Creative Sparks: How Four Galway Women Stay Creative in a Demanding World
In a world that moves fast and demands so much of us, our creative spark is often the first thing we silence. But creativity isn’t a luxury, it’s vital to how we live, feel, and thrive.
In the middle of it all the daily noise, notifications and deadlines it’s easy to forget how much creativity matters. Not just as a job or a passion, but as a lifeline.
I invited four women to share how they weave creativity into their day. What they shared wasn’t just about routines or rituals, but something more honest: a reminder that creativity is a way of being.
It grounds us, gives us space to breathe, and helps us reconnect - not just to our work, but to ourselves.
Journalist, author and broadcaster Edel Coffey
Daily Process
My daily creative process is more chaotic than I would like it to be. I wish I could tell you I sit down, light a candle, and the magic begins – but it’s much more about shutting out distractions. I drop our four children to school and, if I’m not in the gym, I come straight home for 9am. I spend the next hour trying to knuckle down: I’ll tidy up the kitchen, see what's on Oliver Callan, open the post, and clear my desk so that I feel I’ve taken care of the immediate tasks and created a calm space in which to write.
By 10am, I’m sitting in glorious silence – and the work begins. One of the things that helps me stay connected to my work is doing it as often as I can. If I write every day, even a little, it seems to keep the creative channels open and keeps the story alive in my head. Ideas will come, or solutions to problems with the book, even when I’m not at my desk.
Battling burnout
If I feel burnt out or uninspired, I find it almost impossible to be creative, it’s as if that part of me shuts down. I know that with a little rest or some enjoyable distraction, the urge to create will return. If I can, I’ll stop working completely and take a break. If I’m on deadline, I’ll sometimes pick up my guitar and just play something for ten minutes – it clears my mind completely, like rebooting a computer.
I find a lot of joy in beauty. If I’m looking to recharge, I return to the small pleasures in life. I love my houseplants. Every time I hand in a new book, I feel an overwhelming urge to get my hands dirty. It’s just a lovely, zen thing to do after living inside a laptop for weeks or months on end
When things are going badly, or if I’m not enjoying the work, I try to remind myself that I’m doing my dream job – and that it doesn’t have to be torture. I’ll ask myself what this would look like if I were having fun, and it’s usually enough to snap me out of whatever rut I’m in.”
Edel is an Irish journalist, author and broadcaster whose debut novel Breaking Point won Best Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.
IFTA-nominated actress Tara Breathnach
Finding creativity in everyday life
My creative process changes depending on whether I’m preparing for a show, performing, or in between projects. When I’m not working on a production, I used to feel I wasn’t “practising” as an actor – but I’ve come to understand that creativity takes many forms. For me, it’s about renewal and refilling the well: spending time in nature, taking care of my body, and staying open to inspiration from books, films, music, and especially theatre. Motherhood makes it more challenging to find time, but I still seek out creative input wherever I can; documentaries, stories about artists and musicians, even just playing music at home. Daily movement is essential. Whether it’s swimming, walking, or cycling my daughter to preschool, that time outside – especially alone – gives me space to think, to breathe, and to let ideas surface.
Managing motherhood and creative depletion
Motherhood, much like the pandemic, forced a slowdown. I’m very hands-on – I want to be the one baking with my daughter, doing art with her. That choice means I have to be more discerning with work. I’m lucky to be at a stage in my career where stepping back a little doesn’t mean falling off the radar. Creative depletion is very real, especially when you’re also caring for others. The relentlessness of domestic life – life admin, cooking, constant tasks – can leave you wondering if you’re still an artist at all. I’ve learned to recognise those moments and pause. Movement helps me reset, even something as small as a five-minute sea swim. I find joy in the small things: swing dancing, playing guitar, planting colourful flowers with my daughter. Those little moments connect me back to myself.
I recently heard Cillian Murphy say that actors must live real life in order to portray it, and that really resonated with me. I try to embrace real life as much as possible, especially when I’m not on a job. Sometimes, being a better actor comes from simply being a fuller human. The quiet times, once a source of anxiety, are now something I lean into. Allowing myself small moments of play – playing guitar, even if badly, learning a new language, reminds me that not everything has to serve the goal of getting the next job.
