Having moved from Poland almost twenty years ago, Anna Groniecka is now as much a part of West Cork as Mizen Head itself. For the past fourteen years, Clonakilty has been home, a place where she has built a life filled with community, creativity, and connection. Mother to two Irish-born, Irish-speaking, and Irish-singing children, Anna has come to realise that “home is not a place on a map, it’s a feeling you carry with you.”
West Cork, with its wild ocean, warm people, and quiet sense of possibility, has shaped her as much as she has embraced it. “I’ve built a second family here with friends who check in, who make me laugh, who show up when it matters. It’s not always easy, but I’m not completely alone. I’ve learned that asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human.”
Anna feels she has grown up here herself finding peace, building a career she loves, and creating a home in the truest sense of the word. Though she often wishes her mother in Poland could walk through the door to share the everyday joys and struggles of solo parenting, her heart lies firmly in West Cork. Here, Anna shares her story of love, resilience, and belonging from Poland to Clonakilty.
What first brought Anna to West Cork was love. “I met an Irish man, of course, like so many other stories! But what made me stay was the feeling that I could finally breathe. Settling in was overwhelming at first with a new country, new language, no family, and eventually two small children, but there was something magical about West Cork: the wild ocean, the warmth of people, and a quiet sense of possibility. It was terrifying and beautiful all at once.”
Anna admits she’s changed profoundly since arriving nearly 20 years ago. “Being somewhere new forces you to rebuild everything, your career, your community, even your sense of self.” What surprises her most, however, is how deeply she’s fallen in love with West Cork. “I love it here. It’s become my children’s true home, accents and all. Every time I return from travels, I feel ‘I’m home now.’ I never expected to feel that strongly in a place I wasn’t born.”
Working as a photographer has made Anna especially attuned to West Cork’s light. “There’s something about it, the softness, the unpredictability. In Poland, my creativity was shaped by tradition and structure. Here, it’s the openness, the landscapes, and most of all, the people. I photograph a lot of stories, and being an outsider helps me notice what others might overlook. It’s like I carry two lenses: one Polish, one Irish.”
Anna’s photographic career has flourished in recent years, making her one of the most sought-after photographers in Cork, especially for portraits, weddings, and commercial work. “I curated a portrait exhibition, The Road Less Travelled: Artists’ Lives, featuring 21 Cork artists over 55 who continue to create, some after changing careers to follow their passion later in life, proving it’s never too late to start again. I chose people who inspire me, who keep going despite the odds, and whose work reflects resilience, creativity, and quiet strength.”
She is currently the artist in residence at Cork Airport, which means everything to Anna. “Having the exhibition where people from all over the world pass through gives visibility to these stories, Irish creativity, and the idea that art and ageing can go hand-in-hand. As an immigrant, seeing my work in this space makes me feel seen and reminds me that, even though I wasn’t born here, I belong, and so does my work.”
Anna has deeply engaged with both her community and Network Ireland, where she will take over as President of the West Cork branch at the end of the year. Reflecting on her journey, she says “Joining Network Ireland in 2019 was life-changing. I came hoping to connect with other women in business but found so much more, support, encouragement, real friendships, and a space where I felt seen”
“Winning Creative Professional in 2022 boosted my confidence,” she says, “and being named Networker of the Year in 2024 reminded me of the value of genuine connections. Becoming President of Network Ireland West Cork in December 2025 is an honour I’m truly proud of. The organisation has helped me grow professionally and find my voice.”
Ann is nominated for the prestigious 2025 Stars Night Awards in the UK in the Artistic Star category and says, “It’s such an honour. Being shortlisted at an international event feels incredibly special, a real nod to the creativity and heart I put into my work. Just being part of it already feels like a win.”
Running for Clonakilty Mayor recently taught Anna about courage, visibility, and connection. “I didn’t expect to win; I ran to stand up and be counted, to show that people like me have a voice. What really touched me was the community support with messages, chats in town, people stopping to say ‘well done.’ It reminded me how passionate and engaged this place is. Would I run again? It’s a big commitment, but I haven’t closed that door. I’m proud of the step I took, regardless of the outcome.”
