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Yearly Archives: 2023

April is here at last, which is good news if you're an April baby. This month, it's your time to shine!

The good news keeps on coming, as it turns out that April babies are destined to be successful and famous.

Recent research reveals that those born in April have the fourth ‘most successful’ birthday month, meaning you’re more likely to be more successful than your friends born in February, March or November!

The research analysed 300 celebrities and billionaires to reveal the most popular birth month, with October being crowned the most common birth month for our successful celebrities, with the likes of Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian, and Simon Cowell having October birthdays and a total of 36 out of 300 celebrities being born in this month.

What makes a successful person successful? There are plenty of factors, such as education, upbringing, hard work and sometimes, sheer luck! And now- the year you were born.

April babies can celebrate their birthday in style this year, knowing that they've got a wonderful future to look forward to.

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With brighter evenings and a long weekend on the horizon, Coole Swan has launched three fresh new cocktail recipes with a touch of chocolate that are perfect for hosting

Coole Swan, the independently owned and family run Irish cream liqueur, has launched three fresh new cocktails to be enjoyed this Easter long-weekend and beyond. Whiskey, chocolate and cream are the three perfectly blended ingredients in Coole Swan and these serves offer grown-ups an alternative way to get their chocolate fix during the long weekend and into summer. Perfect for creating a wow factor when hosting, the signature serves include the silky Coole Blue, the fresh Coole Smooth and a Coole Swan twist on a classic, the Coole Grasshopper.

Nothing on the drinks market compares to the versatility and quality of Coole Swan, a refreshing modern craft blend of whiskey, chocolate and cream. It’s the perfect drink to enjoy chilled, over ice or in a diverse and exciting range of cocktails. As always, the innovators at Coole Swan push boundaries when it comes to getting creative with cream liqueur. The silky liquid is lighter than traditional cream liqueurs and plays well with other drinks. For the Easter long weekend and then into summer, Coole Swan encourages fans of Irish cream liqueur to try a fresh and fun approach to cocktails. For those who want to add a drop of luxury to their every day, try one (or all) of these delicious serves:

Coole Blue: This silky sky blue Coole creation packs a punch. Combining Coole Swan, Blue Curacao, Grand Marnier and Tequila Blanco this serve is perfect for those who enjoy an orange hit with their chocolate; a modern take on a classic pairing. For the pièce de resistance Coole Swan recommends garnishing with an edible orchid to make a real statement when hosting.

Coole Smooth: If Coole Swan did champagne, this would be it. Coole Swan, cooled chai tea, spiced rum, cinnamon syrup and sweet brown sherry are shaken together to produce a light, spiced, perfectly balanced and very moreish cocktail. Topped with maraschino cherries and served in a champagne flute, the Coole Smooth makes a fun and refreshing celebration or welcome drink.

Coole Grasshopper: This classic cocktail has been reimagined with a Coole Swan twist. Famous for its minty kick, green glow and silky smooth texture, it’s the perfect pour to enjoy at home with family and friends. Combining Coole Swan, Crème de Menthe and Crème de Cacao, this serve is simple yet powerfully flavourful, combining two palate pleasers – mint and chocolate. The Coole Grasshopper is ideal for an at-home celebration… or on any night of the week for that matter. To be garnished with a chocolate straw or grated chocolate.

Coole Swan is available in Tesco, SuperValu, Dunnes, O’Brien’s and a range of independent retailers across Ireland. Available in a 700ml bottle which retails at €26.

Customers can discover more information about this perfectly crafted Irish product and the inventive ways to serve it at www.cooleswan.com, or follow on social media for all the latest updates @cooleswan on Facebook and @coole_swan on Instagram.

For adults aged 18+ over. Drink Coole Swan responsibly, visit www.drinkaware.ie for more information.

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As the cost-of-living crisis continues to grip Ireland, many families will be denied the simple joy of tucking into an Easter egg this year, according to new research.

The figures from Krispy Kreme shows that over 10% of the adult population say finances are so tight this year they may have to forgo the ‘luxury’ of buying Easter eggs for themselves and their family. Of those due to spend less on Easter eggs this year, nearly two thirds (62%) put this down to money being tighter and needing to prioritise their spending.

The research shows how significantly the situation varies for the haves and have- nots around Ireland this Easter. On average, Irish people will spend €18 on Easter eggs this year, while over half (56%) will not be able to afford them at all or will have to buy fewer. The 25-34 age bracket, who are most likely to have younger children, are those most likely to be affected with 13% stating that they will not be able to afford Easter eggs at all this year.

