Believe (Master Distiller)

Confidence is a funny thing and inner resilience probably the most under-emphasised quality that the entrepreneur needs to survive the slings and petty barbs flung by the nay-sayers and know-it-alls (who know little as it turns out).

This month Moira wrote her blog for us.

“I’m Moira I am a wife to Jim, my very best friend! I am also Mum to Shannon who is 27, Rosie and Aidan aged 17 and Declan, the baby is 15 and over 6 feet tall. I am very proud to be Gogo (Granny) to Shannon’s beautiful little girls, Lola and Saoirse who make my heart happy every day.

The me I have been for longest is the identical twin to Joanne who is literally my other half, and I have a baby sister, Jackie and nieces and nephews both great and small too. I am a qualified general nurse and trained in Cape Town to become a Midwife in 1983, so I guess that also makes me a bit ancient!

I sometimes struggle to know where my voice sits in the company and when the negatives come through from people who don’t even know you it can be really hard. Jim would always ask my opinion and the board would be so supportive but sometimes he and they don’t get it and particularly Jim has seemingly boundless resilience and deals with his doubts ( I think by reconnecting to his vision).

That changed in March. The one thing I have never thought of myself as being is a Distiller, that is until 25th March this year. Much to my amazement and delight, I received an email to say that I had been nominated and short-listed in the Icons of Gin Awards 2020 Master Distiller category.

Thank you, thank you so much to whoever nominated me and made me realise that I didn’t just have an idea which lead to a gin distillery and an award winning gin brand. Nor do I just make my gin but – I AM A DISTILLER (and a particularly deft one Jim says)!

Without my Jim, there would be no distillery or An Dúlamán or Santa Ana or Assaranca Vodka, he is the powerhouse behind everything and is here to support me everyday. We also have a great team in James K, Dom and John on the board and the team in the distillery, particularly Sean our other distiller.

Together we are making our dream of “reclaiming the distilling heritage of Donegal” a reality.

Moira X”