‘My first candle smelled like Jif’: Cork candle-maker says business brings her joy

Rosie Buckley wasn’t always a candle-maker, but creativity is in her bones.

“I was always a crafter. I always baked, I always cooked, I always made things,” says the owner of Holy Grail Candles.

Born in Mayfield, Rosie’s career as a hairdresser and make-up artist took her to San Francisco, where she owned her own salon.

After almost 20 years in the U.S, she and her family moved to East Cork in 2020.

“We were ready, with the political crap going on over there,” she says. “Trump was in office. I don’t want to get into politics, but I just felt there was a big divide happening in America.”

Moving back to Ireland felt like returning to her roots.

“I was lucky that I was able to go and live in America for 20 years, and then come back and make our lives comfortable here,” says Rosie. “I’m not saying it’s easy, but I like where I’m living now. It’s just so beautiful. Things fell into place for me.”

Rosie retrained as an SNA, and went back to work in the primary school she went to as a child.

Although she loves her work, she was missing a creative outlet.

“I felt I was lacking that when I came back. So I decided, if I was going to be an SNA, then I need more of a creative side as well. So that’s when I threw myself into candle-making,” she says.

Although she’s found her calling, she its that her early efforts at candle-making needed some work.

“I made my first candle and was only delighted with myself - until I realised it smelt like Jif,” she laughs.

But she stuck with it and continued refining her process.

“It was really about exploring and perfecting things,” says Rosie. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I am a perfectionist with my candles.”

These days, the scents of her candles are inspired by meaningful moments and memories.

One is called The Snug, and is inspired by Rosie’s grandmother. “I used to meet her in Henchy’s, because she worked there for years, and we used to meet in the snug. She smoked Players, she drank whiskey, and her scent was like a whiskey rose tobacco,” says Rosie. “Even without smelling it, I was able to mix up that scent from my fragrance oils. And when you smell that candle, it’s her scent.”

Making candles brings Rosie joy.

“Creativity is like joy and happiness, and just making something that you love and that you want to give away,” she says. “It’s just being able to see things and being clear about things and just being happy with things.”

The methodical nature of candle-making has a calming effect on Rosie.

“I’d be into meditation and just trying to be present,” she says. “It’s a process. You clean out the jars. You centre the wicks. You have to heat the wax to a certain temperature. You have to measure the oil properly. You have to mix it for a certain length of time, and you have to pour.”

Her latest candle collection, Keep It Lit, is a collaboration with Orla O’Rourke of Stable Door Pottery in East Cork. The collection was inspired by the death of Rosie’s beloved dog, who had travelled back from the States with her. “I don’t think I grieved as bad with my own father, as the grief I have for my animal. That sounds strange, but that’s what kind of brought it to the forefront,” she says.

The candles in the collection feature a robin as a symbol of remembrance, comfort, and connection.

“I do think that with Irish people, even though people on, we don’t forget them, you know what I mean? We want to them. We want to keep them alive. And we believe they’re still around, hence the fact that the robin at the door, we believe that’s somebody that has ed.”

The intention behind this collection is to give people comfort when they think of loved ones who are no longer with them.

“You light the candle and you think about that person, and you’re kind of meditating over that person. And it brings comfort knowing that the person is still there. They’re looking after you,” she says.

Sustainability is at the core of Rosie’s business.

“My wicks come from Northern Ireland, my wax comes from Wicklow, my labels come from Cork city, and a lot of them are women-wned businesses,” she says.

“And my boxes come from a guy up in Mayfield. So I’m always sourcing as local as I can, and then I make refills as well.”

Rosie likes to give back to charities that do important work in Cork, and has run fundraisers for Pieta House, Cuanlee Refuge and Marymount Hospice. “They are charities that are very dear to me,” she says.

Rosie is thankful for the life she has built. “I’m grateful,” she says. “We have a good life today.”

See www.holygrailsoycandles.com or @holygrail.candles on Instagram.