To redress the balance, Krispy Kreme has partnered with The Capuchin Centre, a day centre for the homeless, to launch an ‘Eggschange’. The initiative calls on those who receive more Easter eggs than they need to donate them to people who will otherwise go without this year.

Krispy Kreme will reward those who donate with a shareable four-pack of doughnuts in exchange for their generosity. The donated Easter Eggs will be distributed to those struggling to afford them this year via The Capuchin Centre.

Although just one third (33%) of Ireland are due to gift between three and five Easter eggs this year, over a third (42%) admit that they would prefer to receive an alternative sweet treat. In fact, of those who have leftover Easter eggs, one quarter (25%) said they typically have them hanging around their cupboards for months after Easter.

The situation is not helped by Easter eggs appearing earlier and earlier every year – with just under a quarter of the Irish (23%) saying it is ‘shocking’ that they are now appearing on shelves before the New Year has even started. 21% say they are bored of the sight of Easter eggs by the time it comes to Easter.

To take part in the Eggschange, visit a participating Krispy Kreme shop between 7th-10th April and donate an Easter Egg.

Alan Bailey, Manager at Capuchin Centre commented “Due to the rising cost of living crisis, many families will be unable to afford the joyful act of exchanging Easter eggs. We are delighted to work with Krispy Kreme on their mission to redistribute Easter eggs to those who might otherwise go without this year, by generously donating to the thousands of families in need around Dublin.”

Declan Foley, Country Manager for Krispy Kreme Ireland said: “This Easter, we are proud to be partnering with The Capuchin Centre to call on generous Irish people to help spread joy to those unable to afford Easter eggs, rewarding them with shareable boxes of our Choose your Own four pack of doughnuts in exchange for their generosity.”

The new limited-edition Easter range from Krispy Kreme includes:

Hip Hop Hooray (from €3.35) – An “earristibly” light and fluffy doughnut with strawberry flavour icing, topped with easter-themed sprinkles.

Burrowing Bunny (from €3.75) – Filled with Brownie batter, topped with cookie crumble, flower, and bunny decoration.

Bun-dle of joy (from €3.75) – White chocolate flavour Kreme filled, dipped in white icing and finished with a cheeky face.

Eggs-travaganza (feature pack exclusive) – Topped with a swirl of chocolate frosting and chocolate eggs to finish – an eggs-travaganza!

Feature dozen pack (from €26.95): an array of all four of the egg-cellent doughnuts coming to you next month. Available across selected supermarkets and Krispy Kreme shops.

For further information visit www.krispykreme.ie.

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Create moments that matter with the ones you really know this Easter with the gift of a Lily O’Brien’s luxurious Easter egg. Whether it’s for a family member, a friend or a colleague, you know they will love the deliciously handcrafted collection of Lily O’Brien’s Easter eggs that includes the iconic Desserts Collection egg, the Sticky Toffee egg, the Honeycomb Crispy Hearts egg, and the stylish and sophisticated Easter Gift bag.

FOR THE ONE WHO ALWAYS READS THE DESSERTS MENU FIRST

Lily O’Brien’s Desserts Collection Egg (RRP €15.00) is the perfect gift for your loved one who enjoys all the best loved desserts. Each luxurious hand-crafted milk chocolate egg includes nine decadently delicious chocolates from the Lily O’Brien’s much loved Desserts Collection including Crème Brulee, Raspberry infusion and Key Lime Pie – A perfect treat for all dessert lovers!

THE PERFECT INDULGENCE FOR THE ONE WHO LOVES THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE

Lily O’Brien’s Sticky Toffee Egg (RRP €15.00) is the ideal Easter gift to spoil your nearest and dearest this season. A beautifully handcrafted milk chocolate egg with 11 scrumptious sticky toffee chocolates – sweet smooth caramel smothered in milk and dark chocolate. The perfect indulgent treat to sit back, relax and enjoy.

FOR THE ONE WITH A BIG HEART

Share the love with the gift of a Lily O’Brien’s Honeycomb Crispy Hearts Egg (RRP €15.00) A delicious, handcrafted milk chocolate egg, decorated with a drizzling of white chocolate and accompanied by twelve scrumptious honeycomb crispy heart chocolates. What better way to show them how much you love them!

FOR THE ONE WHO DESERVES IT ALL

The Lily O’Brien’s Easter Gift Bag (€25.00) is a great gift for chocolate lovers this Easter. Offering a selection of Lily O’Brien’s best loved chocolates, the stylish and sophisticated gift bag includes a handcrafted milk chocolate egg with Honeycomb Crispy Heart chocolates, the Ultimate gift-wrapped chocolate collection and two delicious share bags – Creamy Caramels and Sea Salt, and a Salted Almond share bag. This collection of mouth-watering chocolate goodies is beautifully presented in an elegant gift bag and is the perfect gift to spoil someone who is extra special.

