My name is Aoife McElwain.

I’m an events planner, author, food writer, creativity coach, and really good wedding DJ.

I started a food blog in 2009 to learn how to cook and since then I have written about food for The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, The Sunday Times’ HOME supplement, The Guardian, and Totally Dublin. I co-founded the video recipe series www.forkful.tv and have worked as a food stylist across print, digital, and TV.

I’m the author of a book about burnout called Slow at Work: How to work less, achieve more, and regain your balance in an always on world, which was published by Gill Books in 2018. My second book, a cookbook called MESSY, is out with Blasta Books in October 2025.

I am a certified life and career coach specialising in confidence, creativity, and craic, with a Diploma in Personal and Business Coaching from the Irish Lifecoach Institute, an International Coaching Federation accredited course.

I am a member of Clifden Pride, which I founded with my girlfriend Anstice in 2023. I was the Co-Director, Programme Curator and Community Manager of Turkfest, a community-led arts and music festival on a small island called Inishturk, home to 58 people, off the west coast of Ireland.

Anstice and I live in Connemara in the west of Ireland where we are doing our best to learn how to make cheese. In the summertime, I am a clumsy but enthusiastic waitress at Little Fish in Cleggan.

I love volunteering with Connemara Ponies. I co-created a confidence building workshop called Pony Power with my friend and equestrian coach Daria Erhart.

I’m happiest when I am in, on, or beside the sea with Anstice.