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Donegal Woman Author - Maria Rushe


Latest Posts | By Maria Rushe
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: You can say NO this Christmas 2 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: You can say NO this Christmas

No is a complete sentence.

You can say NO to things without having to add explanation.   

Add a ‘thanks’ if you wish, but only if you want to,

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Father’s Day 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Father’s Day

By  •  Mammy

This piece was harder to write than I had anticipated.Why?

Because no matter what angle I approached it from, I found myself anticipating the need to be sensitive around the …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Mica 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Mica

By  •  News

“What is this MICA you keep tweeting about? Haven’t heard of this.” – a message from a Twitter/blogger pal in Dublin last week…

And so I realised that an issue …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Dusting off the heels… to go to the dustbin 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Dusting off the heels… to go to the dustbin

By  •  Mammy

Begone bitches.

I hereby banish ye to the shelves of yesteryear, where one’s shoes with pointy toes and heels to one’s armpits are forever more sentenced to sit gathering dust.


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Friendship Bras: How well does yours fit? 3 years ago

Friendship Bras: How well does yours fit?

By  •  Life, Mammy

This year has been weird.And the whole idea of friendship has been weird too.

Many of us will say that we’ve had friendships change, for better and for worse.

We’ve …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:   Blessed families 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Blessed families

By  •  Mammy

It’s World Down Syndrome Day.

It’s a day to celebrate the extra chromosome that makes some people just a little bit more special.

One of the first images I …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Happy Mother’s Day 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Happy Mother’s Day

By  •  Mammy

From Mammy on Mother’s Day

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

I love you each second of every day.

And even when sometimes I grumble and …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Me-time 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Me-time

By  •  Mammy

‘Make some time for YOU Mammy and have a relaxing bath’ say the instafluencers.

Well OK then!

An instaworthy bathing relaxation event is about to go down in Chez Mammy… …
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Thoroughy Modern Mammy: It will all be okay 3 years ago

Thoroughy Modern Mammy: It will all be okay

By  •  Mammy

Maria the Mammy thinks…

Nope. 

Not a hope. 

Not sending them ANYWHERE NEAR schools. 

Need to keep them safe.

Can’t control things when they’re away from me.

Fuck the government …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Joining the Dots 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Joining the Dots

By  •  Mammy

Mumpty Mumpty, up there on the wall…You look at your babies, both now grown so tallThat their uniforms probably won’t even fitWhen we finally get ourselves out of this shit.


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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Ideas to liven up lockdown days 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Ideas to liven up lockdown days

By  •  Mammy

We’re all feeling it aren’t we?

I don’t think there is anyone on this green isle right now who can honestly say that this 87th Lockdown isn’t hurting a bit.


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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: The Great Outdoors 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: The Great Outdoors

By  •  Mammy

The Great Outdoors: It’s not just “great” because it’s huge and gargantuous, it’s “great” in so many more ways than that.

Mountains, rivers, lakes and valleys… Our imagination takes us …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:  Snow days 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Snow days

By  •  News

Oh Look Darlings. It’s snow!Oh YAY!

Hurray! We shall frolic and flail in the snow, making snow angels and building snowmans while singing the Frozen songs, and then we shall …
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Thorougly Modern Mammy: Drive for yourself 3 years ago

Thorougly Modern Mammy: Drive for yourself

By  •  News

“Drive for yourself and let other drivers worry about themselves…” 

Words of wisdom from my much missed Granda Pops.  

He said these words to my Mum many times and …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:  You can’t do it all… so give yourself a break 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: You can’t do it all… so give yourself a break

By  •  Mammy

What a week it’s been eh?

We’re all feeling a bit incredulous really. This past few days, it’s felt like we are slowly sliding into chaos once again.

We’re trying …
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Thorougly Modern Mammy: I’m offended 3 years ago

Thorougly Modern Mammy: I’m offended

Mammy is offended…

Given that everyone is now allowed and encouraged to be offended by absolutely everything, I’ve decided to crack down on the lyrics of other Christmas songs which, …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:  Christmas Pressure 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Christmas Pressure

By  •  News

I LOVE it! I love everything about it.

