Books Reading Notes Sarah Halliwell on the best books for summer S pend your summer indulging in new arrivals from some of the very best international writers this summer, from Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead (Fleet, €19) to Ben Lerners highly acclaimed Transcription (Grant, €18), another novella that has more to say than any doorstopper. Anyone whos read the enchanting Bel Canto (2002), or indeed any of her renowned nine novels, will delight in a new Ann Patchett. WHISTLER (Bloomsbury, €17) focuses on a woman reconnecting with her estranged former stepfather. For Daphne, the past is a sinkhole, and this story of family, love and memory is a warm bath of beautiful writing. Its an elegy to kindness: as one character says, I swear to you, its mostly good people out there, with a few bad people around the edges. DAD HAD A BAD DAY (Daunt Books, €18) is a quirky, darkly comic tale that will appeal far beyond dads, tennis players and tennis-playing dads. After Ned loses his job, hes meant to look after his young son instead, but when he finds an old tennis racket in the garage he becomes increasingly obsessed with the game, and captaining his team to victory. Tennis clubs are often microcosms of human misbehaviour, and this is delightfully brought to life here, and will remind you of every over-competitive midlife male. Read it while youre glued to Wimbledon. Ace. Sara Baume is a magical writer who weaves words like tapestries, and her new OPENING NIGHT (Granta, €17) is set in West Cork, where shes based. From another star Irish writer, Niamh Campbells MAKE STRANGE (W&N, €17) is full of foreboding, reflected by the unnerving cover image. Haunting and intensely readable, it asks if we can ever really protect our children and what if we cant? I loved Campbells award-winning This Happy (2020). Sheila Armstrong is another brilliant young Irish writer to discover this summer. Her second novel, THE RED MOUTH (Bloomsbury Trade, €17), is a poetic meditation on discoveries unearthed from the Irish bogland. Theres minimal dialogue; instead it delves deep into the land and excavates the past held there, via beautiful writing. An elegant companion piece to Maggie OFarrells elegiac Land (Tinder Press, €17). With shades of both Brooklyn and Maeve Binchy, THE LONG WAY HOME by poet and author Helen Dwyer (Poolbeg Press, €18) tells the story of a schoolgirl from Sligo who has to give up her baby. It traces her fraught progress to adulthood, via Milan and Celtic Tiger-era Dublin, with themes of family, loss and love. A compelling holiday read, PEOPLE IN LOVE (Penguin Michael Joseph, €18) by Claire Daverley is a well-written romance with depth. At first, the story seems to be a predictable one Nora is about to get married, but is really in love with her best friend (the boy next door), and it will take her many pages to realise this. But it doesnt quite go the way you think, and Daverley handles sensitive subjects gently, such as dealing with trauma and loss. Its a thoughtful take on the institution of marriage and what it really means to know and love someone. MAIN CHARACTERS (Headline Review, €20) by Bobby Palmer has a beguiling conceit: its a love story told by everyone but the main characters, an aspiring director and an actor. The drama is related by the couples friends, flatmates and strangers, all giving their version of events. One for those who loved One Day. I didnt intend to read Alan Bradleys UNMASKING SAMANTHA COOKES (Merrion Press, €17) true crime books arent my thing. But this nasty story, about the serial fraudster who posed as an au pair around Ireland, is weirdly fascinating, raising as many questions as it answers. It reads like a podcast; Bradley also directed the Bad Nanny documentary about this story. Its harrowing and outrageous especially when the brazen Cookes becomes a feted author. Scary stuff. 