Roz Purcell is the cover star of the September|October issue of Irish Country Magazine. In this snippet from our interview, she opens up to Acting Editor Niamh Devereux about reconnecting with her younger self.
Roz Purcell is in her element as we traipse through sun-dappled woodland paths in the Wicklow countryside, looking every inch the forest fairy. “Did you know moss is more likely to grow on the north side of a tree?” she pipes up after draping across an emerald-green log for a shot.
Moments later, while the team admires the towering lilac foxgloves, she’s quick to warn how poisonous they are, rattling off horror stories that will ensure nobody will ever again approach them. As she moves through the trees, it’s clear how at ease she is in this environment. Even as she wades through the water lilies and lays down in a pond for our cover shot – like a modern-day, Celtic Ophelia – she is serene.
Nature clearly has a hold on Roz’s heart. A devoted animal and wildlife lover, she has built a career in recent years advocating for the beauty of our island and exploring the Irish outdoors, creating a community of like-minded people with her platform The Hike Life.
While some may think this stage in Roz’s life a new phase, she says it’s more of a homecoming; growing up on the foot of Slievenamon Mountain, Roz has special childhood memories that have fostered her love for the outdoors today. “I don’t think I’ve stepped into a new version of myself. I think, actually, I’ve returned to my younger self,” she says.
“I went through the phase of becoming a model and wanting to get away from Tipperary; I didn’t want to be in the middle of nowhere, I wanted to be in the city! I’ve gone through all these different phases since and I’ve very much returned to what I actually enjoy the most, which is the lifestyle I had growing up. I’ve realised I am someone who loves a lot of alone time and being out in nature. It’s the thing that makes me feel like me. It reminds me of where I fit in.”
Pick up the new edition for the full feature, where Roz also talks about her very Irish childhood, embracing her natural beauty and finding inner confidence.
Discover all that and much more in the September|October issue of Irish Country Magazine. Find your nearest stockist here, or to subscribe and never miss an issue, click here.
