Irish Country Magazine Editor, Klara Heron, shares her favourite moments in the January|February 2026 issue, featuring Maura Derrane on the cover, out now
For this issue’s cover, it was a privilege to visit Maura Derrane in her childhood home on Inis Mór. As the team and I departed on the ferry from the pier at Rossaveel, I could feel my shoulders drop just a little – there’s something about leaving the mainland that always makes me breathe that bit deeper.
As Maura describes to fellow Aran native Megan Roantree in a wonderful interview, being from the west of Ireland island instils a deep sense of curiosity, adventure and community that is as wonderful as it is rare. And what makes Maura’s upbringing all the more special is that the Aran Islands are of course a Gaeltacht – one of a handful of unique pockets across Ireland where Irish is the primary language.
As we traversed from the cliffs of the island to Teach Nan Phaidi for lunch, we practised our cúpla focal as best we could – while we happily listened to Maura, her sister Róisín and our driver Joe, speak as though they were singing. The lyrical language filled the van as we journeyed along.
It’s perfect timing to spotlight the language, as our new President Connolly has centred it on her agenda and it is more popular than ever before in the arts, music, culture and design. If you’d like to improve your Gaeilge, see page 11 for my tips to ease into it.
Elsewhere in this issue, we have lots of great features to enjoy. From dwindling sex in rural relationships, a thought-provoking column by Laurie Morrissey on reclaiming your identity as a parent, to a debate on the pros and cons of getting Botox.
On a final note, we are so proud of our colleague Niamh Devereux, who took home a top award at the Shine Mental Health Media Awards in December, for her insightful piece on The Invisible Struggle of OCD. This ongoing series looks at the taboo and less-talked-about health issues we face and gives an important voice to those experiencing them. Congratulations Niamh!
There is so much to enjoy throughout the new issue, in shops now, I hope you get lots from the pages. Find your nearest stockist here.
