About

Céad Míle Fáilte. (A Thousand Welcomes)

I am an American cookbook author, food & prop stylist & photographer living in Ireland. A former broadcast producer, I previously worked in television/film and commercial production while living in New York, Minneapolis & Los Angeles. In 2005, traded city life in the USA for rural ways in the West of Ireland, where I currently live with my husband and son.

From 2010-2015, I wrote, styled and photographed a weekly column for Irish Country Living featuring recipes and stories from our family life in the Irish countryside.

My book, The Farmette Cookbook: Recipes and Adventures from My Life on an Irish Farm was published by Roost Books and distributed by Penguin-Random House worldwide in spring of 2016.

In 2013, I developed the concept for Lens & Larder food and photography workshops, and from 2014-2020 executed a series of retreats and gatherings partnered with Cliodhna Prendergast and guided by international creatives set in extraordinary country houses amidst the stunning backdrop of Ireland's most beautiful regions. Lens & Larder was named one of the world’s best learning travel experiences by Suitcase Magazine.

Since 2020 I have worked primarily in television and media production including food design & styling for the AppleTV+/Skydance sci-fi series, Foundation. Foundation, styling print and television campaigns for the Irish tourist board, Failte Ireland and Discover Ireland, Country Home magazine (USA), Gordon Ramsay’s Uncharted series, Guinness, the Irish Rugby Football Union and more.

Over the years, I have contributed words, photos & styling to Condé Nast Traveler (USA), Town & Country (UK), The Guardian, and her recipes and stories from the farm have been featured in The New York Times, The Irish Times, The Sunday Times UK, Food and Wine Magazine (USA), Martha Stewart, Saveur Magazine among other publications. I also wrote, produced and directed a doc film short on Irish food and farming, Small Green Fields, which was nominated for a Food Film Festival award and was broadcast on all Aer Lingus transatlantic flights in 2013. I am a member of the Irish Food Writers Guild and the Irish Guild of Set Decorators.

In my spare time, I have been fixing up a very special centuries-old thatched farm & cottage — if interested, you can follow my progress here.

A selection of images from my portfolio are available for purchase and can be found under the SHOP tab. These limited edition fine art prints are printed on museum quality Archival Hahnemühle Fine Art paper and can also be framed to your specification. Worldwide shipping is available. Please enquire at imenmcdonnell@gmail.com.

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Clients:

Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board)

Buzzfeed

Condé Nast

Country Home Magazine

Discover Ireland

Failte Ireland

The Guardian

Guinness

Hearst Magazines

Hermés

Image Interiors & Living

Irish Country Magazine

Irish Country Living

Kinfolk

Kildare Village

Skydance

Contact: imenmcdonnell@gmail.com