldn't get over how amazing she was sharing her workout videos, inspiring posts and teaching girls about being comfortable in their own skin and what Iskra prides herself on is not retouching her photographs embracing her curves and even her cellulite she's also known as the next Kim K with her extraordinary booty, I hope you enjoy my interview with the lovely Iskra Lawrence.

Little Piece Of Lynda: You began modelling at the age of 13, but was it always your dream to become a model?

Iskra Lawrence: My mother actually entered me into Elle girl search for a supermodel as she knew I loved fashion but at that point I actually dreamt of being a ‘brain surgeon’. But as soon as I got taste for modelling I loved working with creative teams, getting my hair and makeup done and getting ‘dressed up’ and styled.

LPL: Was it always modelling or was there ever any other career options?

Iskra: I have wanted to be numerous ‘things’ from dancer to owning a car garage to becoming an architect. I wish growing up more children were told not what do you want to do when you’re older in singular terms but let them know they can try hundreds of different career paths throughout life. I haven’t been to college or university because I wanted to model and it was my sole focus. Maybe I’ll go back to university however right now I’m very fulfilled and love what I do and I try very hard to be humble ask for help and learn off everyone I meet.

LPL: You recently took the plunge to move from your home in the UK to NYC what made you decide to pack up and begin your new adventure?

Iskra: I have dreamt of living in NY since i was 15 and went on a school trip. I love a challenge and to create situations that put me out of my comfort zone and force me to grow. So as soon as the agency I had read so much about and was desperate to be signed by asked to represent me I had no doubt in my mind I was going. I wasn’t worried about leaving because I knew I could always come back and there are no failures in life only lessons.

LPL: You landed your first big break by landing the untouched campaign with Aerie but how did that come about for you? Has it changed your life much?
Iskra: There was a couple of casting rounds, one of which was a filmed question about your favourite body part. Not only did the Aerie campaign change my career forever it made me believe that anything was possible and increased my confidence ten fold because I wasn’t retouched and they booked me for being me not my measurements.

LPL: You're now run one of my favourite websites 'Runway Riot'  but for people who have never heard of the website how would you describe it?

Iskra: RunwayRiot is the fashion, style, and beauty site for women of all sizes. We are dedicated to serving an underrepresented and often overlooked community ​of curvier women ​who deserve to have just as many stylish choices as everyone else. Every editorial fashion spread you see will be 100% unretouched. And we hope to encourage healthy body image in the fashion industry and positively impact those women who may have felt excluded before, because we celebrate that everybody is beautiful.

LPL: Iskra how different is it living in the USA compared to the UK?
Iskra: NYC is extremely fast paced compared to the UK. It’s such a small island so it’s intense but I love it because it drives me to work hard and play hard.

LPL: How did you go about getting your body into the shape it is in now?
Iskra: I didn’t change or alter my body shape I focused on health and fitness and becoming the best version of me.

LPL: The Booty Iskra, it's one of the biggest talking points surrounding you but were you born with the curves or were they born in the gym?
Iskra: I have always had an hourglass shape and I learnt to embrace it and find ways to workout that worked for my body and over time I became curvier through exercise and eating more

LPL: What advice would you give people hoping to tone up or loose weight?
Iskra: I would encourage people to stop looking to ‘lose weight’ I don’t believe in diets I believe that the focus should be your body’s and mind's health. When you begin to research nutrition and try workouts that your body responds well to if you have the goal to be the fittest strongest version of yourself you will naturally shed fat.

LPL: What is a typical day like for Iskra Lawrence?
Iskra: In NYC I wake up make a juice either go to a photo shoot or if I’m not shooting I’ll catch up on emails and social media, do some interviews go to about 3 meetings, film for RR or write my self-care piece. I usually eat out with my girls a couple of times a week and go to the cinema or the club once or twice a week.

LPL: What's your gym playlist like?
Iskra: I love hip-hop, rap and some house music.

LPL: Can you tell us something about yourself that no one else knows?

Iskra: I have a balloon phobia it’s terribly embarrassing lol

LPL: Was there ever a time in a career that you felt like giving up, what made you keep going?

Iskra: Yes from 14-18 I just thought I would get by modelling doing small jobs but never ‘make it’. I was doing my A-levels and just seeing where it went. But the more rejections I received and body scrutiny I realised that there was no one representing girls my size and it motivated to be that change.

LPL: What are your top tips for looking and feeling good?

Iskra: You decide your worth not the mirror, a man or the media. So wake up and love that you’re you, one of a kind and give your gift to the world no one else can - you!

LPL: Is there anything else left in this world that you'd still like to achieve?

Iskra: Sooooooo much I haven’t even scraped the surface I have a huge announcement coming soon. I also want to have a TED talk, make compulsory self-care classes in schools and have my own nutritional baking show. There’s a lot more but I’m taking it one step at a time there is no rush.

LPL: And finally Iskra with you being half Irish (I know lads, we can claim her as our own) do you like Ireland and do you come back often?

Iskra: HAHA yes my mom and her whole family is from Ballymena in NI I try and visit once a year - love it! :)

And there you have it, my exclusive interview with model Iskra Lawrence, I'm literally still in shock I got to interview Iskra with it being a real dream come true for me. Huge thanks to Iskra for answering these questions and Gary for setting the interview up.

Of course you can keep up to date with everything Iskra in the following ways: 

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/iskralawrence
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/iamiskra
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/iskralawrence
VK http://vk.com/iskralawrence

I hope you enjoyed this little piece of Iskra :)