I love the sparkle, the sounds, the smells, the smiles.

I love the kindness. I love how it brings out the best …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Christmas survival tips you actually need 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Christmas survival tips you actually need

By  •  Mammy

“Surviving Christmas,” “Christmas Survival Tips for the Working Mum”, “How to Survive Christmas”…

I Googled these last night.

Some of the “advice” online is nothing short of HILARIOUS. I fear …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Teenagers are wicked 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Teenagers are wicked

By  •  Mammy

HOW do you work with teenagers?”

I get asked this quite a bit.

My answer?Very easily actually.

Because ‘teenagers’ are wicked.

And let me tell you, since schools reopened, they’ve …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: 10 things I thought before I had kids 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: 10 things I thought before I had kids

By  •  Mammy

1. I shall never shout at my child: 

Oh, you will, you know!  

Actually, it’s more a case of shouting at yourself really, because if you are having to shout at …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Same storm, different boats 3 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Same storm, different boats

By  •  Life, Mammy

Aren’t you lucky you have a job?

Aren’t you lucky you have your health?

Aren’t you lucky you can work from home?

Aren’t you lucky you don’t have to…fill in …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Hold Firm 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Hold Firm

By  •  Life

Banana bread; I never actually did get around to baking one.

I did eat a slice that someone else baked, but that was the height of my lockdown success. 

Lockdown …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Calling Covid out 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Calling Covid out

By  •  Mammy

Last week was a bumpy one.

Not only was it the girls’ first week back at school and my first week back at work, but it was also the week …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Back to school thoughts 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Back to school thoughts

By  •  Mammy

Maria the Mammy…

Nope.Not a hope.Not sending them ANYWHERE NEAR schools.Need to keep them safe.Can’t control things when they’re away from me.Feck the government and their ineptitude.I don’t want them …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Ready, Set, Routine 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Ready, Set, Routine

By  •  Mammy

So it’s time to finally get back into our grooves, however wobbly they may be this year, and return to normality and reality with everyone back to School, Childcare, activities …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:  The joy of soft play 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: The joy of soft play

By  •  Mammy

Once upon a time, the words “Let’s meet at soft play” instiled a sense of dread in me.

I hated it.

Gasp… yes I just typed that out loud… HATED …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:  Back to school hacks 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Back to school hacks

By  •  Mammy

Now that we finally know that our little darlings will be going back to school, we can start to think about getting ready.

Maybe you are already organised.Maybe you have …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Downplaying the virus 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Downplaying the virus

By  •  Mammy

“We’re going on da train Mammy.”

“Are we really?”

I do enjoy how much of a novelty the concept of a train is for my kids.Mini-Me will probably GET that …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Play It Again Mam 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Play It Again Mam

By  •  Mammy

“We don‘t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw

Over the past 4 months, playing has changed.

Our kids went from …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Facing this new fear 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Facing this new fear

By  •  Life, Mammy

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” 

I’ve said these words more than a few times over the past few weeks. Mainly, because I found myself absolutely bricking it over …
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You’re not a machine, you’re a Mammy 4 years ago

You’re not a machine, you’re a Mammy

By  •  Mammy

I haven’t learned a new language. 

I haven’t made banana bread. 

I haven’t decluttered my house. 

I haven’t painted the house. 

I haven’t organised my life.

I haven’t sorted my …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:  Another journey on the Covidcoaster 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Another journey on the Covidcoaster

By  •  Mammy

Mammy likes rollercoasters. I like theme parks. 

But we’ve all been landed into a theme park that we had not planned to visit, and it seems that we all have …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: A road never taken before 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: A road never taken before

By  •  Mammy

Every year, I teach Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’, whether it’s on the course or not.

I love it. And I love passing his wisdom on to my students. …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Lockdown… and slowing down 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Lockdown… and slowing down

By  •  Mammy

We’re all so looking forward to the lockdown being over and to returning to “normal”… but I’ve been wondering how much of this we will eventually miss.

