Finding time for the 'duine' in you

A commercial and fine art photographer with over two decades of experience working with restaurants and hotels across Ireland, she created food, lifestyle and hospitality photography that sells the experience. Attention to detail and being a perfectionist were par for the course.

Her work has been recognised internationally, including the IPPVA Commercial Photographer of the Year, Best of Nation Award and Bronze Medal at the World Photography Cup and Finalist at the World Food Photography Awards 2026.

In latter years, she has focused more on holistic businesses, many of them run by “interesting women who create their own spaces” as she juggled raising her son and the business.

“Becoming a mother four years ago turned everything upside down. Running a business while caring for a little one at that pace was no longer sustainable, so I began looking for ways to manage stress and the overwhelm that came with that stage of life,” she reveals.

“That is when I turned to more holistic self-care, a slower pace of life and using my senses to reconnect with my body. After a stressful day, I would make time for myself with a scented candle, a warm bath, a guided meditation or relaxing music, all of which helped my nervous system come down from fight or flight mode. Burnout used to mean withdrawing from the world with as few distractions as possible, but with a small baby, that was no longer possible.

“So, I redesigned my lifestyle to avoid reaching total exhaustion in the first place. I spend more time outside and plan my days around good weather and daylight. I am much more mindful about what I consume, from food to news and TV. I prioritise things that make me feel good and try to avoid anything that creates anxiety, stress or worry. I cut back on coffee and swapped it for herbal teas such as peppermint or green tea. Gradually, this moved me away from an unhealthy work life imbalance and towards a slower of living.”

This got her thinking about creating her own wellness brand to help women pause, reflect and take time out for themselves.

So, Julia set up Duine (person in Irish), which sells gift boxes that encourage women to engage in rituals that promote self-care.

The Bláth Collection (€80) features face serum created by Spiddal facialist Fiona Coyne with a Gua Sha Stone, a hand-poured scented soy candle made in Galway with notes of rose, freesia, grapefruit, and rosewood to evoke summer meadows, a set of affirmation cards with a wooden stand, and a guided meditation to download. The idea is to light the candle, give yourself a facial while listening to the meditation.

The Foraois Collection (€70) has a Shea Butter bath bomb, a candle with notes of lavender, rosemary and pine, a tea brewing kit along with a meditation – perfect tools to lure us into a warm bath.

“Seeing what my self-care rituals did for me, I wanted to create a box that centred around the things that helped when I needed a nervous system reset and some quality time with myself. There is a step-by-step guide and it taps into many senses in a very holistic way, I spent two years researching how to get it right. There's no plastic used, each box is made in small batches, using eco-conscious ingredients and materials that are natural, consciously sourced, hand-made and organic.

“Gifting someone a ritual like this is a gentle way of saying: 'I see you, I love you, I care.'”

She plans to launch more seasonal boxes, one for sea swimmers, but all centred around wellbeing and highlighting what inspired her about Ireland.

Perimenopause has forced Julia to slow down further and put sleep, nutrition, healthy habits and work/life balance first.

“These days, I often go to bed at 9pm and say no to obligations I might once have said yes to. I plan meals around nutrition and take supplements daily. I try to find little pockets of time for self-care, be it a simple evening skin ritual or a midday meditation.

"I try to carve out two hours a week now. If I don't do that, I start to drain my energy reserves - mentally and physically. Either reading a book, lying in a bath, going for a walk in nature. Even now as I'm working, I'll have a candle lighting to improve the atmosphere."

A native of Warsaw in Poland, she moved to Galway in 2011 after visiting a friend and falling in love with the west of Ireland. A year ago, she moved from Galway to Castlebar to be nearer her partner's family.

“It was challenging at first, but the countryside grew on me. Mayo has a slower pace of life and is closer to nature, and having more time with my family matters now when I'm in my 40s. Galway was a great place to live, with its culture, fantastic coffee shops and the buzz of the city, and it is not far from where we are now. Living in Mayo gives me a better balance between time for myself and my family, and a more sustainable way of working for myself.”

The boxes are sold online at www.duine.ie and in Súil Eile in Barna and Standún in Spiddal.