The crackling wood from the fire I huddled around, post-bone-rattling-surf, spoke in damp hisses, punctuating this frigid Welsh air as it snaked flames skyward. Defrosting my gloved hands, against the backdrop of blues, and wrapping my mind in a blanket of hopeful dreams, I stared into the amber embers, praying for answers.
and how I can live my best life in a quest to become the fullest expression of my authentic self as possible. I believe that this, Project 5k, is my way of belonging and simultaneously giving back, I believe it is part of my journey, and one that can help the healing process, at a time when the world most needs it. I invite you to join me, to support me graciously as we learn about who we all are and the roles we all play in these times.
As a baby I was born with the wrong type of blood and had to be put into an incubator for the first two or three weeks of my existence, which some studies show can lead to attachment issues and emotional irregularity. Idiots, what do they know? I don't need them or anyone!!! (That's a joke by the way).
I don't remember much about my childhood, I do remember however, the feeling of being left out and of being the youngest of five. I remember discovering infinity trying to count myself to sleep one night and I also recall figuring out that if I could keep halving the distance of my finger to the concrete lamppost, mathematically, then surely, I could never actually touch anything and therefore there must be some kind of atomic dance that allows particle exchange to give the illusion of solidity, that was aged around six or perhaps eight years old. Finding out in your late 40's that you were kidnapped aged three-and-a-half, also puts a few more pieces of the jigsaw of life together.
Fast forward to the present day, and I'm sitting in my wine bar, it's a cold, wintery Tuesday afternoon, and I've just cycled in again because I can't afford to tax my car. I'm two months late on my rent for my business and have no idea how I'll make it through to the summer, that said I have a lot to be grateful for. My [rented] home is not being bombed, I have a good mind and I like to believe I am a kind person. I still want to do my part in making the world a kinder place, to enable people to become more self-sufficient and have more food security. This is part of my dream, and I'd like for you to help me build this dream.
My near-view focus is to get through to the summer, to earn enough to pay the money I owe to my suppliers, pay the backlog of rent and also keep the doors of The Gallery open, and, as my guests tell me, this really is a special place. It's a unique little café bar, where people relax and make friends and experience something that I believe is important in today's world, call it love if you will. I'd like your help and ask and invite you to join me and support me in building a dream.
Below are the before and after pictures of The Gallery, an unused building in a dead alleyway, that I transformed and breathed life into, and in the process helped change the face of natural wine in Ireland, promoting Irish products and supporting other small-scale Irish businesses in the process. For less than the price of a dinner for two, you get a signed copy of my first book and also a 1/5000 chance to win a week-long holiday in Northern Italy, in a house you will help to materialise.
Join Project 5k and let's see where it takes us.
In the late summer of 2022, two American guests, Laurel and Michael, stayed with me via the Couchsurfing app. Michael told me about a residual income he created, based on a website he ran, that predicted football players' performance for the next season, during this conversation I had an epiphanic realisation that if I could get five thousand people to invest €50.00 in my project, I could create a hub of quality supporters and together, we could effect positive change in this world together.
The investment raised would help support my new podcast series, and new social enterprises and these could be launched off the back of my existing Gallery project, documenting it via social media and also in my book, as a way of helping to support and mentor other local businesses, protect our planet and raise awareness of issues facing indigenous tribal people, refugees and other marginalised people.
A huge responsibility to be my authentic self and lead by example would come with this investment, as I would be bound by a moral and social responsibility to perform, the 'me' would become 'you', would become 'us', and in this way, I will endeavour to do the best I can, in return for your support.
Become a part of this wonderful adventure and please share this project with your friends and let's build something lasting, together.