44 July/August 2026 THE GLOSS MAGAZINE The Must Read: THE MARE (Penguin, €11.50, August 22) by Angharad Hampshire is as far as possible from your frilly holiday read. Based on a true story, the novel attempts to trace how an ordinary person becomes a monster. It cuts between Second World War Germany and the decades beyond, as we discover the terrible past of our trusting narrators new wife. Its all told in the present tense, making it feel painfully current, and it has a filmic quality; there are scenes reminiscent of The Zone of Interest. The female protagonist is devoid of empathy and its often unbearable to be in her company. This Holocaust novel, shortlisted for a prestigious historical fiction prize, is dedicated To those who stand up. The Literary Read: AFTER OSCAR: THE LEGACY OF A (Europa Editions, €33) by Wildes only grandson, Merlin Holland. We know that Oscar Wilde died in Paris in 1900, exiled, exhausted and with his reputation in tatters. But we know little of the reverberations of the scandal in the decades that followed. Merlin Holland charts the extraordinary afterlife of one our finest writers and thinkers, blending scholarship with a memoir that sparkles with Wildean wit and insight. SCANDAL PERFECT PICNICS / EARTHY SCENTS / OUTDOOR DRINKS / SUMMER READING / GARDEN TO PLATE / CULTIVATING STYLE / STARGAZING MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2026 with THE IRISH TIMES LET NATURE IN .thegloss.ie ww w Frieda Gormley in Cornwall summer in the garden CATHERINE FITZGERALD IN BALLYFIN Contents IN THIS ISSUE THE GLOSS MONTHLY REMINDER SIGN UP to receive a monthly reminder by email when THE GLOSS is out so that you never miss an issue. Simply register your details on WWW.THEGLOSS.IE. EDITOR JE NNIFE R STE V E NS D EP UT Y ED IT OR S Í O MHA CO NNO LLY S TYLE E D I T O R AISLI Advertorial Q&A At Close Range Y Perfumer and Founder of Cloon Keen, Margaret Mangan our favourite virtue Every business is an act of imagination that conjuresafuturethatdoesntyetexist.Hopeisthevirtuethatpushes you to evolve, shaping yourself and your work to meet that vision. Without hope, you Advertorial PERPETUAL MOTION As one of Irelands most respected luxury jewellers and watch specialists, Weir & Sons prestigious Grafton Street store is a distinguished authorised service centre for Rolex Having worked with Rolex for almost a century, our relationship with the brand is built on shar Advertorial Weir & Sons Rolex Watch Makers and Chris Andrews, MD. components. For Rolex owners in Ireland, every timepiece entrusted to the Dublin workshop is handled by Rolex-trained watchmakers. At Weir & Sons there are five Rolex-trained watchmakers and a Rolex technician, led by Brian OConnell Glossip TWO UP Heating Up Gloss~ip! @SIMONEROCHA How does your garden grow? FLORAL FINISHES T here is a particular beauty to an Irish garden. Shaped by our rain-softened climate, everything grows with a quiet abundance. No two days are the same as hedges become thick and generous, lawns seem Photo by Flavien Carlod, for advertising purposes only. Cloud 9. Enric Ruiz Geli. GENEROUS DISCOUNTS ON ALL CLEARANCE AND EX-DISPLAY ITEMS DUBLIN 18 - Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, D18 XF34 Fashion 2 Spot The Trend Embrace retro charm this summer, says Aislinn Coffey CHLOÉ 3 LAUNCHMETRICS/IMAXTREE 1 4 5 6 7 9 8 VIBRANT FLORALS Florals this summer are tropical and bold with a Palm Beach feel: think almost-clashing blue, green and aquamarine botanical prints that blend preppy, INVITATION TO CONSIGN FINE JEWELLERY AUCTION An Irish Connection to An International Market A Gold and Sapphire Bangle by Mario Buccellati, circa 1955 Sold last May for €37,500 26 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2 +353 1 676 0261 - info@adams.ie For a free & confidential appointment: jewellery@adams. Moodboard Summer Mood Lush by Susan Zelouf 2 8 9 10 6 5 1. IM WINKING at strangers behind Loewe Signature Floral sunnies. 2. IM DANCING til dawn in Blumarine 7 Resort 2027. 3. IM TEMPTING pandas with bamboo 3 sourced from Glengarriff Bamboo Park. 4. IM POINTING at the ceiling in Saint La IN THE HEART OF THE STORY Annual Membership to Circle Club allows unparalleled access to centre-stage seats for every performance at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Members enjoy pre- and post-show access to the Circle Club lounge, which provides a welcoming space to dine, connect and share the experience Fashion Fashion Notes Colour Theory A brighter approach to dressing ADD TEXTURE Its not the season to be quiet, says Aislinn Coffey FENDI PASTEL & PRIMARY TEXTURE: Chanels showstopping frothy, textured skirts. COLOUR BLOCKING: IMAXTREE/LAUNCHMETRICS Fendi combined rich, jewel-tone colours. JEWELS CAPSULE CARD - AVAILABLE NOW A PALETTE OF EIGHT RICH SHADES INSPIRED BY NATURAL MINERALS Free colour cards & wallpaper samples Paint & wallpaper to order Nationwide Stockists +44 (0) 161 230 0882 info@paintandpaperlibrary.com paintandpaperlibrary.com Mens Style Menswear Notes 1 Lightweight jackets from cool brands, by Aislinn