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The Irish Sun
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I ditched Dublin to move 10 minutes from Marbella, weekly shop is cheaper & I'll never leave Spain over key difference
HAVE you ever enjoyed your summer holidays so much you wished you could stay forever? That's exactly what Dubliner Sophie Lyons Wilson's family did when she was just nine - and now a mum herself, she's positive she won't be leaving her beloved new home in Spain. 6 Sophie, pictured above with her family, reckons her kids have a better quality of life in Spain 6 Both parents are fluent in Spanish and share their experience of living abroad on TikTok 6 Sophie first moved over to Spain as a child and knew she wanted to raise her own kids there Sophie, 23, says her parents decided to make the move in 2010 after they realised the family was "so much happier" when on their She told the Irish Sun: "We were much happier over here, the days felt brighter and we seemed to have more time. "When we came over it was such a time for friends and family, we were together and we just knew that life would stay like that when we moved over here." And once she met her partner Dylan, they knew Spain was where they wanted to raise their daughter, five, and one-year-old son. The mum-of-two, originally from Living just a 10 minute drive from stunning Marbella, Sophie and her kids enjoy countless beach days and hours spent having fun in playgrounds and activities. Sophie said: "100 per cent there is a huge difference of the quality of life for us since moving. "Just for my kids and all, they seem to grow up a little bit slower over here and that is one of my favourite things. "There is a lot of pressure for kids to start drinking young, smoking and partying. "Whereas over here you still see 14-year-olds in playgrounds and that is one of my favourite things about it, I like that my kids just stay kids a little while longer." 'I would never go back' Dublin Mum moved Spain for better life has free medical care & less societal pressure on kids Sophie shares her experiences on her TikTok account - Sophie and Dylan both speak Spanish - with Dylan, who was born in Spain to Northern Irish parents, running a bar for work. When it comes to costs, Sophie said despite a rise in prices since the She said: "For us, we are a family of four and the weekly shop averages between €100 to €250 a week. 6 From zoos to beaches, the family are never short of things to do 6 Their days are filled with activities in beautiful sunshine "It used to be a lot cheaper but then Covid hit and there's been a small increase but it's still so much cheaper than back home." The family rent a two-bedroom apartment for €1,200 a month, with Sophie admitting rent can be an issue in the area. However she still reckons it is better value than And paired with the stellar quality of life, Sophie says she'll "never leave". EASY DECISION She explained: "Just for the quality of life here, playgrounds open till 8pm, sky is brighter, my weekends are packed full of activities with beaches, pools and zoos. "And with rent, the prices back home I'd probably never leave And praising healthcare in Spain, Sophie said: "Once you have a job over here the healthcare is free and I couldn't fault it. "We also had private health insurance, for the four of us I pay €170 a month and that's full coverage. "I had both of my babies via C-section and they cover everything, if we ever need surgery, honestly I feel like it's the best money I could spend." Primary and secondary public schools are free in the region, with Sophie's daughter still in creche costing the family €300 a month. Sophie said: "We had a private nursery for my daughter and it cost €300 a month and that was for her to be there from 9-5. "With her there five full days a week, you can't even compare it back home." But they are challenges too, one being the loneliness. MISSING HOME Sophie explained: "You take for granted living close to your relatives. "And we were so close to our family, we would see them at least three or four times a week, so to come here not speak a word of the language and only have each other was quite lonely. "Friends that we made, they come and go here as they move over for a few years and then they might move back home. "So we would lose a lot of friends over the years, which created the lonely side of things." But she has since learned the language and immersed herself in the culture, calling locals her "second family". And Sophie is not alone among Irish people who've taken the plunge to make Spain their forever home, as And it's a case of work imitating life, as the Spain expert now runs her own compan y to assist other expats who are planning to relocate to the sun. 6 Sophie has no plans to return home to dreary Dublin
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
I ran for Ireland at the Olympics – but my game-changing side-hustle brand stocked in major stores is my new focus
REPRESENTING your country at the Olympics is every athlete's dream - but for Dubliner Nadia Power, it was a goal she was almost too afraid to set. The 800m track star, who started running when she was just eight-years-old, should have backed herself from the off because in 2021 she 7 Nadia headed to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 Credit: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile 7 Nadia has suffered a number of injuries during her career Credit:7 The Dublin native is now focusing on her own business Swifter Credit: 7 She launched the brand with partner James Madden After a breakthrough season in 2021, including breaking the Irish indoor 800m record twice, first running 2:02.44 and then to 2:00.98, she placed seventh in her heat in Tokyo. And the Templeogue native is open about the ups and downs of life in athletics, admitting it's "been a bad few years" after being hampered by various injuries. She told the Irish Sun: "I think my body is struggling to tolerate the training needed to be at a high level. "It's been a bad few years for me, to be honest. "I've had a lot of injuries over the last few years. Mostly lower leg from falling and calf and Achilles issues. "So I'm still dealing with one now at the moment. So it's been a bad few years for me to be honest with