Top (munster) man: Heaven forbid, but if the rugby goes wrong for Ronan O'Gara today, at least he can consider a modelling career.
Club Rugby already uses him for its casual clothing, which is mainly composed of 100 per cent cotton sweaters, worn with check or stripe shirts. Its new season's collection is quite a preppy look, but according to Club Rugby, Ireland's young generation of men are confident enough to wear brighter colours like salmon, terracotta and lilac. It has also retained the traditional navy, red and ecru. Club Rugby is an Irish-owned company, and the brand is available in Arnotts, Dublin; Connolly Man, Limerick; Geraghty's, Galway; Diffneys Dublin; Fitzgeralds, Cork; and Ryles, Tralee, among others.
Good goods in small packages
A tiny kimono that comes cleverly folded and packaged in a takeaway sushi box would make a great little gift for a newborn. The cotton wraparounds are made by Lucky Wang, a New York company, and come in three different candy prints. Sizes go from three months up to four years. They cost €32.50 and can be found in branches of Avoca.
Sisters doing it for themselves
Amy and Jilly Hamilton are sisters who are both fashion graduates of National College of Art and Design, whose mission, says Amy, is to improve the dress standards of Irish sailors. "Why must they only wear red, navy or yellow? Why not pink or brown?", she asks. Keen sailors since childhood and members of "a very boaty family", they are old hands on Lough Derg and in the George in Dún Laoghaire, and have just opened a shop called On Board in the Creation Arcade in Dublin. The shop stocks chic (and practical) sailing clothes, and also has surf and snow wear, including accessories from over 20 international brands. The sisters are experienced skiers, but not yet surfers or snowboarders. However, they plan to take surf lessons in the summer and snowboarding instruction in the winter. Their presence has certainly smartened up the Creation Arcade. On Board, Creation Arcade, Dublin 2 (01-6728767).