Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
    • GAA

      GAA: Wilson appointed new MacCumhaills senior manager

      6 hours ago

      Athletics

      Donegal charities invited to be beneficiaries of…

      13 hours ago

      Sport

      Yvonne Bonner retires from Aussie Rules

      15 hours ago

      GAA

      GAA: Murphy has no problem with McGuinness’…

      16 hours ago

      Athletics

      Donegal charities invited to be beneficiaries of…

      13 hours ago

      Athletics

      McGinley tipped for honours at national cross-country…

      6 days ago

      Athletics

      Rosses AC hosts successful juvenile presentation night

      7 days ago

      Athletics

      Hard work pays off as McGonagle named…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Joe Ward wins in dominant display at…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Pro boxing back in Donegal with a…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Gold medal for Donegal teen in world…

      1 month ago

      Boxing

      Pro boxing returns to Donegal for first…

      2 months ago

      Football

      East Donegal soccer club nets €10,000 in…

      1 day ago

      Football

      Watch: Unbelievable overhead kick is a winner…

      1 week ago

      Football

      Kevin McHugh is new Assistant Coach of…

      1 week ago

      Football

      Letterkenny Rovers grind out penalties win to…

      1 week ago

      GAA

      GAA: Wilson appointed new MacCumhaills senior manager

      6 hours ago

      GAA

      GAA: Murphy has no problem with McGuinness’…

      16 hours ago

      GAA

      Ex Aussie Rules player confirmed as new…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Setanta win Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship

      3 days ago

      Golf

      Another busy week at Buncrana Golf Club

      2 weeks ago

      Golf

      Tee-rific! St. Patrick’s Links named among world’s…

      1 month ago

      Golf

      Buncrana Golf Club Winter League Week 4

      1 month ago

      Golf

      Donegal ETB Golf Society’s second outing of…

      1 month ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Hockey scoop Intermediate League title after…

      7 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe complete double with Intermediate Ulster…

      7 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe victorious in Linden Cup Final…

      8 months ago

      Hockey

      Hard-fought win sees Raphoe close in on…

      9 months ago

      GAA

      Setanta win Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship

      3 days ago

      Hurling

      Watch: Setanta’s Kevin Campbell delighted to embrace…

      6 days ago

      Hurling

      Comfortable victory for St Eunan’s in Ulster…

      1 month ago

      Hurling

      Setanta retain County Championship title

      4 months ago

      Rugby

      Donegal Town RFC secure perfect record of…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Club with Donegal roots to play in…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      The more scrums the better for Donegal’s…

      4 months ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny RFC beat Cavan to reach Gordon…

      8 months ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Wednesday 8°CThursday 12°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

  • News
  • Sport
    • GAA

      GAA: Wilson appointed new MacCumhaills senior manager

      6 hours ago

      Athletics

      Donegal charities invited to be beneficiaries of…

      13 hours ago

      Sport

      Yvonne Bonner retires from Aussie Rules

      15 hours ago

      GAA

      GAA: Murphy has no problem with McGuinness’…

      16 hours ago

      Athletics

      Donegal charities invited to be beneficiaries of…

      13 hours ago

      Athletics

      McGinley tipped for honours at national cross-country…

      6 days ago

      Athletics

      Rosses AC hosts successful juvenile presentation night

      7 days ago

      Athletics

      Hard work pays off as McGonagle named…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Joe Ward wins in dominant display at…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Pro boxing back in Donegal with a…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Gold medal for Donegal teen in world…

      1 month ago

      Boxing

      Pro boxing returns to Donegal for first…

      2 months ago

      Football

      East Donegal soccer club nets €10,000 in…

      1 day ago

      Football

      Watch: Unbelievable overhead kick is a winner…

      1 week ago

      Football

      Kevin McHugh is new Assistant Coach of…

      1 week ago

      Football

      Letterkenny Rovers grind out penalties win to…

      1 week ago

      GAA

      GAA: Wilson appointed new MacCumhaills senior manager

      6 hours ago

      GAA

      GAA: Murphy has no problem with McGuinness’…

      16 hours ago

      GAA

      Ex Aussie Rules player confirmed as new…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Setanta win Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship

      3 days ago

      Golf

      Another busy week at Buncrana Golf Club

      2 weeks ago

      Golf

      Tee-rific! St. Patrick’s Links named among world’s…

      1 month ago

      Golf

      Buncrana Golf Club Winter League Week 4

      1 month ago

      Golf

      Donegal ETB Golf Society’s second outing of…

      1 month ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Hockey scoop Intermediate League title after…