Now, don’t get me wrong. …
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‘Mammy, when this is all over…’ 4 years ago

‘Mammy, when this is all over…’

By  •  Mammy

“Mammy, when this is all over…”, Mammy will need to have won the lotto.

I hear this line at least 5 times a day, from both of the girls.

And …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy; Go easy on yourself 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy; Go easy on yourself

By  •  Mammy

Tinterweb is currently full of Instahuns and Twitsickles telling us all that we must use ALL of this time to do ALL of the things that we have ALWAYS  wanted …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Poem – Whispers on the Wind 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Poem – Whispers on the Wind

By  •  Life, Mammy

WHISPERS ON THE WIND

Two little sisters played on the beachAnd just when their parents had stepped out of reach,Wee Sis asked Big Sis in quiet hushed words,“What’s …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Let’s find a new normal 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Let’s find a new normal

By  •  Mammy

What a week it’s been eh?

We’ve all found ourselves slowly sliding into chaos. And even for those of us who hoped it’d all pass and gently laughed it off, …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Where do you find the time? 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Where do you find the time?

“Where do you find the time?”

“How can you be bothered?”

“It can’t be worth that much work?”

Here we go again!

Musicals.

I’ve been on stage my whole life, …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:   How many Hats are YOU wearing? 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: How many Hats are YOU wearing?

By  •  Mammy

Recently, the Dolly Parton challenge’ circulated Instagram where everyone posted four different images; How they look on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tinder. 

Each showed how their profile picture on …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: You might not a get a payslip, but boy, do you work 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: You might not a get a payslip, but boy, do you work

By  •  Mammy

“Your Mammy doesn’t work.” or “Your Mammy doesn’t have a real job”.

I remember hearing this a few times as a child and as a teenager.

I remember not thinking …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: My Little Women 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: My Little Women

By  •  Mammy

I’m brushing my youngest’s hair and we’re chittering away. 

‘You’re my beautiful Baby girl’ I say as I kiss the top of her inexplicably fuzzy head when I’m done.


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Thoroughly Modern Mammy:  I am Some Time, Sometimes Mum 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: I am Some Time, Sometimes Mum

By  •  Mammy

I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions. You all know that I hate the ‘New Year, New You’ rhetoric. I hate the constant stream of “You need to change” and “You …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: My wedding words of wisdom 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: My wedding words of wisdom

By  •  Mammy

Tis the season for bling and rings and it’s our wedding anniversary so I’m wedding on the brain! 

The Him and I got married on a Wednesday, over Christmas in …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: You don’t need to be a ‘New You’ in 2020 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: You don’t need to be a ‘New You’ in 2020

By  •  Mammy

Before the onslaught of New Year, New You Bullshit starts, let me remind you of a few things…

Yes, January 1st is an obviously good starting point for new beginnings …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Trying to keep everyone happy 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Trying to keep everyone happy

By  •  Mammy

As the season of festive joy and frollicks descends upon us, so too can the stresses and responsibilities of trying to everyone happy. 

So remember, No is a complete sentence. 


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Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Rules for surviving the Christmas party 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy: Rules for surviving the Christmas party

By  •  Mammy

Good afternoon!

I do hope that we all woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning. It’s time to repost Mammy’s rules for surviving the Christmas party (which unfortunately Mammy …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy – I am offended 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy – I am offended

By  •  Mammy

I am offended…

Given that everyone is now allowed and encouraged to be offended by absolutely everything, I’ve decided to crack down on the lyrics of other Christmas songs which, …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy – a realistic Christmas survival guide 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy – a realistic Christmas survival guide

It’s the weekend of Toy Shows and trees for many…So I am posting my Christmas Survival Guide for the Mary of the Poppins types…

“Surviving Christmas,” “Christmas Survival Tips …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Why can’t bullies just be nice? 4 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Why can’t bullies just be nice?

By  •  Mammy

When a 6 year old asks a question, sometimes, it makes us think. We begin by explaining it to her in the simplest terms possible, and in doing so, sometimes …
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