Coffey 2 Forest green Oliver vintage wash chore jacket, 230; www.percivalclo.com. 3 1. Blue Toby frames, Entourage of 7, 395; www.goodseeco. com. 2. Office blue cotton T-shirt, Carhartt WIP, 39; www.tribe-clothing.co DUX IS MORE THAN JUST A BED. ITS A VEHICLE FOR WELL-BEING. THE DUX BED IS ABOUT DEEP SLEEP. THATS THE ONLY TIME WHEN YOUR BODY CAN REPAIR, REBUILD AND RESTORE ITSELF. www.duxiana.ie 01-5130332 DUXIANA DUBLIN, Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, Dublin OPENING SOON Advertorial The more you understand the issues, the more you want to act. Nature and Nurture Behind the scenes at Clarins V irginie Courtin grew up at the very heart of the beauty industry. Her grandfather Jacques Courtin-Clarins founded the company in Paris in 1954, and her father, uncle and co Advertorial I would like people to see Clarins as the most inspiring, innovative and caring beauty company in the world. What do you want people to know about Clarins and its positive impact? I would like people to see Clarins as the most inspiring, innovative and caring beauty company in the world newcastledesign.ie Beauty Beauty Notes SLIP News & views, by Sarah Halliwell TRIED & TESTED: CODAGE LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE AT VELVAERE SPA Velvaere always warrants a visit: its a hidden oasis in the centre of Dublin, on Le Pole Square, near Dublin Castle. Velvaere is peaceful, friendly and packing a punch when it comes FOR A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF OUR CLINICS FILO AESTHETICS CORK 2nd Floor, Exchange House Main Street, Ballincollig, Co Cork, P31 K020. +353 (87) 788 9009 FILO AESTHETICS DUBLIN Unit 501, Charlestown Shopping Centre, St Margarets Street, Charlestown, Dublin 11. +353 (87) Beauty 5 3 1 6 4 7 2 DOWN TO EARTH 8 Get grounded with summers earthy scents, says Sarah Halliwell S ummers scents come straight from the soil. At this time of year most of us reach for sun-warmed floral and fruit bouquets perfumes of pink blossoms, ripe cherries and peaches or else beach ! FINNANDELDER.IE Castlebellingham, Co. Louth sales@oconnorsofdrumleck.ie +353 (0) 42 937 2625 oconnorsofdrumleck.ie Gardens 3 4 1 2 Cultivating Style Gardening is garnering attention from the fashion crowd. Sarah Macken digs deeper G 26 July/August 2026 THE GLOSS MAGAZINE 5 1. Milli Proust and Paris Alma, founders of @alma.proust seed shop. 2. The Instagram account of Dwayne Black @blackinmotion shows Gardens 10 9 8 11 @PAMELAANDERSON 7 14 12 13 allotment essential which has garnered a cult following among Irish creatives and is worn by the team at Mark Grehans flower shops, The Garden (€240; www.abitoilive.com). If all else fails, a blue workwear jacket (€195; www.vetra.fr) and gardeni Advertorial James Kavanagh embraces the good life with heritage blues From Dublin buzz to countryside calm, James Kavanagh is transforming his storybook home with bold Dulux Heritage Boathouse Blue at its heart W hen social media influencer and TV presenter James Kavanagh and his partner William Advertorial womb. Its the womb room! He loves that the colour changes throughout the day. It feels really fresh and bright in the daytime, but then it gets quite moody and dark in the evening, which I love. The shade also marries beautifully with James existing decor. Its a really lovely backdrop t Shopping Willow garden trug, SAILLE BASKETS, 150, at Irish Design Shop, 41 Drury Street, Dublin 2. Blue Kojima denim work jacket, 350; WWW.NIWAKI.COM. Green Fingers Brown reversible sheepskin gilet, CELTIC & CO, 265.50; www.next.ie. Dark green Mesa Planter 01, KELLY WEARSTLER, 355; www.serax.co Advertorial In 2022 he had a vision to set up a specialist nursery to provide Irish garden designers and homeowners with a uniquely curated collection of mature trees and specimen plants that couldnt be found anywhere else. A ll great gardens start with the plants. While many of us throw a plant SUMMER SALE NOW ON EXCLUSIVE RANGE OF VISUAL COMFORT LIGHTING ON DISPLAY IN OUR SHOWROOMS SHOWROOMS OPEN 7 DAYS 17 LOWER BRIDGE STREET, DUBLIN 8 CUSTOMER PARKING AVAILABLE WWW.HICKENLIGHTING.COM Design AT ONE WITH NATURE House of Hackney founder Frieda Gormley speaks to Ruth OConnor about her new book, shifting Mother Nature from muse to business partner and rewilding the idea of business itself ... PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTOPHER HORWOOD N ABOVE: Trematon Castle sits on a nine-acre estate o Design In a new book by Gormley, In The