The Lily O’Brien’s collections are made in Ireland and available in stores nationwide and from www.lilyobriens.ie.

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Jamie Oliver and his wife Jools have each shared an adorable tribute for their daughter, Petal, for a very special reason. 

The celebrity chef and designer are celebrating their youngest daughter turning 14 years old today and have taken to Instagram to mark the occasion. 

Jamie shared photos and a sweet message for Petal to his 9.4M followers, writing, “Happy birthday Petal. 14 today so no chance of a picture haha”, alongside a snap of her as a little girl. 

Another photo shows Jamie dressed as a Stormtrooper as he brought Petal home from school. He penned, “So glad I never embarrassed you on the school pick up!”.

Credit: Instagram

Jools posted many snaps of Petal as a baby and toddler to her 554K Instagram followers. 

The 48-year-old shared a moving tribute for her little girl in the post’s caption and reflected on a special memory for the mum and daughter duo. It reads, “Happy happy 14th birthday little Petal forever my baby girl. We love you so much”.

“The first picture is my favourite capture ever, we were walking back from nursery my favourite time of the the day, you were always so happy to be going home  (we hardly went in as it was) and we would pick up a little treat from Primrose Bakery for after tea”.

“Such happy times and memories to treasure. We can’t wait to celebrate together with you today”.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jools Oliver (@joolsoliver)

Many pals and fans of Jools and Jamie headed to the comments to wish Petal a happy birthday and share how much they love the collection of throwback pictures. 

Cook Georgina Hayden wrote, “Happy birthday sweet petal!”, while TV presenter Lisa Snowden penned, “The most adorable pics. Happy Birthday Petal”.

“I love that first photo & the memory it evokes. Happy Birthday sweet Petal”, added a fan of Oliver’s.

Jamie and Jools tied the knot in June of 2000. As well as having 14-year-old Petal, they are proud parents to 21-year-old Poppy, 19-year-old Daisy, 12-year-old Buddy and six-year-old River.

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Dwayne Johnson has shared a video filled with emotion of him with his daughter and his mum. 

The Rock took to Instagram to post the proud ‘father daughter moment’ he shared with his seven-year-old to his 372M followers. 

The clip shows Dwayne performing a sacred, cultural dance with his mum and daughter beside him.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

Johnson shared the details on the importance of the moment in the post’s caption. He wrote, “A father daughter moment I’ll never forget for the rest of my life. My 7yr old asked me if she can dance our Samoan Taualuga with her grandma”.

“I walked Jazzy up there and you can see how shy she was at first but like me – like all of us – she felt that mana and found her way next to her grandma to dance”.

The 50-year-old continued, “The taualuga is our grand finale dance and is very sacred to our Samoan culture and as you see all of us dancing around my mom and my daughter – it’s our way of showing the utmost respect to the ones we are honouring. Make way, here she comes”.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

“Man I was fighting back tears when I squatted and slapped the ground with my hands – in our culture – a fathers ultimate show of respect and love for his daughter”. Dwayne closed off by adding, “Fa’a Samoa ~ the Samoan way”.

Many fans of the professional wrestler headed to the comments to share how beautiful and special they thought the dance was. 

One of his fans penned, “Three generations dancing and living their culture together!”.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

“That’s so awesome to see the Ohana together enjoying themselves. That’s everything right there!”, said a second follower. 

Another fan added, “Your mom’s look of pure happiness after the dance ended is just utter joy. Thank you so much for sharing such a special moment for your family”.

Dwayne welcomed Jasmine into the world in December 2015 with his wife Lauren Hashian. They couple went on to have four-year-old Tiana in April 2018. Johnson is also dad to 21-year-old Ava Raine, whom he shares with ex-wife Dany Garcia.

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Ali Bastian is adjusting to life as a mum-of-two!

The Hollyoaks star welcomed her second child into the world on February 11 with her husband David O' Mahony. The couple are now parents to another baby girl, alongside three-year-old daughter Isla. 

Since welcoming their second daughter into the world, the couple had been keeping quiet on their new addition. However, they have now decided to share more details about their baby girl’s arrival – including what her name is!

In an interview with OK!, Ali announced that her daughter shall be called Isabella Charlotte.

"I vetoed it initially," the 41-year-old admitted, recalling name discussions she had with David prior to their daughter’s birth. "But then the name came back up again and I kind of put it through an actress database in my head. And I thought of Isabella Rossellini, who’s had to have so much strength, especially as she’s got older,” she continued.

