Orlagh Winters: An Unforgettable Encounter In Listowel

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Orlagh New 1AT some stage of our lives we will all meet someone who will strike a chord in some way with us, be it romantically, platonically, intellectually, or indeed spiritually and we will connect with them on some level.

Last weekend in John B Keane’s bar in Listowel I was introduced to a young man who I was immediately intrigued by. I had just had a very long day of fashion, good food, fun and frolics and was almost ready to return to my hotel and get some much-needed rest.

As I had acted as MC and a judge that day, I had met hundreds of people throughout the day. Listowel is a great town and the people I met were amongst the most welcoming and friendly I have ever met in my years of racing and acting as MC.

So here I was, ready to say my goodbyes to everyone, when suddenly I was shaking hands with Gerard Mulvhill, a 21 year old author who has just published a book entitled “Play the Cards You’re Dealt”.

The book is a compilation of personal accounts by public faces who have had to face obstacles in their lives and overcome them.

Gerard is a beguiling young man; he has the biggest smile and the most enchanting manner. I chatted to him about his book and about his own adversity.  Ger has cerebral palsy, but this does not define him.

As Billy Keane puts it in the foreword of the book; “There’s an innate decency in this young lad that shines through. The book is part motivational and part thank you. The contributors are full of thanks for what we have and above all there’s thanks for the force we have found within us to face life’s challenges”.

There are some faces in the book that you will recognize and some stories that you have heard before.

Brent Pope talks of his battle with mental health and the parents of Donal Walsh, Fionnbar and Elma speak of their dedication  in spreading Donal’s message to #LiveLife and also the wonderful Jane McKenna who set up the LauraLynn foundation having lost both her daughters at a young age.

There are some truly illuminating stories and I would encourage everyone to read the book, as it is the type of book that you will pick up time and time again and read one story from the many remarkable stories included and by reading it you will feel better and hopefully able to face whatever difficult situation you may be encountering.

The title is very clever as it is what the person in each story in the book had to do. They played the cards that they were dealt.

If you are currently going through a hard time, read this book or if you know someone who is finding things tough, buy them the book and encourage them to read it.

I will always remember my first encounter with Gerard Mulvihill and I know that our paths will cross again.

Until next week.

Play the cards…

Orlagh xx

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