Sparkly shoes, purple socks and a floral dress, that’s what two-year-old Harper picked out from a rail for the photoshoot, as dad TJ Reid held her up, and mam Niamh de Brún watched on from the side, getting her glam on. “Oh she knows what she wants, this one, and she won’t change her mind,” Niamh told us. Decisive, confident and determined. “She gets that from her mom,” Kilkenny hurler TJ said, with a smile.
We joined the family of three at the incredible Mount Juliet Estate, just a short jaunt away from their home in Kilkenny. Niamh and TJ have been working tirelessly on the new build for the last two years, and it’s coming together, slowly but surely, with everything just as they want it. “It’s our forever home, we want it to be perfect. Perfect for us, anyway,” Niamh said. “We love our life here, it’s a gorgeous place with great people. I’m happier than I could have ever imagined,” she said, looking off to the side at her husband who was cuddling their little girl.
After an adorable family shoot and a little picnic, we sat down with Niamh to chat more about her family life, sports and the darker side of social media.
Niamh, we had such a gorgeous day with your family, thanks for introducing us to your little world! Harper, is she the apple of your eye?
I honestly can’t imagine life without her. Seeing her happy and healthy is all I could ever wish for, and I feel incredibly lucky to be her mom. She brings me so much joy and a whole new perspective to everything.
How has your life changed since she’s arrived?
My life has certainly undergone a significant reorganisation! The days are undeniably busier, and my sleep schedule has definitely changed. While it’s a completely new pace, the pros absolutely outweigh any cons. I feel incredibly blessed, and I’m keenly aware that we’re among the fortunate ones to have conceived a healthy, happy child.
She’s a funny, determined little lady who knows what she wants – we love to see it. Has she always been like that?
From very early on it was clear she was incredibly strong spirited. If there’s something she wants, she finds a way to get it. It’s a great trait to see in a child, and honestly, I really hope she keeps that spirit as she grows up. It’s going to serve her well in life.
Who do you think she takes after most?
It’s funny, I see both of us in her. She’s got that core determination that I think we both share, and a sense of creativity that’s already coming through. If I’m being honest, the stubbornness is also pretty evident, and I suppose we can both take some credit – or blame – for that! [laughs] It just adds to her personality, and honestly, I wouldn’t have her any other way.
And TJ dotes on her! They’ve such a special relationship. Does it fill you with pride watching them together?
Ah yeah, TJ and Harper have a lovely bond! Watching him with her and seeing the pure joy she brings him, fills me with pride and a lot of gratitude. It reinforces everything you hope for as a parent; that deep, unconditional love within your family.
Bringing her to TJ’s games, does she love it? He must adore having her there too.
She loves going to the games, it’s become a little ritual. The most important thing is making sure she has her hurl with her, ready for action. The challenge though, which sometimes leads to a spirited tantrum, is that she doesn’t quite grasp that she can’t actually be on the pitch with daddy during the game. But despite those little moments, it’s special being able to bring her down afterwards. Those few minutes connecting with TJ on the pitch, capturing those memories, are moments we’ll undoubtedly appreciate even more in years to come.
Would you have been big into the sport yourself before he came along?
I was, actually! Both my parents have always been incredibly involved in GAA and instilled a keen interest in all sports from a young age. I spent many a childhood afternoon in Croke Park with my dad, a Kerryman, cheering for them. Though, when I played camogie myself, I often asked to be in goal as there was less chance of being tackled! While my direct involvement might have shifted a bit over the years, the love for the game has always been there, long before TJ came along.
Tell us, how did you and TJ first meet, take us back to the start.
Our story is quite a funny one. He added me on Snapchat, and then I started receiving these interesting photos of his cows on the farm. Having spent my summers in Kerry with my family on my dad’s farm, I was quite used to farm life. At the time, I was living in Cork, having just spent a year living in Australia, so he made the trip down, and we went on our first date. From there, I suppose you could say the rest just evolved naturally.
You’ve moved around a lot, but you’re originally from Limerick. How did you decide to settle on Kilkenny?
A job opportunity came up for me in Kilkenny. Looking back, it almost feels like fate played a hand in it, so I moved up. Kilkenny itself is such a vibrant city, which made the move easier. I have to admit though, at the time I definitely didn’t fully grasp the level of commitment and the sheer scale of hurling for a player – and the associated lifestyle! If I knew then what I know now, I probably wouldn’t have been quite as optimistic about eventually moving back to Limerick, or even to Kerry, which I absolutely adore. But we’re very settled here now, and it’s home.
Do you feel like a local yourself now, do you love it there?
Oh, absolutely, I’m very much settled now. Kilkenny, and Ballyhale have really become my home, and we’ve built a wonderful life here. While I’ll always be incredibly proud of my Limerick roots and never want to lose that part of my identity, I’ve found my feet here.
You’ve been working on the new house now for the last while, how’s it going?
It’s going well! We’re in the phase I like to call ‘slow styling’. We took a bit of a break last year from most of it as the cost of everything just became mad. We’re really trying to avoid buying things just for the sake of having the house furnished. Instead, we’re taking our time, saving, and waiting to get the pieces we genuinely want and that we know will last. This year, we’re really hoping to get a lot of the soft furnishings sorted, and then, fingers crossed, we’ll be ready to tackle the outside.
Are you mad into interiors now? Where are you finding inspo for the house, where are your favourite places to shop?
