The man who inspired Rowan Beg

This is my Grandad, Mikey Coyne. He was the first real love of my life. I had the privilege of growing up in a multi generational house. There were nine of us, my Grandparents, my Parents, me and my four siblings. I was the youngest, and yes it is true that the youngest is always the spoiled one.

From long before I can remember, I had a very special bond with Grandad. He was never in a hurry, never had somewhere he needed to be. He had all the time in the world to spend with me. He loved to tell me stories and my biggest regret is that I didn’t record all those stories. His favourite story was the one of how he pursued my Nanny. She was the absolute love of his life and he was so proud he had gotten to marry her. When they were young, my Nanny would pass his house on her bike everyday as she cycled to the village. Grandad would pretend to be working in the field next to the road just so he could say hello. He was besotted with her for his whole life and unlike most men of his generation, he wanted the world to know. He always had a smile and a twinkle in his eye and he loved with all his heart. He is the man who taught me what love should be. He was forever teasing me. When I was little, I loved to fall asleep on his lap and he would carry me up to bed. When I got older he would sneak me a few extra pound on my way out to the disco. I had my Grandad for 23 years of my life and I am very grateful for that. He passed away just before his 92nd birthday. He taught me kindness and patience and so much of who I am as a person is because of him. When he passed away, I was living in the States. I took his cap and pipe back with me and for years, when I was very homesick, I would smell those items and they brought me so much comfort. Years later, I created a candle that smelled like his pipe. That candle was the beginning of Rowan Beg and the first candle in our Connemara Collection.

Having Grandad as part of my Rowan Beg story keeps his memory alive. I am now back living in the house I grew up in with him, raising my children, and their Grandad lives next door, and so begins another generation of memories in this very special place, just as he would have wanted.