Hi, I’m Stacey — and I’m so glad you’re here.
I hail from Killarney, County Kerry, where the weather shifts quickly, the landscape is endlessly grounding, and time spent outdoors has a way of quietening the mind.
After years of living and working abroad and around Ireland, I came home with a new relationship to pace and place. What once felt familiar began to feel restorative. I noticed how much calmer life became when I slowed down, spent more time outside, and stepped back from the constant pull of screens and noise.
Fern+Fia began as a personal space — part journal, part creative outlet — and has grown into a place to explore slow living, sustainability, modern overwhelm, the outdoors, and the simple act of being present. Alongside that, sustainability is central to what I do — I studied it and try to live it as much as possible.
Much of what I write is rooted in Kerry, not as a destination to consume, but as a landscape that gently encourages a quieter, more intentional way of living.
This is a space for reflection rather than perfection — for noticing small details, embracing ordinary days, and remembering that life doesn’t need to be so loud to be meaningful.
Thanks for stopping by. You are very welcome here.
10 Things About Me
A few things to break the ice…
My roots run sweet.
My grandparents owned Sheahan’s Sweet Shop on High Street in Killarney, a local institution still remembered (and deeply missed) by anyone lucky enough to have experienced it and their famous penny sweets.
Coffee was a slow burn.
I didn’t like it… until I went to Sydney. Now? Give me a latte, a sea breeze, and a view of the waves (ideally Coogee Beach, but Inch will do nicely).
Home called me back.
After years abroad, from Germany to London to Australia, I found myself craving the wildness and familiarity of Kerry. The fog, the friendliness, the fuchsia hedgerows.
I’m in a long-term relationship with nature.
When I returned to Killarney, I joined the Killarney Mountain Meitheal. I spent many Sundays in wellies and wet gear, clearing invasive rhododendron in the National Park. Glamorous? No. Rewarding? Always.
Books are my other obsession. Crime novels, travel memoirs, anything by Michael Palin. I could read all day, every day. Two books a week is standard, preferably with a good view and a coffee in hand. One day I’ll start a book club… outdoor reading spots included.
Fashion first, then forests.
I spent years working in luxury fashion and retail management, but eventually swapped city streets for mountain paths and studied Sustainability, Climate & the Environment in UCC.
Fern+Fia is where it all meets.
It’s the meeting point of what I value most — slow living, time spent outdoors, and learning to be present in ordinary days. It’s about choosing less noise, finding beauty in familiar places, and discovering that life can be lived more gently, with a little less worry.
Cold water is my therapy.
I’ll take a lake or sea dip in any weather, at any time of the year… and yes, there’s always the thought of a hot coffee waiting for me at the other end in some cute, cosy cafe.
Always Wandering Wild
I was part of the organising team for the 2025 Wander Wild Festival — Ireland’s largest outdoor festival, right here in Killarney. Mountains, hikes, yoga, lakeshore saunas — what more would you want?
I believe in slow living, not standing still.
For me, it’s about moving through life with awareness. Choosing presence over pressure, depth over distraction, and making space for what actually matters.
FERN+FIA 