Passionate Gardeners: Alice and Joan appear on Sunshine TV

Two Terenure sisters recently appeared on a digital show aimed at older people, called Sunshine TV, to talk about their passion for gardening.

Joan Lacey (90) and Alice Kincaid (89) from Manor Estate are keen gardeners who appeared in The Echo last year, after they turned their greenhouse into a tea room while cocooning during the first lockdown.

In their appearance on Sunshine TV, the sisters showed their well-manicured gardens and discussed their enduring interest in horticulture.

Sunshine TV, which produces two new half-hour shows every week which are then played in over a dozen nursing homes via digital links, is the brainchild of Knocklyon woman Gina McCormack.

Talking about the latest episode of Sunshine TV, Gina, a past pupil of St Paul’s Secondary School in Greenhills, said: “I have to say, I enjoyed visiting these two ladies in their gardens.

“I was astounded at their zest for life, and as you will see from the programme they are great pals.

“Just to simply chat and find out things about what they’ve done and are doing is incredible, and we didn’t have enough time to hear it all.

“From gardening to bowling, to dancing and making teddy bears and little bird houses, these ladies are so great and we’ll definitely be back for a follow up!”

Gina came up with the idea of creating an original show aimed at older people when the pandemic first started, hoping that it might help to quell the isolation that nursing home residents may have been feeling at the time, and as an escape from rolling news about the pandemic.

Each show is different, and features entertainers like singers and dancers, in addition to interesting segments from places all over the country, while Gina hosts the show.

An upcoming edition of Sunshine TV will feature Gina retracing her past through Greenhills, as she went to school locally and lived on St Joseph’s Road – and she hopes it’ll help viewers to reminisce about the past.

Gina added that if anyone wants to purchase Sunshine TV for an individual discounted rates are available for a subscription by contacting her at sunshinetvireland@gmail.com, and further information is also available on the Sunshine TV Twitter page @SunshineTVIrl.