When the house was being built, we worked with Sarah Louise Interiors to make sure we got the core design right, which was invaluable. For inspiration and shopping, I’m a huge fan of the quality from Finline Furniture. Eaton and Boru is another online store I absolutely love. And Jess Kelly, she’s an amazing Irish artist whose beautiful work already hangs in our home, with more on the way. For Harper’s room specifically, I found her furniture and accessories on the Petit Avenue website, which has some lovely pieces. We’ve also just ordered all our blinds and curtains from Material World in Naas, so things are definitely progressing!
TJ has the family farm, we spent time with the horses at Mount Juliet too, so we know you both love animals but will you have any running around at home?
Oh, we love them! My dad was actually very keen to get Harper a pony recently, but TJ – probably wisely – put a stop to that. I think he knew he’d be the one looking after it! [laughs] We do have a gorgeous Samoyed dog named Casper, and Harper is brilliant with him. He’s very much part of the family. Funny story, when TJ and I first started dating, knowing he loved animals, I thought it would be a romantic gesture to get him some goldfish. Let’s just say it didn’t quite go down as well as I’d imagined! I’ve since learned TJ has a very particular preference for cattle, but I haven’t quite managed to get him one of those yet, unfortunately!
There’s still time! Do you think you’ll be sharing much of the house online or prefer to keep it private?
We’ll definitely be sharing more of the house as things are completed. However, being so public facing, it can sometimes get a little overwhelming and our home is our safe sanctuary. Because of that, I’m quite particular about what I share. It’s about finding that balance between inviting people in and maintaining a sense of privacy for our family.
You’re quite reserved online as it is, in that you don’t share much about Harper or your personal life in general, you really keep it quite fashion and beauty focused. Was this a conscious decision when you first started out?
It’s very much aligned with my personality to be reserved, unless I feel strongly about something. There’s an element of feeling torn when you do share more personal aspects online. While I understand it can make for great viewing and foster a connection, for me, I need to have boundaries to protect my peace and my family’s peace. My family is the most important thing to me, and that will always come before likes, views, or social media engagement. It’s nice to hear that’s the perception regarding Harper though, as I’m always conscious about not sharing too much of her. I try to share what I can, what feels authentic, while still being respectful and safeguarding our private life.
Being so public-facing, both you and TJ, are you ever subjected to the darker side of online and trolling?
I think most people who put themselves out there will have experienced the darker side. And to be honest, it’s not always easy. It’s part of it and unavoidable. When I first met TJ, I genuinely didn’t realise nor could I have anticipated the level of media coverage he received, or that we would as a couple and now as a family. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. For the most part, people are incredibly genuine and kind, which I’m forever grateful for. I have had the pleasure of meeting some amazing women. Being public facing certainly isn’t as glamorous as it can sometimes look, it really does demand that you’re confident in yourself and as tough as nails. Don’t get me wrong, at the very start, it wasn’t nice. There were so many times I thought about permanently deleting my social media accounts to be less exposed to it, but I’m glad I didn’t. With that small group of people who engage in trolling, harassment, and what is often defamation rather than just idle gossip, it absolutely makes you have your guard up a lot more. While that can be a challenging thing at times, it also helps me protect my peace. I’m very thankful for my siblings, parents, TJ and my small group of friends.
How do you deal with it, it’s obviously easier said than done to just ignore it.
Oh, it’s far easier said than done to just ignore it. I’ve personally never been able to ignore it. For me, the way to deal with it is by talking about it with those closest to me. That act of sharing takes the power out of it. I’m very clear on this: I will never allow anyone to take my power. In the past, I didn’t deal with it well at all. I would often shut myself off and isolate. But with more life experience, consistent conversations with my family and my counsellor, and frankly, just growing a lot more confidence in myself, I handle it significantly better now. Exercise and its countless benefits are also a very big and important part of my life, which always helps me process and maintain my mental well being.
Can you give your thoughts on Tattle Life being in the news recently. Forums like that are so damaging and scary.
My opinion of Tattle Life and platforms like it, is that they fundamentally operate as a space for anonymous harassment and defamation, often disguised as ‘commentary’ or ‘opinion’. While I believe in open discussion, Tattle Life exploits anonymity in a deeply harmful way. It’s crucial to distinguish between legitimate critique and the outright lies, baseless defamation, and sustained harassment that go beyond an opinion.
Aside from your social career, you’re still in the pharmaceutical industry as well right? For those who don’t know, what is it you do?
Yeah. I’m working in the pharmaceutical industry full time as the Head of Talent Acquisition for a US Biopharmaceutical company that has five manufacturing sites here in Ireland. It’s an incredibly busy and challenging role, but one that I find very rewarding.
Juggling the various jobs and family life, what do you for yourself, what’s your form of self care or me-time?
For me, my self care and me-time really boils down to three core things: spending quality time with my family, exercising and creating content. It’s vital for me to have my own interests outside of being a mom and a wife, to ensure I don’t lose myself in the midst of everything. I’ll admit, I don’t get to spend as much time with friends as I’d ideally like, but I try my best, and honestly, that’s all any of us can do.
Are you good at taking time for yourself and switching off or do you prefer to be busy?
I’ve become very tuned into my mental health, so I know when enough is enough and when I need to take time out. While I genuinely do like being busy and having projects or goals to work on, I also understand the importance of stepping back. Things like exercise really rebalance me, or even just something small like going for a massage, a lunch date alone, or a bit of online shopping – those little daily things help me switch off.
What’s next on the agenda? Any time for a little holiday before summer’s out?
We’re hoping for a family holiday, depending on the hurling schedule. Beyond that, it’s about spending quality time with my family and tackling more of the house interiors – hopefully making good progress on those soft furnishings before summer’s out!
