Mary O’Donnell A Beauty Inspiration
THIS time last year, renowned beauty expert Mary O’Donnell was more than happy to be part of the judging panel for the Connect Kerry Hair & Beauty Awards – honoured to use her experience to help choose the best in the industry that she adores.
Little did she know, however, that the real honour was to come at the gala function, when to her absolute amazement, she herself received the ultimate accolade of the evening – a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“As far as I was concerned, I was there as a judge and that was it, so I was gobsmacked. I’ll never forget that absolutely magical feeling when the award was announced and I got a standing ovation,” Mary told Connect ahead of this year’s awards night, at which she is again a judge.
“It was an amazing feeling and what made it even more special was that I was in a room full of peers. Some ladies who would have done work experience with me and now had their own successful businesses. I couldn’t believe how many people I knew and had worked with and it meant the world to me. It was a magical atmosphere.”
Now a well-known social media star with 65,000 Facebook followers, as well as a TV and radio regular, Mary started off in the industry at the tender age of 17, training at the Bronwyn Conroy Beauty School in Dublin for two years. From there it was back home to Tralee where she took up a job at CH Chemist, and laughs now at the thought of her being the only ‘beauty person’ in there at the time.
“It’s funny how different things were back then. People didn’t really go to beauticians anywhere nearly as much as they do now,” Mary said. “I wanted to do more of the treatment side of things and so I also worked evenings with Susan Roberts in Listowel.”
After two years combining both jobs, Mary finally took the bold and brave step and opened her own business, Beauty & Fitness Matters – a labour of love that she adored for the 17 years she was at the helm. “I was in a wonderful premises in town and had so many amazing clients in and out every day. It was wonderful. I loved the day to day stuff, chatting with clients and hearing their stories. They were a part of my life and I absolutely miss that,” she said.
Unfortunately, like so many professional women, Mary felt that if she wanted to have another child, she could not commit full time to her business and made the incredibly tough decision to sell the business she had built from scratch – lock, stock and barrel.
Thankfully, Mary went on to have two more ‘babas’ as she lovingly describes them, and in a somewhat unusual twist of fate, it was her quest to lose her baby weight that brought her right back to her first passion – beauty!
“I decided that to help with the weight I’d do a marathon but I got pneumonia and couldn’t move for two weeks,” she explained. “I was in hospital and the Today Show was on TV every day and I remember every woman around me was glued to the beauty slot on it.”
Inspired by the captive audience she saw first-hand while in hospital, Mary approached Radio Kerry for a ‘trial’ beauty segment – a slot she still enjoys on Deirdre Walsh’ Talkabout show to this day.
She was then encouraged by Radio Kerry’s Melanie O’Sullivan to set up a Facebook Page and showcase and review beauty products that she featured on her radio show – and the rest, as they say, it history.
Mary now has over 65,000 on her page – something which still overwhelms her.
“I remember when I hit 100 followers I thought it was absolutely mad,” she laughs. “That was only four years ago, so to see where I am today is incredible.”
Laughing hysterically at the suggestion that she now has the Kate Middleton effect, Mary admits that she certainly does influence a lot of people and trends – although is slow to label herself ‘an influencer.’
“It’s amazing really – sometimes I get asked by fashion outlets to wear their stuff and then I’m being told that it sold out,” she said. “That makes me very proud because I suppose I took a big chance to leave the salon and branch into something completely new so it’s great that it has worked out so well.”
As well as her incredibly popular Facebook page, her Radio Kerry slot, public talks and beauty event appearances, Mary is also a regular on TV – appearing on RTE’s Today Show each month from September to April and on the daily Life and Style show during the summer.
Her latest project – which is still in its early stages – sees her reunite with a close family friend who helped her hugely in the very first days of her beauty journey.
When she first went to Dublin at 17, Mary was taken under the wing of family friend Bob Corkery, who worked at RTE at the time – and who Mary still credits for helping her find her bearings in the Big Smoke. The pair have just recently reunited and are currently embarking on an exciting YouTube project, Mary explained.
“Bob has recently come back to Tralee so we are setting up a YouTube channel where I’ll be reviewing products and things like that. I’ve always wanted to do it, but having Bob on board – with his TV experience – means the best, professional quality, so we are very excited.”
Looking ahead to this year’s Hair & Beauty awards, Mary said she is thrilled to again be involved and said that each and every one of the nominees should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved – no matter who wins!