      7 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe complete double with Intermediate Ulster…

      7 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe victorious in Linden Cup Final…

      8 months ago

      Hockey

      Hard-fought win sees Raphoe close in on…

      9 months ago

      GAA

      Setanta win Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship

      3 days ago

      Hurling

      Watch: Setanta’s Kevin Campbell delighted to embrace…

      6 days ago

      Hurling

      Comfortable victory for St Eunan’s in Ulster…

      1 month ago

      Hurling

      Setanta retain County Championship title

      4 months ago

      Rugby

      Donegal Town RFC secure perfect record of…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Club with Donegal roots to play in…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      The more scrums the better for Donegal’s…

      4 months ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny RFC beat Cavan to reach Gordon…

      8 months ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
BusinessFeatureshomepage-featuresNews

Donegal’s Mompreneurs are just the business!

written by Rachel McLaughlin October 26, 2016
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

The term ‘working mother’ has taken on a whole new lease of life with the phenomenal rise in ‘Mompreneurs’ starting businesses from their kitchen tables and Donegal mammies have been leading the way with some fantastic enterprises springing up in recent times.

Twin sisters Charlene McCarron and her sister Ciara Mhic Cathmhaoil decided upon Bibby Love, their Buncrana-based bib-making business when they couldn’t find a bib that suited the needs of their babies, but the primary school teachers admitted they really just started out with a dream and a sewing machine.

Interestingly, in a county once famous for its textiles industry, clothing cottage-industries are proving to be very popular with working mums.

Bibby Love owners Charlene McCarron and Ciara Mhic Cathmhaoil started off with a dream and a sewing machine when they came up with an idea to make and sell baby bibs.

Bibby Love owners Charlene McCarron and Ciara Mhic Cathmhaoil.

Chiq Maternity (St. Johnston) and Pretty Baby Hair Accessories (Manorcunningham) are just two of many others now in the county and all three mompreneurs, along with many others, will attend this Sunday’s Bump and Beyond baby event in Letterkenny’s Mount Errigal Hotel.

Maria Rushe, from Newtowncunningham, a teacher and mother of two – who organised that event when she discovered that mothers were struggling to find information on a whole range of parenting topics – said there really is a growing trend of mothers taking action when they spot a gap in the market.

Amanda McClintock and Gillian Hamilton who started Chiq Maternity when they realised that pregnant women were struggling to find something to wear for special occasions.

Amanda McClintock and Gillian Hamilton – Chiq Maternity.

Two of those mothers are Amanda McClintock and Gillian Hamilton who started Chiq Maternity earlier this year after doing a Start Your Own Business Course with Donegal Local Enterprise Office.

“Our children are all of the same ages and our youngest both started school together and we found we had some spare time and thought we could put it to good use. We decided to open an online shop for maternity wear as we had huge problems ourselves sourcing special occasion wear when we where both pregnant. We talked to a lot of other mothers who said exactly the same thing.”

For now Amanda and Gillian are sourcing labels from Paris that are unique to Ireland for their online business, but the plans are to get some of their own designs and products on sale further down the line.

That’s something that both Bibby Love and Pretty Baby Hair Accessories are already doing with Pretty Baby Hair Accessories now selling to over 50 countries.

Leona Barron with her children Michael and her daughter Grace who is wearing one of her mother’s creations from Pretty Baby Hair Products.

Leona Barron with her son Michael and her daughter Grace.

Former economics and business studies teacher Leona Barron who started Pretty Baby Hair Accessories, explained that she had also created something to fill a need before realising it had business potential.

“When Grace (who is now aged 6) was born, she had a beautiful full head of black hair and I was looking for clips to keep the hair from her eyes. The only ones I could find in stores were metal ones that were too harsh to put on a newborn’s head, so initially all I did was wrap the clips in some pretty ribbon to soften them against her head.

People started asking me then where I got them. I started making some for friends and family members.”

At that point it was very much a hobby, but it grew quickly and Leona left her full-time job to concentrate on her own business.

Since October 2013 Leona has watched the orders increase hugely on her website www.prettybabyhair.co.uk. To date the business has shipped thousands of orders to customers in over 50 countries around the world. And with this extraordinary growth of Pretty Baby Hair Accessories, new plans are already in place for the business.

Bibby Love operate from Derry as well as Buncrana, and while the business is only eight months old, their tale bears striking similarities to Leona’s.

