‘I found Irish people very accepting. I also admired them for not caring what others think’

In the summer of 2004, Kasia O’Reilly (nee Szostek) broke her leg and spent six weeks stuck at home in a cast. Having recently graduated from university, she spent that long, hot summer figuring out what to do with her life.

“I had a lot of time to think about where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. I asked myself, Did I really want to be a shop manager in Poland? What I actually wanted was to go abroad. I think there was an explorer’s soul in me.”

O’Reilly had previously spent a summer on a J1 visa working in the US and another summer in Dublin working in a bar on Bachelors Walk. Once her leg had healed, she decided to give Dublin another try.

O'Reilly was born and grew up in the port city of Gdynia on Poland's Baltic coast. Her father was a ship's captain and often spent long periods away from his family. Shortly after she was born, O'Reilly's father was prevented from returning home when the Polish government declared martial law in December 1981. He did not see his family for two years.

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“My poor mum just stayed at home waiting for him. I was too young to remember but she tells me I was apparently always asking where my daddy was. Later it became the norm that he was always away.”

I enjoyed the peaceful neighbourhood and will never forget the day I saw a horse and cart at the market in Smithfield

After completing a degree in political science and management, O’Reilly moved to Dublin in 2005. She lived in a house share off Thomas Street in Pimlico and found work in a clothes shop at the Ilac shopping centre.

She loved how the local women called her “love” and the smell of hops wafting through the air from the nearby Guinness factory, but sometimes felt uneasy walking home in the evenings. “I was often harassed by drug addicts and glass bottles and eggs were sometimes thrown at me from communal apartments. I wanted to move out but I didn’t have enough money and didn’t have friends yet. I ended up living there for about eight months.”

She ended up finding a house for rent in Stoneybatter with the couple she had been living with. "Our friends called it the hobbit's home. It was tiny, but I adored it. My bed took up most of my room, but when I opened the window and stuck my head out there were neighbours everywhere.

"I enjoyed the peaceful neighbourhood and will never forget the day I saw a horse and cart at the market in Smithfield. Stoneybatter has changed a lot now. It didn't have those lovely cafes and artisanal bakeries that exist today. But I loved it."

O'Reilly also enjoyed exploring the market stalls on Moore Street and the Indian and Chinese food stores. "Compared to Poland, Ireland felt very ethnically diverse, even back then. I found Irish society very interesting and accepting of different cultures. I also thought Irish people were very laid-back and admired their attitude of not caring what others think."

After two years in Ireland, and having worked in a number of clothing boutiques, O’Reilly decided to change direction with her career and found a job with an insurance company. “I felt I hadn’t experienced the country fully and was curious to learn more. The first two years were difficult when I was moving from one job to another but it never crossed my mind to move to another country.”

Marriage and business

Shortly after moving jobs, O’Reilly met an Irish man from Cavan when a friend dragged her to a house party. “I didn’t want to go out that night and when I asked if there would be anyone interesting at the party my friend said there’s no one for you. But then my husband opened the door and the rest is history.”

The couple were married in Poland in 2010 but continued living in Dublin. However, they often spoke of moving away from the city. O’Reilly continued working for the same insurance company, where she developed “invaluable experience”. However, she also began exploring the possibility of setting up her own natural skincare line.

I lived for those Saturdays where I chatted to customers and built a connection with fellow stall holders. I discovered a culture I'd never experienced before  – the significance of local community

Having suffered from acne as a teenager, and after trying every type of cream available, she started using natural products like olive oil and floral water to deal with her bad skin.

“When I went to the doctor I was given antibiotics with all these side effects and when I stopped taking them the acne came back. It got to the point I decided to strip my skin of everything and use natural therapies. All of a sudden I discovered my skin was healing so I started educating myself about natural skincare. I studied plants as well and did many courses before I ever came to Ireland.”

In 2015, the couple moved to Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan after their son Leon was born. O'Reilly decided she didn't want to commute to Dublin for work and, inspired by the "beautiful landscapes" of her new home, turned her attention to setting up her natural skincare business.

"Having tested my skincare formulas for years at that stage, it felt like the perfect moment to launch my collection. I invested all my savings in it, it was risky but it was my dream. I called the brand Sana Naturals, meaning healthy, shine or glow in different languages."

She started selling her products at Sheridan’s cheesemongers Saturday market in Kells, Co Meath. “I lived for those Saturdays where I chatted to customers and built a connection with fellow stall holders. I discovered a culture I’d never experienced before neither in Poland nor Dublin – the significance of local community. The support and encouragement I got was amazing.”

She also took part in the Department of Agriculture’s Acorns programme, which supports female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

“Being part of the Acorns community and also the Cavan Business Women’s Club was like having a safety net around me. Living in the beautiful Cavan countryside also gave me the opportunity to promote simplicity in skincare. I wanted to spread the message that women don’t have to go for complicated skincare routines, there is an alternative way to care for skin which is simple yet effective.”

As her company grew, O’Reilly stopped doing markets and when the pandemic hit she went completely online. Last year she gave birth to her daughter Elena and says Ireland is “100 per cent home now”.

“This is where my family is, it’s where my heart is. Cavan is my home.”

[ newtotheparish@irishtimes.com ]