Dublin Gaelic football star Noëlle Healy holds five All-Ireland senior Ladies Football Championship medals.
The Castleknock native, who is supporting Trócaire's annual Lenten appeal, tells Dublin Live all about her favourite parts of her home city.
Home is...
I live in Windy Arbour with my boyfriend, Kevin. I grew up in Castleknock, and I moved over here at the end of 2018.
It's a really nice area - it's very close to Dundrum, Milltown and not too far from Ranelagh as well. There are loads of really nice walks and coffee shops.
It's great, I was in UCD for six years so I'd be fairly comfortable with the area. It's actually quite nice being been back round here - a lot of memories of good times with friends.
How I get around the city:
I'm a bit of a divil for driving, to be honest. But being beside the Luas, I've been getting better. I've been saying for years that I need to get a bike but I still haven't pulled the trigger on that. So mostly the Luas, or I drive.
The best place in the city for a date:
We have two dogs and we like going going for walks, either to Brittas Beach or Portmarnock, or over to the Phoenix Park.
Both of our parents live beside there, so if we're going over to them, we might stop there first and then bring [the dogs] for a run around, and try to tire the two of them out.
My favourite pub in the city:
The Boar's Head on Capel Street does a very good pint of Guinness. I know Hugh Hourican, the owner - he's a Brigid's man so he'd be involved with my own club.
I have really good memories from there - especially the Monday after an All-Ireland final, it's kind of a tradition to go there.
And he's always been really, really good to us - he'd always have a smile for you as soon as you walk in. It feels like a local pub, right in the middle of the city centre.
My favourite restaurant in Dublin:
Glover's Alley - the atmosphere is really nice, it's quite relaxed. I went for work party first of all, and then we went for dinner there with Kev's parents.
It's a very small menu - nice food with a few amuse-bouches and stuff in between. Really nice decor, a bit of a 1930s vibe to it. And the staff there are all really nice, really friendly.
During lockdown, we got one of their boxes for dine at home, which was brilliant. It's a great place if you want to treat yourself.
My go-to café or coffee shop:
We have one around the corner from us, it's a drive-thru coffee shop, Through The Green.
Really nice coffee, the girls that work there are always unbelievably friendly, and they're great for giving out dog treats as well. And really nice pastries.
Where I get my exercise:
I play football with Brigid's [in Castleknock]. And then if it was the off-season or I was trying to get a little bit of extra work done, I go to BikeRowSki classes. They were originally in Kinsealy, and then they have one in Glasnevin and one in Bray as well.
It's an indoor, heated exercise class, and you rotate between those three machines with a heart rate monitor. It's an hour, and you know you're going to get a good sweat on and then you're done with the day.
I did a bit of running last year and I got into the long distance stuff. Growing up beside the Phoenix Park, it was brilliant for putting the runners on and doing kind of a quick five or 10k. It’s a nice way to exercise.
My favourite shops:
For clothes and things like that, I really like & Other Stories and Zara, and then Brown Thomas.
I try not to go with fast fashion too much. I prefer to spend a little bit on something that you know will last and that you'll get a good few wears out of.
My favourite place for a haircut:
I'm lucky enough to know a hairdresser who owns their own salon on Camden Street, Moxie. Kristin there is a bit of a lifesaver so she'd be my go-to.
I like MudPie Beauty Cottage in Dundrum village, which is pretty handy to go to, and I'd be a fan of a spa and a massage as well, if I'm away.
My favourite place in Dublin to get away from it all:
The Phoenix Park would be mine. I love going around where the Magazine Fort is, and the Fifteen Acres - there's a nice long walk that you can do around there. I absolutely love it.
I've been going there since being in school and getting study breaks. So if I wanted to get a bit of space, that'd be where I'd go.
My favourite place to let my hair down:
I suppose the typical answer would be Coppers - that would be where you would go in the last few years. Bad Bob's in Temple Bar is a very good spot as well - usually very good live music and good fun.
It's not very chic, they're probably not the coolest places to be going, but you're always guaranteed a good night.
The last live event I went to:
We went to the Book of Mormon in the Bord Gáis, along with half a dozen [others], just before Christmas. It's funny - it was pretty outrageous.
It's from the creators of South Park, so you need to take everything with a pinch of salt. But it was good.
Dublin's best kept secret:
Skerries. People in Skerries are mad about it, and it's for a reason.
It's absolutely gorgeous, there are some really nice restaurants out there, gorgeous walks, great sea sports as well. I would definitely say that's Dublin's best kept secret. But I've let it out of the bag now...
To order a Trócaire box, go to: Trócaire Box Order Form - Trócaire (trocaire.org)
