[caption id="attachment_4429" align="alignleft" width="1029"]        Jo Browne organic perfumes[/caption] We are very pleased to be offering a new range of fragrances by Jo Browne: Floral Note, Oriental Note and Sweet Note. Jo, a qualified reflexologist and holistic therapist, discovered a gap in the market for a new, gentle and conveniently packaged perfume. All her products are individually handmade using organic beeswax and essential oils, a process which takes up to six months. The bamboo tube packaging not only looks really attractive, but is natural, ecological and from a sustainable source, and the fragrances are all travel friendly and approved to fly with. Continue reading →

[caption id="attachment_4423" align="alignleft" width="1000"]         Summertime in West Cork[/caption] Summertime is my favourite time of the year, I just love it! I even love the damp days - I love not having to wear layers, or shoes, and not having to think about firewood. I love leaving home in the light and getting home in the light. But summertime can be exhausting if we aren’t careful, and whether you are staying at home or going abroad, here are a few essentials for summertime health and wellbeing... Continue reading →

(This article first appeared in The Irish Times on 9th July 2016) Women stir it up in west Cork’s kitchens Running a food business is a dream come true for these women, but it involves a lot of hard work and dedication [caption id="attachment_4415" align="alignnone" width="800"]       Rachel (left) and Hannah[/caption] Family values, a culture of collaboration, respect and sense of community are the common denominators in these five westCork kitchens run by remarkable women chefs in Bantry,Skibbereen and Baltimore. They share stories of how their careers started and developed and their hopes for the bright-looking future of Irish food. If you are headed there this summer, be sure to sample the delicious serenity of their restaurants and the wholesome food they cook with so much love, care and pleasure. Rachel and Hannah Dare, Organico, Bantry In 2014, sisters Rachel and Hannah Dare expanded the Bantry organic health shop and cafe their parents Caroline and Alan had started in 1992, creating a brand new bakery and a big, friendly, open space on two levels. Ground-to-ceiling windows, reclaimed industrial fittings, high walls filled with work by local artists, comfy sofas and loads of child friendly space keep faithful clientele happy. Continue reading →

Our next exhibition in the cafe is the work of Sherkin photographer Nuala Mahon. Her photography career began when she was given a box Brownie camera by her father, at the age of twelve, and she has been capturing images ever since. Nuala is also an extensive traveller; most of her life has been spent outside Ireland and she has visited every...

[caption id="attachment_4403" align="alignleft" width="1000"]       Dee Cotter of Organico, with some of her favourite Trilogy products[/caption] We were delighted when Dee joined the Organico team as a shop assistant and trainee consultant in November, bringing with her five years of valuable knowledge gained from her previous health food shop experience. Dee says... Continue reading →

I was on my way back from a weekend in the Aran Islands recently, feeling great as I had spent the weekend in the sun and sea, walking and swimming and generally being enthralled with our incredible amazing beautiful country. On my journey home I stopped to visit a lovely shop run by Nancy Flexman. Nancy picks the products she stocks with extreme care and attention, so when I saw she has a large area dedicated to something I had only vaguely heard about I was intrigued. The most prominent item was a book, called ‘Earthing - The most important health discovery ever’. I bought the book, and found the information it contained completely fascinating and absorbing. Here is my take on it. Continue reading →

        waters + wild perfumes are at Organico!  We're so happy to have the delicious waters + wild perfume in Organico! Joan Woods and June Housden have created this range of scents inspired by the pristine nature and beauty of their West Cork location. They have ethically and sustainably sourced exotic oils, resins and absolutes (such as oud, vetiver, myrrh and frankincense...

ALL AT SEA: paintings by Michael Mc Swiney Organico is delighted to announce that our next exhibition, starting on June 12, will fill the café with the large and very exciting, atmospheric and textual paintings of West Cork born painter Michael Mc Swiney; he is also this year’s Literary Festival programme cover artist. Michael, who was born in Cork in...

I was at a very interesting talk recently, at the Ballymaloe Litfest. It was given by a Professor at UCC called Ted Dinan, who is a psychiatrist at UCC and is also involved in a lab which studies gut health and how it affects brain health. Professor Dinan argues that our guts and our brains are much more closely aligned...

     Helen pampering Hannah during a facial at Organico Organico is introducing luxurious, effective, affordable and safe facials by our own qualified and experienced beautician, Helen Tobin. She will be using high quality beauty products such as Trilogy, Dr Hauschka, Weleda, Lavera and local range Ocean Bloom, that contain natural ingredients proven to enhance the health and beauty of...