Self care and setting boundaries
I’ve learned that self-care isn’t just candles and baths. It’s boundaries. It’s saying no. It’s knowing what drains you and protecting your energy. I’m not someone who can do back-to-back events. I’ve learned to give myself permission to attend one thing, say hello, and leave. So my advice? Set boundaries. Fill your bucket. Say no when you need to. Make space for yourself. And don’t forget that the quiet, in-between moments often hold the richest creative gold.
Tara is an IFTA-nominated actress who has worked across stage and screen. She has most notably appeared in Dune: Part 2, Crá, Jack Taylor and Báite.
Paula Stakelum, Ashford Castle Hotel's Global Director of Chocolate & Pâtisserie
The pleasure in planning ahead
Routine is very important to me – my day actually starts the night before. Before I leave work, I make a to-do list for the next day, and before bed, I lay out my running gear for the morning. I’ve always had the mindset that I can do things today that tomorrow’s me will be grateful for.
Most mornings I’m up by 5:30am or 6am. I run five days a week, and I’m always in the kitchen before 8am. I’m at my most creative when I have a full plate – when there’s a lot to do, I’m switched on. Having that list ready ahead of time means I walk in knowing exactly what I need to tackle, and I can approach each task in the most focused and efficient way possible.
Expectations, pressure and challenges
I’m lucky that I rarely feel burnt out or uninspired. I’m very fortunate to have full creative freedom in how I work, how much I work and when I travel for work. While there are expectations around what I need to deliver, I have a lot of autonomy to shape both my role and the life I want to lead. I’m very self-motivated, and I’m grateful for the support I receive within Red Carnation – it makes a huge difference. That said, I do feel the constant pressure to stay creative and to lead within my field. It’s part of the drive, but also part of the challenge.
Life outside of the kitchen
Rest and play are essential to my creativity. Over the past few years, I’ve come to really value life experiences outside of work. Earlier in my career, I worked incredibly long hours and rarely took time off. I learned the hard way that working in that way is not conducive to a creative mindset. Now, I prioritise time with my husband, close friends, and family. Living in the moment and truly enjoying life fuels my creativity in ways work alone never could.
I’m also a runner! I always need a challenge outside of work to keep myself aligned, and running gives me a sense of clarity and space to think. When I ran my first marathon a few years ago in London, it gave me a huge perspective – not just on physical endurance, but on life itself.
Paula is Global Director of Chocolate & Pâtisserie at Red Carnation Hotels, based at Red Carnation Hotel’s five-star Ashford Castle Hotel.
Artist and illustrator Ciara Coogan
Daily rituals
As an artist, no two days look the same. Inspiration tends to strike at varying times so I like to be flexible with my schedule; I begin my days by walking my dog by the sea, it’s a wonderful way to clear my mind and allow creativity to flow. Once home, I brew coffee and sit down to journal.
Slow, intentional mornings set me up for the day. As my studio is at home, it’s important to get out and about and socialise. I feel my most creative when I’ve interacted with others so I like to have my workspace set up before I leave the house so I can get down to work once I’m back in the door.
The power of rest in creativity
The age-old remedy of “turning it off and back on again” works when it comes to the brain’s creative process too. I used to soldier on relentlessly when my body and mind called out for rest, what I once saw as productivity was really just a production line where the output of creative work might have seemed up to standard, but my heart just wasn’t in it.
The key, and my own biggest learning curve, is to step away before you fall into the trenches. It may seem counterintuitive, but the time and energy used to drag yourself through is much better directed toward intentional, guilt-free, rest with the knowledge that creativity replenishes in those in-between moments. Rest is productive in itself. When I finally wrapped my head around that idea, things began to shift for me. When you’re not chasing inspiration from a place of lack, it will find you.
Journaling to find clarity
Journaling is the practice I’d recommend most. I write daily, exploring topics as varied as stream of consciousness to unravelling specific thoughts, reframing the way I see certain situations and getting clear on my vision for the future.
Ciara is an artist and illustrator whose love of travel and food has seen her collaborate with clients such as L’Occitane, Ballymaloe and Blasta Books.
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