athletics, I've really struggled." Nadia told how the Olympics goal wasn't always on the table, adding: "I was never looking at the Olympics. I was always just not backing myself, I suppose. "It was only as it came closer that I realised I was running really well and had a chance. But it was probably just not being ambitious enough when I was younger." But after the disappointment and frustration of mounting injuries, Nadia now turned her focus to her fast-growing business - inspired by her athletics background. She told us: "So that's why I'm working hard on something else. I guess to distract me because BRAND BUZZ Nadia and her hurler partner James Madden teamed up to use their sports experience to create a homegrown range of practical fitness essentials through their brand Swifter. Nadia said kicking off the company was a way to "control" her time and combine work with her career as an athlete, adding: "Starting a business gave me the flexibility to train and work on something I'm passionate about." Noticing a "big boost in running" across the country, the pair decided to focus on creating "problem-solving products". James used his background in product development and sporting experience with the Dublin hurling team to create their first product - the SwiftVest back in 2023. And Nadia leads the design and content, using her years of running experience to ensure every product passes the pro athlete test. Run clubs are booming, with big races selling out within hours of going on sale and a huge surge in interest in the sport. COMMUNITY VIBES The pair host regular run clubs and events in Dublin, encouraging people to get a run in and connect over a coffee afterwards. Nadia said: "There's less interest in drinking and party culture and more interest in wellness. "Running clubs are a way to bring people together to socialise—it just makes the runs fly by. "It's so nice now that my friends want to do wholesome activities with me. "We're all happy to grab a coffee, go for a swim, or do an exercise class together." When it comes to overcoming a sports injury, Nadia emphasised the importance of "taking a step back" and "focusing on other things in your life" - like how she's thrown her full attention at Swifter, which is now stocked at Lifestyle Sports as well as Brown Thomas outlets in Dundrum and Cork. She advised: "Don't rush back for something. That's probably the biggest mistake I've made—trying to rush back for races. Just know the opportunity will come again next year. "Taking a step back and focusing on other things in your life really helps." JOURNAL TIME One of Swifter's bestselling products was inspired by Nadia's love of journalling - their Pursuit Training Journal, which they aim to be a personalised roadmap to achieving your fitness goals. Nadia said: "I've always kept a journal, for the last 10 years, I've tracked all my training, distances and times. "It's so helpful to look back when things went well or badly, or to figure out what caused an injury." And while her athletics career has sometimes left her frustrated and she's focusing on work over sport this summer, Nadia said she'll continue to work towards her goals on the track. She said: "I think just surrounding myself with good people, finding good training partners and a good coach, and making sure my lifestyle supports my training has helped a lot." See 7 Nadia is recovering from an Achilles injury Credit: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile 7 Nadia will be appearing at WellFest in May Credit: WellFest 7 Nadia won the Senior Women's 800m in the Irish Life Health National Senior Indoor Athletics Championships Credit: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
Mum reveals how she saves £600 whilst on holiday thanks to a sneaky £12 lunch hack
A SAVVY couple have claimed they saved £600 on their holiday thanks to a £12 lunch hack. Mum-of-two Nicola Lewis, 50, tries to get the most she possibly can for her money when on 4 A savvy couple have claimed they saved £600 on their holiday thanks to a £12 lunch hack Credit: SWNS 4 The couple will always make a sandwich and grab a piece of fruit to take away from their breakfast buffet Credit: SWNS And one of her most The professional organiser from Essex, said she and husband, Graham Lewis, 50, will always make a sandwich and grab a piece of fruit to take away from their breakfast buffet and eat later in the day. And thanks to a set of £12 collapsible food containers from Amazon , she can slip them into her bag. Nicola believes that the handy trick has saved her and her husband £600 on their recent week-long trip to Nicola said: "I do check with the hotel that it's allowed beforehand - and I've never been told no. "Looking at the reduction of waste, those "Some people have five plates of food at breakfast - but we're not big eaters so we can't have that much there and then. " Holidays are so expensive now already, and spending extra on a lunchtime meal is a big expense." Most read in News Travel She added how as a child, her parents would always make her pack a picnic from the breakfast offering where they were staying. Now, as a mum of two children aged 21 and 17 - she has kept the habit. How to experience six European destinations for less than £500 Typically, Nicola will opt for a bread roll filled with meats or cheeses with some salad. She will then also grab a piece of fruit and fit it into her collapsible boxes. Depending on what they are doing that day, the couple will then either take the lunchbox out with them or pop it in the hotel fridge to return to at lunchtime. She said: "If we had gone out for a meal at lunch, I reckon we would have spent £85 per meal - for 7 days - it really adds up." Of course, this works out to around £42 each for lunch, which is certainly a rather pricey spend. 4 And thanks to a set of £12 collapsible food containers from Amazon, she can slip them into her bag Credit: SWNS However, Nicola added that the pair work hard to be able to afford a holiday, so when they are away they try and budget the best they can. She shared: "I bought a pack of collapsible food containers from Amazon for £12 and I slip them into my bag as I go down for breakfast. "The same with taking a reusable water bottle down to fill up too, since you often have to pay for water abroad. "You can wash them in your next day - it's a clever idea to save money." Read more on the Irish Sun Another woman has shared how Plus, 20 last minute money saving holiday tips from dodging airport drop-off fees to free lounge access. 4 The mum-of-two then washes them up and uses them again the next day to do the same Credit: SWNS
