A New Life:Niamh Parker left college determined to forge a career in sport, but a car accident forced a sudden career change and now she's a successful restaurateur, writes Michelle McDonagh
Although her plans for a career in sport and fitness were cut short after she was involved in a serious car crash, Niamh Parker has certainly not let her misfortune hold her back for long
At the age of 23, the young entrepreneur was running her own Thai restaurant in Kinsale, Co Cork and, five years on, she has started her own restaurant franchise.
As a woman who was heavily involved in sport all her life, it has not been easy having to give up a career in the field that she had always envisaged and having to cope with the injuries she sustained in the accident at the same time.
But for now, Parker is enjoying the experience of being her own boss and at the same time promoting the food, music and culture of Thailand, a country she adores.
Originally from Youghal, Parker went to Loughborough Sports Academy in England to study sports science and nutrition after finishing school.
"I had played netball and camogie and even hurling with the boys and I played rugby in England. I was always very interested in sport and saw my career going in that direction."
It was when Parker took on a job in a Thai restaurant in Loughborough to fund her studies that she began her love affair with the Thai people and culture. She became friendly with the Thai chef in the restaurant and moved in with the chef's family to teach the children English.
After college, she returned to Ireland, where, at the age of 20, she took up the position of health and fitness manager at Westport Leisure Park, the Republic's first local authority-run leisure centre.
While working full-time in the leisure centre, Parker set up her own six-week weight management programme in the town called "Healthy You", which she ran from a local hotel. She also started to work with the Mayo senior football team, providing advice on strength training and nutrition.
She then moved to Delphi Adventure Centre and Spa as health and fitness manager and it was while driving to work there one morning in 2001 that she was involved in the accident. She did a lot of damage to her back, neck and pelvis and spent two weeks in hospital before being sent home to Cork for rehabilitation.
"I had to give up work because my position in Delphi was very active and involved doing walks and taking exercise classes. From being extremely active and busy all the time, I suddenly found myself back at home on disability. It was a shock to the system and a very tough time," she recalls.
It was during her recovery period that Parker went to England to renew her friendship with her Thai chef friend, Deang, who had at this stage opened her own restaurant in Litchfield. When Deang expressed an interest in opening a restaurant in Ireland, Parker saw a new opportunity. The two women opened the Thai Cottage in Main Street, Kinsale, Co Cork in May 2003, and the following year Parker bought her partner out and became the sole owner.
"I called in every favour under the sun to open the restaurant and we did it on a shoestring. I had to beg the bank manager for a loan and then it was sink or swim. The first two years of business were tough and I went out on the road selling accident-insurance policies on building sites so I could pay my staff and rent and keep the place going all year round."
In fact, Parker turned out to be such a good insurance saleswoman that she managed to save enough money to invest in her own rental property in Bantry before the interest rates went through the roof.
The ambitious young businesswoman then started an outside catering business and a Thai cookery school to supplement her restaurant business, all of which have now taken off. She holds cookery classes at the restaurant in Kinsale three days a week between 10.30am and 4pm, where her customers learn to cook four Thai dishes each day.
With the business up and running well, Parker then decided to start up her own Thai franchise and the first restaurant has already opened in Youghal, Co Cork. She scoured the salvage yards of northern Thailand (getting eaten alive by mosquitoes in the monsoon heat) and the factories of Bangkok with interior designer Robert Monaghan to find teak, bamboo and old thatch as well as Thai furniture to fit out the new restaurant in authentic style.
Parker's second franchise is due to open in Bantry this month and there are more in the pipeline.
"I love the Thai culture and the people. The Irish and Thai cultures combine really well together. We're both very laid back nations who love singing and playing music. The Thai people are very vibrant and artistic. I regard my restaurants as 'Thairish' and I try to be an ambassador between the two countries," she says.
She explains that many of the Thais who work in restaurants in Ireland make huge sacrifices so that their children back home can get a better education, healthcare and quality of life. They work long, hard hours and travel back to Thailand to see their families for six weeks each winter.
Although she loves her new career, Parker says she still misses her job in sport and fitness and has found it difficult coping with having to cut down her own involvement in sport. These days, she trains in the gym three days a week but has to be careful not to overdo it.
"Sport will always be a passion of mine. Maybe in the future, when the business is more streamlined, I might look at applying at management level with a team. I'm very good at motivating people and driving them to achieve their goals. I firmly believe in the power of positive thinking."
While she enjoys being her own boss, Parker points out that when you work for yourself, you are always either working or thinking about something that you need to do for work.
"I get satisfaction from seeing people enjoying themselves at my restaurant or hearing somebody praise the food and the service. I like to think that everyone who visits us knows that on any given night we are doing our best; it's all about relaxing and enjoying the food at the end of the day."