Hi my name is Tara Healy and I co-own Happy Days with Anita. I work full time in Happy Days. I look after the administration and the general daily managing of the service.

I’m married to the wonderful Stephen and we have three brilliant boys, Ben, Dan and Alex. We live a stones throw away from Happy Days in Oldtown Mill.

I didn’t start my career in childcare. When I finished school I attended college studying business and accounting. After working in this field for over 14 years I started working locally part time in a community afterschool programme as an administrator. It’s here that I met my now business partner and very best pal, Anita. Myself and Anita spent a long time toying with the idea of joining our skills together in a childcare venture which eventually became a reality in September 2006 when we opened Happy Days.

I remember discussing the venture with Anita when it was only in the planning stages and feeling so excited at the prospect of having the two of us totally singing from the one hymn sheet when it came to the service that we wanted to provide. The difficulties that we had both encountered as parents in the past helped us to focus on what we knew parents needed and would expect in a service. We had always said that if we were going to do then we’d do it right. We both wanted to provide a service that was professional and yet comfortable and homely.

I always remember looking for a logo for Happy Days and finally we agreed on the one that we have used from the start. I’ll let you in on a secret, we named the children in the logo ‘Oscar’ and ‘Felix’. Now, for any of you old enough you’ll remember that Oscar and Felix were ‘The Odd Couple’. That’s us an odd couple that work great together!

I’m so glad that I switched careers. I’ve gained a qualification in a field that I certainly hadn’t ever intended to venture into but more importantly I feel that I’m part of a team that genuinely care about the environment they work in and the children they work with.

Parents want to know that their children are happy and want to be sure that they can trust the childcare providers. They need to know that while their prized possession, their child, is with us that they are in good hands.

I’ve every confidence in the team of staff in Happy Days and I enjoy every day working with them and the children that we care for.

Garda Vetting status - Obtained