Meet Galway’s Perfume Alchemist

Galway perfumery Cloon Keen Atelier has been crafting enigmatic scents in the west for almost 20 years. Its founder Margaret Mangan talks inspiration, creativity and the magic of their Galway city base.

To me, the magic of scent lies in its ability to catch me off-guard and resurrect forgotten memories. I love the nostalgia it brings, whether it’s the scent of a flower or the aroma of my mother’s baking. It’s not just about how it smells; it’s about the emotions it stirs.

I’m drawn to the artistic side of scent creation. It’s fun to create something out of nothing and tweak it until it fits with the idea you had in mind.

My first job, as a teenager, was in a magical and, at the time, unique perfume boutique in Canada. Since then, I’ve always loved the alluring mystique of perfume.

Technically, we know a lot more than we did 20 years ago, so I’m definitely more decisive these days. However, the curiosity, motivation and passion is still the same as when we first began.

There’s a vast array of perfume ingredients available to a perfumer and we treat these like an artist would treat paints from their palette.

The ingredients suggest particular moods or environments, sometimes even colours or textures. Some may be figurative, like florals or woody notes, while others may be more abstract and atmospheric like musks.

Much like the use of colour in a painting, the process involves expressing emotions, themes, and concepts due to each scent’s ability to evoke psychological, aesthetic and symbolic associations.

Cloon Keen also is a brand that speaks to the Irish identity. Especially in Ireland, this is linked to a sense of place that’s steeped in association with the world of ancient mythology, the Irish language, religious tradition and history.

I love that our surroundings inform and enrich our collection. We are really lucky with the location of our store – it has a strong sense of place and history, with its architectural features like the mediaeval archway which opens onto a cobblestoned street that’s alive with music and the spoken Irish language. I love the throng of visitors on the streets from every corner of the world – it makes Galway come alive.