"She’s always been beautiful and rejected Hollywood ideas of womanhood. It just kind of stuck. We really liked it,” she explained.

Ali, who suffered from gestational diabetes during her pregnancy with Isabella, then went on to explain how, after a long wait to give birth, her blood sugar levels went very low. 

"[The midwife] was like, ‘I think I might test your blood sugar,’” the actress detailed. “I just felt like I was going under water at that point. The midwife gave me sugar basically, straight into my veins,” she added.

Following Isabella’s birth, Ali noted that she also began to bleed heavily.

"I had a haemorrhage. I lost more blood than they were happy with but they treated me for that and got it under control quickly,” she praised medical staff.

However, Ali stayed very calm during the worrying situation! "When I lost blood, I was like, ‘Do I need a blood transfusion, what are the next steps?’ In moments that feel like a crisis, I go a bit focused and in the zone. Luckily, I didn’t need a blood transfusion,” she concluded. 

Welcome to the world, baby Isabella!

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Marnie Simpson has been sharing all the details behind her wedding!

The former Geordie Shore star tied the knot with singer Casey Johnson on March 22. The couple kept their big day private at the time, choosing only to share a few hints online.

Now, the newlyweds have been spilling all of the secrets behind their wedding!

In an interview with OK!, Marnie revealed that she actually had seven wedding dresses on the day of her nuptials – and explained why. 

"Because the dresses were so white, I worried about holding the baby and getting sick on me, or someone spilling a drink," she explained, referring to her and Casey’s second son Oax, who they welcomed in May of last year. "I took loads of reserves just in case,” the 31-year-old added.

Although Marnie had seven dresses on standby, she chose to only wear three for the special occasion. 

In the end, she named the second gown she wore as her favourite one. The dress was in a ruffled style and was paired with some stunning beaded gloves.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Marnie♡ (@marns)

"It was very me, but it’s my type of fashion that no one really sees, because it was quite vintage. My family always joke that I should have been born in the 20s, because I love everything about that era,” she teased. "That dress reminded me of that.”

Marnie then went on to explain why she made the surprising decision to have no bridesmaids at her wedding. "It was a lot of added stress and I didn’t have the time to physically source them, make sure everyone was comfortable, and get them fitted,” she noted.

The mum-of-two said that she didn’t regret her choice. "I didn’t actually feel any different not having any bridesmaids. I thought everyone was really relaxed and looked beautiful. I’m happy with my decision,” she beamed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Marnie♡ (@marns)

Lastly, Marnie spoke of her delight at having several of her Geordie Shore castmates in attendance, and how things got “really wild at the end”. "It’s always so fun when any of the Geordies get together. At one point I think I forgot I was at my wedding – I felt like I was just on a night out. It was like Geordie Shore all over again!” she joked.

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

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Five people have been hospitalised, including two members of An Garda Síochána following a car collision in Dublin. 

The crash took place yesterday evening, Sunday April 2, on the Crumlin Road area of Dublin 12.

A Garda spokesperson revealed the incident took place at around 8.35pm when an official Garda car collided with another vehicle.

Emergency services were called and quickly arrived on the scene. Five individuals were then transported to St. James’ Hospital to receive medical treatment. 

None of the injuries obtained from the crash are believed to be life-threatening. 

The road has since reopened to the public again.

Councillor on Dublin City Council, Daithí Doolan, released a statement to Twitter after the incident occurred that reads, “Reports of a serious incident involving a Garda car on Crumlin Rd. I hope everyone is okay”.

“Thoughts are with the injured and emergency services”, he added. 

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The Made In Chelsea family is about to get a bit bigger!

Many stars of the E4 series have been congratulating Ollie Locke on the gender reveal of his twins.

Last month, the reality star announced the exciting news that he is expecting twins via a surrogate with his husband Gareth.

In an interview with HELLO!, which was released last night, the couple decided to share that they will be welcoming a baby boy and a baby girl.

Several fellow MIC cast members have since sent well-wishes to the couple.

“I’m so excited,” wrote Emily Blackwell.

Olivia Bentley also responded with three love heart emojis

In their interview, the expectant parents chose to detail their friendship with their surrogate, who is named Bex. Ollie explained that Bex had decided to reach out to them via social media.

"She had watched our journey on the show and offered to help as our story really resonated with her," the 36-year-old explained.

Bex is the second surrogate that Ollie and Gareth have teamed up with. This is the second pregnancy that Bex has been carrying for Ollie and Gareth, as they tragically suffered a miscarriage in November of last year. The couple have also had two previous pregnancies with a different surrogate, but both were cut short due to miscarriages.

