Craicing Gaeilge! Muintir na Gaillimhe

A bilingual chat with some of Galway’s interesting inhabitants: helping you with your Irish!

Gill Carroll

An as Gaillimh tú? Cá bhfuil tú i do chónaí anois?

Gaillimheach go smior mé. Tógadh sa Daingean mé agus táim ag cónaí anois in aice Loch an tSáile.

Cén obair a dhéanann tú?

Úinéir 37 West mé, m’áit bheag shona sa Chaisleán Nua ina gcreidimid gurb ionann folláin agus gnéasúil na laethanta seo!

Tá gnó nua curtha ar bun agam le déanaí dar teideal Strive For It (http://www.strivefor.it). Tá sé dírithe ar fhiontraithe ban i nGaillimh agus ar fud na hÉireann. An misean atá againn ná tacaíocht agus spreagadh a thabhairt do mhná i mbun gnó. Táim féin agus mo chomhpháirtí, Lisa Regan, ag iarraidh ceannairí ardtionchair a chruthú. Is mian linn an chumhacht a thabhairt do mhná caighdeán a saoil féin a ardú. Rath gan sásamh, sin teip i ndáiríre.

Cé nó céard a spreag tú tabhairt faoin obair seo?

Fuair mé spreagadh ó bheith ag léamh faoi mhná cumhachtacha mar Sheryl Sandberg nó Arianna Huffington. Faighim spreagadh freisin ó na mná iontacha a chasann orm gach lá agus iad ag iarraidh an saol a chaitheamh ar an leibhéal is airde is féidir. Tá na tréithe céanna iontu go léir. Creidim go láidir go gcabhróidh líonra tacaíochta mar seo leo an chéad leibhéal eile a bhaint amach.

Cén sprioc atá agat do 2015?

Tá neart spriocanna agam! Cuid acu a bhaineann le cúrsaí gnó, cuid acu pearsanta agus cuid acu craiceáilte, mar an dúshlán Tough Mudder! Tá sprioc ollmhór díreach déanta agam – d’fhreastail mé ar sheimineár Tony Robbins i Nua Eabhrac.

Thosaigh mé ag déanamh gleacaíochta le déanaí, mar sin beidh mé ag seasamh ar mo lámha am éigin i mbliana! Táim ag iarraidh Strive For It a chur faoi bhráid gach bean a cheapaim a bhainfeadh leas as, sin an sprioc is mó atá romham. Ná habair tada, ach is mian liom an dara bialann a oscailt agus táim i mbun taighde air sin freisin.

Céard a dhéanann tú don Chraic i nGaillimh?

Go moch ar maidin a thosaíonn an chraic liomsa – i giom PDF i mBearna. Bím ag traenáil ansin 3-5 uair sa tseachtain leis an ngrúpa Rising Stars ag 7am! Bíonn craic iontach againn agus bím sásta tabhairt faoi dhúshlán ar bith ina dhiaidh.

Cá bhfuil an chraic faoi cheilt i nGaillimh?

Tumadh isteach sa bhfarraige ó ché Bhearna ag 7am maidin shamhraidh.

TRANSLATION

Are you originally from Galway? Where do you live now?

I am a true Galway Girl, raised in Dangan and currently living in LA, otherwise known as Lough Atalia.

What do you do workwise?

I am the owner of 37 West, my little happy place in Newcastle where we believe that healthy is the new sexy!

I have recently set up a new business aimed at female entrepreneurs in Galway and Ireland, called Strive For It (http://www.strivefor.it). Our mission is to support, motivate and encourage women in business. Myself and my partner Lisa Regan want to make some exceptional leaders of influence. We want to empower women to raise the standard of their lives. Success without fulfilment is failure.

Who or what inspired you in your chosen career?

My inspiration for Strive For It came from reading about the lives of powerful women such as Sheryl Sandberg or Arianna Huffington. But really my inspiration comes from the super women I meet on a daily basis who are all striving to live the best lives possible. I can see a common thread in us all. I really believe that a support network like this will help bring them to the next level.

What’s your goal in 2015?

I have lots of goals! Some business led and some personal and others just pure daft like doing Tough Mudder! I have just completed a massive goal last week by going to New York to attend a Tony Robbins seminar.

I have recently joined gymnastics so I will be striving for some sort of handstand in the next year! I want to bring Strive For It to the attention of all the women I feel will benefit from it, so that’s my biggest goal for the next few months.

I have a secret burning desire to opening a second restaurant too so I am also doing my research on this.

What do you do for the Craic in Galway?

My craic happens early in the morning in a gym in Barna called PDF! I go there 3/5 times a week to train with my group the Rising Stars at 7am! It is honestly the best fun, it sets me up for the day and all the challenges that lie ahead.

What is Galway’s best kept secret?

A dive off Barna pier at 7am on summer’s morning.