Anna didn’t start out as a professional photographer, but she says it was always part of her life: “My dad used to develop film in our tiny bathroom, and I grew up watching that magic unfold. I never imagined it could be a real job.” She explains that after starting over in life, photography became more than a creative outlet, it became a source of income, purpose, and connection.
A mum of two, she’s juggling a full-time job, a Master’s in Digital Marketing at MTU, raising her children alone, and staying active in the community and Network Ireland. She explained, “Some days I don’t know how I manage! Between school runs, photo shoots, assignments, and events, it’s non-stop. I plan carefully and ask for help when needed. I want my children to see that growth doesn’t stop when you become a parent. It takes coffee, colour-coded calendars, and determination, but I keep going.”
She continued, “I don’t think there’s ever a perfect balance. Some weeks the business needs more from me, other times the kids do, and sometimes (if I’m lucky) I find a pocket of time just for creativity. I’ve stopped chasing perfection and started focusing on what matters most in the moment. My kids see me editing at night, prepping shoots, running events and I hope it shows them that passion and hard work can go hand in hand. I try to weave creativity into the everyday. It’s not always neat, but it’s a life that feels true to me.”
When asked what advice she’d give her younger self arriving in West Cork, she said: “ I’d tell her to breathe. You don’t have to have it all figured out. It’s okay to be scared or start small. Trust yourself, ask for help, and embrace the hard days, they’ll be balanced by unexpected moments of joy. This place will shape you beautifully. You’ll find your people, your purpose, and your peace. Just keep going.”
And as for the high points since moving to West Cork, she responded, “Watching my children grow up happy and confident, building a business I love, hosting exhibitions, winning awards, and discovering a sense of purpose I never expected.”
As for the lows, she admits there were some really tough years, “ My real lowest point was when the relationship fell apart, that’s when it felt heaviest”, struggling with depression, feeling invisible, and trying to be perfect in every role. “Letting go of perfectionism and asking for help changed everything,” she says.
When asked if she’s experienced racism, she responded, “Never anything direct or in my face, thankfully. But there have been subtle moments, small comments, the feeling of being on the outside. Sometimes I feel like I don’t fully belong anywhere, maybe that is something that many of us who’ve lived half our lives in one place and half in another feel. There’s a bit of an identity crisis in that. Still, I’ve experienced so much kindness here, and that’s what keeps me grounded.”
Raising her children in West Cork has shaped Anna’s life and theirs. “I’ve seen what community really means here, neighbours who wave, teachers who genuinely care, friends who show up when it matters. Both my children went to a Gaelscoil, Olivia finished a year ago, and Ben is now in 6th class. Hearing them speak Irish, or sing the national anthem with pride, still makes me smile. They’ve grown so connected to this place in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Watching them thrive here has changed my sense of home. It’s not about where you’re from, but where you feel safe, supported, and accepted and this place has given us that.”
The mum admits that raising children alone, without help from her own family, can be tough. “There are days I’d give anything for my mum to just pop in for a chat or help with the school run. Being a solo parent without family nearby can feel really heavy, the mental load, the decisions, the everyday stuff.” Over the years, she’s built a second family here. “I’ve found a small circle of friends who are like family, other parents who check in, make me laugh, and show up when it matters. It’s not always easy, but I’m not completely alone. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human.”
For Anna, home is no longer a single place on a map, it’s a feeling she carries with her. “It’s in the messages from friends checking in, the scent of the sea, the rhythm of school mornings, and the way the light hits the kitchen table. It’s in the mess, the noise, the quiet victories. I still feel caught between two worlds sometimes, but I’ve realised home isn’t about choosing one over the other, it’s about creating your own space in between. And for me, that’s here.”
See: annagroniecka.com instagram @annagronieckaphotography
