Joan Whelan is Chair of the IFSA. In November 2016, she retired after 24 years as principal of an Educate Together primary school. She completed her PhD on Forest School as caring pedagogy in 2022. She is a qualified educational psychologist and has always been interested in ensuring that schools are caring, holistic places, for both staff and students. She introduced Forest School to her primary school in 2011, the first Irish primary school to offer this provision and it is now an embedded part of the school’s offering. She believes strongly in schools being local hubs in their communities and has pioneered initiatives including the introduction of a school-age childcare service, community use of the school building and most recently chaired a committee to renovate a local park, where the voice of the local children was to the fore. She lives in Dublin with her husband and has two adult children.

Caitríona Uí Chléirigh from Monaghan is a Primary School Principal who is passionate about nature-based learning and outdoor education. Having grown up on a farm, her childhood was spent exploring the outdoors, with a sense of freedom and intrigue. This innate connection deepened as she got the opportunity during her teacher training to study Outdoor Education in University of Stavanger, Norway and explore the Scandinavian pedagogy around immersing children in nature from an early age, facilitating them to explore the world at their own pace, in their own way, attending to their unique sense of being. It was here that Caitríona’s passion aligned with her purpose and on return to Ireland, she sought opportunities in the formal education system to bring the Scandinavian pedagogy to her teachings.

In 2020, Caitríona completed her FS training and she offers Forest School at her Primary school. Her dream would be that every child in our education system gets an opportunity to engage with Forest School so that holistically we provide for their Wellbeing, are educated and empathetic to our planet and that they are gifted with the opportunity to lead their learning and follow their aspirations as unique human beings.

Ach mar a deir an tseanfhocal “Ní neart go cur le chéile”.

Ciara Hinksman is the founder of Forest School Ireland which evolved from Earth Force Education, founded in 2009. Over ten years ago, she lived off-grid for three months immersed in bushcraft, nature awareness and sustainable living practices in Co. Kerry. She then travelled extensively to the UK and USA to learn from and meet nature connection mentors, powerful youths and Elders inspired by the International 8 Shields network originated by Jon Young and Mark Morey. Ciara wanted to be part of bringing connection to nature, to self and to others back home though the cultural design models she learned; through story, wildlife, plants and the natural rhythms of our seasons and our lives. Ciara first encountered Forest School in 2010 in the UK and since 2013 has been hosting Forest School training in Ireland with UK trainers Circle of Life Rediscovery CIC. She is an associate trainer delivering the OCN Level 3 Certificate Forest School Leader training in Co. Wicklow. She is the Founding Chair of IFSA and is so happy to be part of the growing movement of Forest School Leaders in Ireland and around the world. See www.forestschoolireland.ie for more information about the FS approach to learning and the courses on offer.

Ellie McEwan is currently setting up Elemental Outdoor learning (info@elemental-ol.ie) from her new home in Co. Mayo. It is a coming home for Ellie who spent her childhood summers on her Grandparents farm in Mayo, deepening her roots, connecting with nature and creating wonderful memories. She has always been happiest in nature and now joins that with her passionate to engage and play with people, particularly children, in nature and see how they too thrive within it.

Ellie’s background is in Early Years and she is a trained Montessori directress. Always the one to get everyone outside and keep them there as long as possible; it was a natural progression to start working as a Forest School leader in 2017, qualifying in 2019.

Ellie is dedicated to lifelong learning and continues to access training and learning opportunities, with particular interest in mental health, trauma and addiction recovery, nature therapy and foraging. Gathered around the fire circle is her favourite place to be, in this age old tradition that deeply connects people through campfire food, good chat, song, story and togetherness. 

Kerry is a passionate, Forest School Leader, Forest Therapy Practitioner and an Art Therapist based in the South-West of Ireland. Her appreciation for nature and art has brought her on creative journey’s around the world. She is the founder of The Nature Hub, a platform to offer Forest School and Forest Therapy practices to children and adults. She has been involved in Forest School for the past 5 years, running forest after school groups, toddler groups, family groups and helps coordinate and facilitate for the Galway Forest School Leadership trainings. She also runs forest bathing sessions in Killarney National Park and is currently running a Forest Therapy pilot program to support people dealing with stress and anxiety. She has training in Eco-Psychology, Challenging Behaviour in the Outdoors, Therapeutic Play skills and is certified in Therapeutic skills for children in the outdoors.

Lucy Bell is co-founder of GROWing Wild, a Kildare based environmental education company, specialising in organic school & community gardens, local organic food projects, living willow, biodiversity & native habitat projects and forest schools.Lucy is an organic horticulturalist, a horticulture tutor, environmental educator and a trained Forest School Leader. Lucy is the co-author of ‘The Year-Round School Organic Garden’. Lucy is a Heritage Specialist for the ‘Heritage in Schools’ scheme. Lucy has worked as a willow artist and co-ordinator for décor as part of The Healing Area for Body & Soul and Body & Soul @ Electric Picnic since 2009 and as part of the décor collective Adorn Décor for Another Love Story. Lucy facilitates ways for people, both young and old, to connect to nature through school organic gardens and native habitat development, wilderness survival skills, wild foraging, woodland trips, living willow work and Bushcraft skills.www.growingwild.ie

Jenny has loved being a Forest school leader since 2014.  She is a primary teacher and started up Forest Fridays in Dalkey School Project with one class ten years ago.   After a term it grew to being offered to every child in the school.  It has become a core part of the curriculum and now the older children are being forest school assistants for the younger children.  Jenny loves cooking, foraging and growing food and can be found hiking and cycling around Ireland.  She has trained in permaculture, community facilitation, rewilding, school gardening, creativity & change, yoga and somatics and brings these together as care for our natural world, care for our selves and care for others in Forest school.  

Orla Gallagher is a Forest School Leader and Early Childhood Professional. A graduate of the B.A(Hons) in Early Childhood Care and Education at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Orla developed an interest in outdoor and risky play experiences and undertook the OCN Level 3 in Forest School Leadership in 2015. Orla was selected to present at the Early Childhood Ireland Research and Practice Seminar 2016 based on her undergraduate research into Unstructured Outdoor Play Habits of Children aged 3-6 years. Orla has a particular interest in supporting practitioners to facilitate child-led learning in wild outdoor spaces.