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Irish Sun's acclaimed podcast detailing harrowing Stardust blaze disaster impact scoops 7th gong with latest award win
THE Irish Sun's acclaimed Stardust Tragedy podcast has scooped its seventh gong. The hit series was today honoured at the 2025 Justice Media Awards, held at its headquarters in Blackhall Place in Advertisement 1 The Justice Media Award is the seventh gong for the acclaimed podcast The eight-part pod, produced in conjunction with Onic, told the shocking story of the 1981 Artane nightclub It also documented the 43-year fight for justice by their The groundbreaking work won the Broadcast journalism Irish Sun Editor Fiona Wynne said: 'We are immensely proud that our podcast has been recognised with a Justice Media Award. Advertisement READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS 'The Stardust families fought for justice for 43 years, there's no other case in Irish 'It was our privilege to be able to tell their stories and I'm deeply grateful to them for their trust.' Incredibly, this was its seventh win after bagging four Irish Podcast Awards, while the series was crowned Podcast of the Year at the Irish Journalism Awards in November. In December last year, it also won Best Digital Content at the Shine Mental Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun The Stardust Tragedy was launched in April 2024, a week after a Dublin Coroner's Some 841 patrons had attended the Valentine's disco in the Stardust on the night of February 13, 1981. At about 1.40am on the 14th, a small fire was noticed in the west alcove of the club. Within minutes, the blaze had spread as an announcement was made to evacuate the building. Advertisement The lights then went off and patrons began to panic as they desperately tried to escape the burning building — but a number of locked or blocked exit routes prevented people getting out. Tragically, 48 people died in the horror blaze. The ages of those who were killed in the fire ranged from 16 to 27, and in 23 cases the deceased were the eldest and sole breadwinner for their families. Most of the dead came from Artane, Kilmore and greater Coolock, and half of them were aged 18 or younger, with four of the victims aged 16 and eight aged 17. Advertisement
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Minister backs ‘brand new team' at scandal-hit CHI to take over €2bn Children's Hospital & makes ‘bigger issues' vow
HEALTH Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has expressed confidence in the 'refreshed team' at scandal-hit CHI to take over the €2 billion National Children's Hospital. Top executives from 1 Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has expressed confidence in the new team at CHI Credit: PA The The latest scandal to hit CHI has seen the Last week, several members of the Health Committee said they did not have confidence in CHI to take on the new National Children's Some members of the Committee singled out former CEO Eilish Hardiman – who is now in the new position of Strategic Programme Director at CHI – for criticism as she was in charge when these scandals occurred. READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS She told the Irish Sun: 'Lucy Nugent is a new CEO who is there since February which is a very short period. 'She has hired a deputy CEO who is due to start very shortly in the next couple of weeks and a new COO who has just started and whose first task will be looking at the bigger issues in the hospital like productivity on scoliosis lists. 'So that is a brand new team.' Most read in The Irish Sun The Minister also highlighted that she is in the process of 'refreshing the board' at CHI with two new members appointed recently and another two new members due to be appointed in the coming days. The Minister met with CHI CEO Lucy Nugent earlier this week to discuss the move to the new Heartbreaking footage of Harvey Sherratt in pain amid scoliosis surgery wait hell Speaking as she attended the World Tobacco Control Conference in 'I feel I have appointed two new board members in the last number of weeks, I appointed two when I came in as Minister for Health and I will appoint two more in the coming days. 'So there is a very different and very refreshed team at executive and at Board level.' Our Kids Can't Wait Campaign WAITING lists in Ireland have long been a national disgrace. More than 106,000 children are on hospital waiting lists for all treatments. However, a new source of shame has emerged as 327 children wait for life changing spinal surgeries. Their conditions are getting worse while they languish on waiting lists. Such are the delays, many child patients will be outside the therapeutic window when their treatments are approved. Earlier this month, the Seanad heard how at least one child has become permanently paralysed since the issue was raised publicly before Christmas. Their plight has been spearheaded by campaigning Senator Tom Clonan, who himself has a child with a disability. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has even admitted that the health service is failing these kids. Children are being allowed to deteriorate due to mismanagement, which has allowed the waiting lists to grow. The Irish Sun's Kids Can't Wait campaign aims to shine a light on how the State is failing sick children and give their families a voice. It will also force the Government to do something to clear the backlog of operations and give these children a chance of living a normal life. Pressed on former CEO Hardiman remaining at CHI, the Minister was guarded. Asked if it was appropriate for Hardiman to remain at CHI, the Minister said: 'I recognise that is a process that predates me and that was the subject of an industrial relations exercise so it is not for me to speak on that any further. 'But what I will emphasise is that my relationship and the governance relationship is between me, the Board and the CEO.'