Company of Nature, she describes struggles with investors, chaotic board meetings and times when the couple barely had enough money to eat. She speaks of putting their home up as collateral for their business, of wresting control back from a private equity fir Theatre CENTRE STAGE Lynn Enright meets actors Derbhle Crotty, Judith Roddy, Aisling Kearns and Kate Gilmore to discuss their roles in Conor McPhersons latest masterpiece, The Brightening Air PHOTOGRAPH BY DOREEN KILFEATHER T here were self-actualised women living impressive, independent lives in Theatre for all of these characters they have a sense of humour. When I ask her what drew her to the job in particular, Crotty hoots. Its a no-brainer. I mean, Conor is an extraordinary writer. Its a luxury offer. Its not really about being drawn to it, its more the kind of thing youd crawl over p Travel Travel Notes Ard na Sidhe Country House Hotel. Penny McCormick joins the growing band of star trekkers and astro tourists The gardens. A garden terrace room. CHECKING IN: ARD NA SIDHE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL, CO KERRY VIBE Elegant, lakeside Edwardian country house in a secluded setting. NE Interview With a Man INPHO We were just two guys with shared goals. We never talked too much about the brotherly thing. Paul ODonovan Rowing for Gold Paul ODonovan is an Olympic champion rower, and a qualified physiotherapist and medical doctor. From Skibbereen in Co Cork, he won silver in the M Advertorial Interview With a Man Interview With a Man Is there a magic to a first gold that cannot be matched by subsequent golds? I think you have to take each of them on their own merits. All wins are good. Theyre all different and theres no point in trying to pick favourites. If you tried to p Restaurants Restaurant Notes Forget food miles at these restaurants, ingredients travel from garden to plate, says Ciara McQuillan THE GREEN BARN THE GREEN BARN AT BURTOWN HOUSE, CO KILDARE: THE GARDEN Burtown Houses kitchen garden is a working ecosystem. A walled garden, a fouracre field plot Wine Brighter & Lighter Julie Dupouy finds affordable pairings for picnics I rish summer always feels slightly borrowed it never seems to last long enough. The moment the sun appears, the entire country slips into a kind of joyful frenzy to catch every possible ray of light. Parks and beaches s Food A Walk In The Park Kitty Coles knows how to pack a perfect picnic E veryones idea of a picnic is different. In Ireland, a picnic tends to mean sandwiches sweating in foil, crisps, supermarket sausage rolls, tubs of coleslaw, perhaps some strawberries, and warm canned drinks. Otherwise known Books Reading Notes Sarah Halliwell on the best books for summer S pend your summer indulging in new arrivals from some of the very best international writers this summer, from Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead (Fleet, €19) to Ben Lerners highly acclaimed Transcription (Grant, €18), another novel Books How I Write IMANI THOMPSON London-based Imani Thompson won the Vogue new writers prize in 2019 as an undergraduate at Cambridge University. Her debut novel, the darkly funny and vicious Honey, triggered a ten-way auction and has already sold in ten languages. Honey (The Borough Press) is out This Glossy Life At Ballyfin, Catherine FitzGerald is quietly rewilding one of Irelands grandest estates, blending romance, restraint and a deep reverence for landscape. Deirdre McQuillan speaks to the designer PHOTOGRAPHS BY VERONIKA FAUSTMANN T SLOW AND SUBTLE he great thing about Ballyfin is This Glossy Life London-based architect Mark Lutyens (great-great-nephew of the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens) have included Hillsborough and Glenarm Castles in Northern Ireland, a Physic Garden in Edinburgh, as well as small private London gardens. The love of gardening was fostered growing u This Glossy Life Other plans include planting ornamental trees, cherries and crab apples beyond the cascade as our mission is to bring things into focus, to soften, to make it more inviting. Bordering the mown paths with blossoming trees and more bulbs will blend in with the greenery. She also want Wholefoods Supplements Natural Skincare Earth Friendly Products Try this Fibraed r ich Summer Sal up Build your s e p i c Re Wholefood ingredients for feel-good cooking Find us in selected Dunnes Stores across Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Naas and Tralee NOURISH.IE