About

Céad Míle Fáilte. (A Thousand Welcomes)

My name is Imen McDonnell. I am an American food writer, stylist & photographer living in the West of Ireland since 2005.

Before making the jump overseas, I cut my teeth working as a producer in tv/film and global commercial production while living in Los Angeles, New York and Minneapolis. 

Over the past 20 years on this gorgeous, craggy isle, I birthed and co-parented a beautiful boy who is now in his first year of Film Studies at Trinity College Dublin, became a weekly columnist for the Irish Country Living, produced/directed a documentary film short on Irish food and farming, Small Green Fields, wrote, styled and photographed The Farmette Cookbook, created a series of food, styling & photography workshops called Lens & Larder, worked in television and media production including food design & styling for the AppleTV+ sci-fi series, Foundation, Gordon Ramsay’s Uncharted series, Failte Ireland and Discover Ireland campaigns, Banana Republic, Guinness, the Irish Rugby Football Union, contributed to Condé Nast Traveler (USA), Town & Country (UK), The Guardian, The New York Times, The Irish Times, The Sunday Times UK, Food and Wine Magazine (USA), Martha Stewart, Saveur Magazine, Country Home magazine (USA), and more. I am a proud member of the Irish Food Writers Guild and the Irish Guild of Set Decorators.

In 2020, my family and I began work on The Thatched Farm Project, a historic Irish thatched cottage and farmstead dating back to the early 1800’s. We have been working on preserving and restoring this beauty since we took it on in a near-derelict state five years ago. I have documented most of the process along the way, including re-thatching, retrofitting a sustainable heating and plumbing system, installing a kitchen and bathroom, lime rendering and pointing, and re-imagining the garden and orchard which I am sharing on my Substack of the same name. The Thatch is a special place with great energy, where we soon hope to welcome friends, family, and guests to gather for good food and general gaiety soon.

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