Our interview with MICHELLE McMAHON
Michelle McMahon - SPIN South West's hot DJ, is one busy lady! This cool 23rd year old originally hails from Lissycasey in Co. Clare, but moved to Limerick to study Media & Communication and Psychology. Having graduated in October 2006, she didn’t wait around! In early 2007, she won the Munster round of a Hot Press student journalism competition and shortly thereafter, was offered a weekly column in the Limerick Post newspaper. On July 23rd of last year, Michelle became the first female presenter to take to the airwaves on the brand new SPIN South West radio, serving Clare, Limerick, Kerry, North Tipperary and South West Laois. She co-hosts the Zoo Crew Hot 40, which is the most listened to show amongst 15-34 year olds in the region every evening, and on Saturdays she has a talk show where she chats to those in the know about sport, music, fashion (including stylebible.ie). Having become a familiar face in Limerick, Michelle plays DJ gigs in pubs and clubs and hosts many events around the city and beyond. She also does some freelance writing as well as making documentaries. When she’s not working, Michelle likes to stay active - this year she did a bungee jump, took her first surfing lesson, and went skydiving. Next on her list apparently, is scuba-diving and wind-surfing along with a dance class of some description. We’re tired just thinking about doing all of those things! This week, we caught up with this busy radio presenter and asked her a few very serious fashion questions!
Q: Have you always wanted to work in media/communications and how did you come about to be working for the fantastic Spin South West Radio station?
A: I did always want to work in media - but to be honest I had visions of myself as a journalist not a radio presenter. Luckily I got the chance to do both, so now between my column and some freelance writing along with my radio work I'm happy out; I'd hate to have to choose! With SPIN SW, I had heard that a new youth station was headed for Limerick, so my friend Conor and I did some research on the sister station in Dublin. We noticed there were quite a few shows with two presenters, so we applied together and luckily got the show we wanted - the Zoo Crew. Then, after about a month on-air I was asked to take over the weekend talk show, and here I am a year later...
Q: What is your favourite element of the job?
A: I love the immediacy of live radio. It can be quite scary at times but there is such a buzz when it's working well. I'm lucky in that I get the fun of co-hosting all week but then at weekends I have something that's all mine. On the talk show I love the fashion interviews, and I have a serious soft spot for the music interviews because it feels like I'm being serenaded every week - happy days!
Q: Working in the media, you would have to attend plenty of glamorous events etc. Do you find a pressure on you to be looking well all the time?
A:There are glamorous events?! And no one told me?! Ah to be honest with an evening show you miss out on a lot of the various things that crop up - work comes first after all. But in general no I don't feel any pressure to be stylish. It's true that radio has changed a lot in recent years – with blogs and bebo pages and all that your listeners are far more likely to know what you look like, so that whole anonymous voice thing doesn't really apply any more. But even at that, no one expects you to be glammed up - jeans and t-shirt are the usual uniform. Then when there is a good excuse to get dolled up I'll spend hours at it! I'm a girlie girl at heart so any excuse for the heels...
Q: How would you describe your own personal sense of style?
A:I don't really follow trends, I'm teeny tiny in height so anything that works on tall people I just have to rule out straight away. I like bright colours and wear a lot of pink and blue, but I'm not too keen on patterns. I'd rather wear block colours and accessorise. My shoe and handbag collections are quite something - most of them have come from trips to New York so they are my pride & joy!Q: What would be your most stylish moment, do you think?
A: Those coulottes I wore after my communion... oh the memories. Really though, for our launch party last year I had a dress made by Limerick designers Die For Love, which I absolutely adored. When something is made for you it just feels so special. I also have a dress I wore for a college ball and again at the PPI awards last year - it cost me ten dollars in a one-day sale at Macy's but it looks like it cost a whole lot more. In general I always feel good in those kind of party dresses - it's the little girl in me that never grew up.
Q: What is your most treasured item of clothing?
A: Ooh that's a tough one... I have a pair of Vera Wang shoes that are technically bridal slippers, but I wore them with a cream dress for my college graduation - they're pretty special. My favourite though is an amazing cigar-box handbag I found in Chinatown. The first one I owned has had to retire because I used it so often but I still haven't used the second - it just sits on my dressing table waiting for an occasion! Q: Who in Ireland today would you consider to be a seriously stylish person?
Might be a controversial one here but I think a lot of Irish ladies kind of blend into one when it comes to style - we can be a bit slavish with trends even when they don't suit, so everyone ends up looking the same. That said though there are always a few shining lights - I think Karen Koster from TV3 always looks great. My favourite stylish lady though is the current Alternative Ms Ireland - Sheila Fits Patrick - now there's a lady! (pictured left with Michelle)
Q: Where are your favourite places to shop?
A: Imasa lifestyle here in Limerick is amazing, they just have the most fantastic and unusual stock. Also the girls in there are lovely - I hate snooty people in shops, it really irks me - so when girls are so helpful and smiley it just makes the whole shopping experience so much nicer! Chain wise I like all the usuals; River Island, H&M, Zara etc, and God bless Penney's for the basics! For good undies though it has to be Bermay's in Ennis - it helps that my Auntie owns it!
Q: If you were told you could only use one item from your make up bag, what would that item be?
A: Mascara, no contest. I don't wear a lot of make-up but that's one thing I won't go out without. I'm using a few different ones at any given time but my favourites are Bourjois or BeneFit's Bad Gal Lash.
Q: Finally, if you had to choose an inspirational Irish designer, who would it be?
A: Die for Love have done the business for me, so I'd happily recommend them to anyone who wanted to feel completely fabulous! Other than that I think Marion Murphy Cooney and Synan O'Mahony are amazing. I shall collect them all when I'm rich... someday...Catch Michelle on SPIN South West Radio on the Zoo Crew Hot 40, Mon -Fri 18:45 - 21:45 or on Spin Talk Weekend, Saturdays 12:45 - 13-45.
Below: Michelle with her co host Conor on the Zoo Crew
Below: Michelle at the SPIN SW launch!
Below: Michelle (far right) and the SPIN girls at the PPI Awards!
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