“The inspiration really came from our children and not being able to find products on the market to suit our needs. Charlene had begun taking a sewing class as a hobby to be able to make decorative things for around the house and to make pretty things for the girls. Ciara had just had her second baby and suggested that they look into making bibs that were more absorbent than any we had as she was struggling to keep the baby dry during feeding.

It was then that we discovered the wonder fabric that is bamboo cotton and all the amazing properties it has for babies and mammies, both practical and beneficial. We began with the intention of making them only for ourselves and as gifts for friends, but after using them we decided that other mammies could benefit from our products too.”

Having watched her business bloom, successful Mompreneur Leona says that she would encourage other mothers to seize the day and go for it.

“I knew nothing about any of this, but I saw a niche in the market and after doing some research I went for it. I didn’t have a huge outlay but I did work hard and was determined to make it succeed if I could. There are thousands of women around the world who are at home developing their own business ideas in between changing nappies and doing the school run. I would encourage anyone with a good idea and something to sell, to seize the opportunity. Who knows where it might lead them!”

Donegal’s Mompreneurs are just the business! was last modified: October 26th, 2016 by Rachel McLaughlin
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

Tags:
bibby loveBump and BeyondBusinesschiqdonegal womenEnterprisepretty baby
Rachel McLaughlin

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Irish motorsport legend Rosemary Smith dies, aged...

4 hours ago

Crolly Distillery uncorks the perfect Christmas gifts...

5 hours ago

Concert for a cause at the Halfway...

5 hours ago

Living Green announced as overall county winners...

6 hours ago

SuperValu Carndonagh exclusive turkey offer returns –...

7 hours ago

Donegal businessman Tim Kelly gets Freedom of...

8 hours ago

Donegal routes to be gritted from 4pm...

9 hours ago

Twenty-five more Donegal schools approved for hot...

10 hours ago

Renters in Donegal need emergency three-year price...

10 hours ago

Gardaí gear up to support the Rathmullan...

10 hours ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

MOST POPULAR

Donegal County Council
Advertisement
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2023 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod

  • News
  • Sport
    • GAA

      GAA: Wilson appointed new MacCumhaills senior manager

      6 hours ago

      Athletics

      Donegal charities invited to be beneficiaries of…

      13 hours ago

      Sport

      Yvonne Bonner retires from Aussie Rules

      15 hours ago

      GAA

      GAA: Murphy has no problem with McGuinness’…

      16 hours ago

      Athletics

      Donegal charities invited to be beneficiaries of…

      13 hours ago

      Athletics

      McGinley tipped for honours at national cross-country…

      6 days ago

      Athletics

      Rosses AC hosts successful juvenile presentation night

      7 days ago

      Athletics

      Hard work pays off as McGonagle named…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Joe Ward wins in dominant display at…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Pro boxing back in Donegal with a…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Gold medal for Donegal teen in world…

      1 month ago

      Boxing

      Pro boxing returns to Donegal for first…

      2 months ago

      Football

      East Donegal soccer club nets €10,000 in…

      1 day ago

      Football

      Watch: Unbelievable overhead kick is a winner…

      1 week ago

      Football

      Kevin McHugh is new Assistant Coach of…

      1 week ago

      Football

      Letterkenny Rovers grind out penalties win to…

      1 week ago

      GAA

      GAA: Wilson appointed new MacCumhaills senior manager

      6 hours ago

      GAA

      GAA: Murphy has no problem with McGuinness’…

      16 hours ago

      GAA

      Ex Aussie Rules player confirmed as new…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Setanta win Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship

      3 days ago

      Golf

      Another busy week at Buncrana Golf Club

      2 weeks ago

      Golf

      Tee-rific! St. Patrick’s Links named among world’s…

      1 month ago

      Golf

      Buncrana Golf Club Winter League Week 4

      1 month ago

      Golf

      Donegal ETB Golf Society’s second outing of…

      1 month ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Hockey scoop Intermediate League title after…

      7 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe complete double with Intermediate Ulster…

      7 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe victorious in Linden Cup Final…

      8 months ago

      Hockey

      Hard-fought win sees Raphoe close in on…

      9 months ago

      GAA

      Setanta win Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship

      3 days ago

      Hurling

      Watch: Setanta’s Kevin Campbell delighted to embrace…

      6 days ago

      Hurling

      Comfortable victory for St Eunan’s in Ulster…

      1 month ago

      Hurling

      Setanta retain County Championship title

      4 months ago

      Rugby

      Donegal Town RFC secure perfect record of…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Club with Donegal roots to play in…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      The more scrums the better for Donegal’s…

      4 months ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny RFC beat Cavan to reach Gordon…

      8 months ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors

Back To Top.