"When you get such huge disappointment every time, you forget what you're actually trying to achieve. And that's been heartbreaking; not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and only seeing the disappointment,” Ollie recalled about the couple’s journey.

Thankfully, their surrogate pregnancy is progressing well, and Ollie and Gareth are due to welcome their twins this summer. "As we get towards the finish line, it's become very much more real. It felt like our lives were on hold but now it feels like we're moving forward. The babies coming along has reinvigorated everything,” Gareth gushed.

We couldn’t be happier for them!

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Jessica Hayes has shared the devastating news that she has suffered a miscarriage. 

The former Love Island winner opened up about suffering a second miscarriage to her 359K Instagram followers.

Posting a black and white photo of her with a baby bump, Jess began her caption with a trigger warning for miscarriage. 

She wrote, “I debated posting it feels really strange to open up and feel vulnerable but you know I’m always open and honest with you all and it’s hard to pretend I’m ok as it’s been a rough week. But I hope that someone going through the same this might help”.

“I was pregnant and now I’m not. I spoke about my 1st loss and tbh I didn’t know I would be here again earlier this time but it still feels complete sh*t”.

“It’s not really just losing a pregnancy it’s the plans you make, your vision of what that baby or child might of been like, what your family will look like and it gets taken away in a second”.

She continued, “When your experiencing loss you have to pretend you are ok, wipe your tears and carry on because you have a little one, you cook dinner, you read the stories. You do the school run . Nothing stops”.

“It was a traumatic day when it happened which I wasn't really expecting at all i tried to keep busy and go about my day went out which was a big mistake ..rushed home panicked after last time (previous haemorrhage) convinced myself it might be happening again, so I was just happy to get out the other side”.

The 29-year-old went on to reveal that she was going to tell her nearest and dearest she was expecting this Easter weekend.

“I saw a heartbeat at the scan we had the next one this week, I planned to tell my family and friends and the children on Easter this weekend in a special way but I started having symptoms and the scan confirmed the baby had no heartbeat anymore”.

“You see all these things you plan and get excited about are taken away then you need to workout what this next part of your life looks like after. I guess it’s all you have really thought about and planned for the past months. Of course life goes on but you never really forget”.

Hayes then said she would love to welcome more children into the world in the future. “I know I dream of more children one day I love being a mother so much and I hope I’m lucky and blessed enough to be telling a different story next time. I feel extremely lucky to have my beautiful son by my side who seems even more of a blessing each day”.

"The pain is getting better and I’m feeling stronger today going through phases and feeling really sad was yesterdays emotion …I’m not great at just resting but I’m trying”, she added. 

After this heartbreaking announcement, many famous faces and fans of Jess’ headed to the comments to share their condolences with her.

Jess is mum to a three-year-old boy named Presley. In 2020, she sadly lost her son Teddy due to a late miscarriage at 19 weeks. 

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Stacey Solomon is enjoying her first holiday as a mum-of-five!

The Sort Your Life Out presenter is currently away on her first family holiday following the birth of her fifth child, baby daughter Belle.

Stacey has been joined by her husband Joe Swash and her other four children – Rose (1), Rex (3), plus elder sons Leighton (10) and Zachary (15).

The happy family jetted off on Friday, but the 33-year-old had refrained from telling her 5.6M Instagram followers where their final destination was.

Now, Stacey has revealed that they are enjoying a luxurious vacation in Abu Dhabi, and has shared a first glimpse into their adventures.

Last night, the former X Factor star posted a collection of heartwarming snaps of herself and her family. 

As well as some beautiful beach sunset images, Stacey also uploaded some photos of their time at Warner Brothers World, where little Rex and Rose got to meet characters such as Scooby-Doo and Batman. 

“Magical Sunsets With You,” Stacey gushed in the caption of her post. “Here’s Our day in pictures”.

Credit: Stacey Solomon Instagram

“There is absolutely no filter on those sunsets. It was just magical,” she continued.

Stacey then went on to detail what her little ones got up to during their day at the park. “Today we went to a theme park called Warner Bros world they LOVED it. Rose didn’t go on any rides but she cuddled every character she could find and the boys ran around Gotham city for hours,” she exclaimed.

Stacey then revealed how she and her family concluded their magical day. “And then we watched the sunset before heading for dinner,” she beamed. “So grateful for these days away… hope you’ve had a lovely Sunday lots of love from us,” she added.

On Friday, Stacey confirmed that this getaway marks a few special occasions for the Solomon-Swash clan. “Rose & Belles first plane ride and ours as a family since before covid when Rex was a few months old,” she wrote. “We are all so excited to make some special memories.”

We hope they continue to have an amazing time!

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