Glen woman Marie Shields is well-known in media and marketing circles across Donegal. Formerly the marketing director with Letterkenny company Arklu (Lottie Dolls), she now runs her own PR company Moss Marketing. This is her Donegal!
1) What is your favourite place in Donegal and why?
Dooey – located on the Atlantic Drive and Glen Village, Carrigart. Two of the most stunning places on earth.
(2) If you could change one thing about Donegal what would it be?
(3) Who is the one person that you look up to and why?
Find it hard to choose one, my parents really because through everything they put us first and are kind, selfless, positive, good humoured and supportive always.
(4) What’s your happiest Christmas memory in Donegal?
The annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Glen, visiting Santa and watching the legend that was ‘Peter Up’ light the tree, playing and fighting with siblings and cousins afterwards about which toys we got!
(5) What has been Donegal’s proudest moment in recent years?
The ‘Coolest Place on Earth’ title from National Geographic seemed to really lift spirits and instill pride in us all!
(6) If you found a magic wand that allowed you to grant one wish, what
would it be?
Running the risk of sounding like a Rose of Tralee here, but I wish I could eliminate homelessness facing so many families, it’s heartbreaking to think 3000 children in Ireland will be homeless this Christmas, everyone deserves shelter, it makes me sad to think of their Christmas mornings.
(7) What is your favourite Donegal-made product?
Love so many Donegal made and designed products! Bogman beanie hats, Modern Eire prints, mcNutts throws, Edel mcBride and Bernie Murphy pieces. Donegal designed; Lottie Dolls and the Bababou Hugg crib!
(8) Who is Donegal’s greatest ambassador around the world and why?
We, the people of Donegal, are all amazing ambassadors, this I learned from being away from home. Irish and especially Donegal people, promote our county with true pride – we love it, and it shows!
(9) What has been the biggest compliment you’ve ever received?
When I recently went self employed, the compliments that my family, friends, and colleagues both in Lottie Dolls and in Co Lab gave me, were so kind and gave me much needed confidence. Someone once said to me, ‘It’s always a joy to talk to you, because you care what I have to say.” – granted, I worked behind the bar at the time so this wasn’t always easy (lol!) but that stuck with me, listening is very powerful I enjoy talking to people but prefer listening!
(10) Who is your favourite Donegal sportsperson of all time?
Michael Murphy. Oh, and I found the story last year about rapper M.I.A wearing a Packie Bonner World Cup ‘94 jersey pretty mad, and cool!!
(11) What is your favourite Donegal restaurant?
Olde Glen restaurant, Cormac and the team are excellent at what they do, great food, locally sourced. I don’t get in enough. And, Logues Carrigart for pizza.
(12) What is your favourite Donegal saying or expression?
“You wouldn’t see a peat in your tay!”
(13) What is the biggest challenge facing the people of Donegal today?
Connectivity. In order to retain the workforce we have and grow it, as well as grow the tourism trade up this end of the county -infrastructure; connectivity in terms of rural broadband, and of course – the roads, needs to seriously improve. Donegal offers a fantastic quality of life, and is full of skilled, talented people as well as many who desperately want to move back home, a few things need to change in order for this to happen on a wider level.
(14) What is your favourite food that you associate with Donegal?
Hardly a local cuisine (!) but, the food in Burrito Loco, Port Road, is my favourite thing to eat in LK!
(15) Is there anything that really annoys you about Donegal or its people?
That we say ‘like’ so much, it is a punctuation mark for us, I know I say it way too much – wish I had an app that tracked it or zapped me when I say it out of context!
(16) Do you have a favourite local band?
The Icebreakers
(17) If you had a million euro to improve something in Donegal what would it be?
Challenges mentioned aside, there are people working on opening Wellness Hubs in the county which would offer mental health services that are more inviting and less stigmatised, and will also create employment, as well as phenomenal work being done via Pieta House, I would contribute to those initiatives that are all to often dismissed nationwide, not just in Donegal.
(18) Where’s the most unusual place you’ve logged on to Donegal Daily?
God only knows, I go to Donegal Daily and Donegal Woman a few times a day so could be anywhere (..that has decent broadband!)
(19) Is there anything about Donegal that you are very proud of?
(example: our culture/language)
Our sense of humour and our scenery, I love being outdoors and taking photographs (with my Mum @geraldine.shields on Instagram!) and am so proud of the beautiful landscape around us.
(20) What is the most rewarding thing about what you do?
I get the chance to regularly listen to the passionate stories from mostly Donegal business people, on how and why they’ve set up their companies and what their dreams are, and I am then privileged to help them share their stories far and wide, and work on marketing and growing their business. Independent businesses need our custom and being in a position to work closely with these hardworking and creative people is very rewarding! I am lucky to get to do that for a living!
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