‘‘In recent years I have been on a pilgrimage of the heart to reconnect with ancient Irish culture, myth, ritual, and the sacred places of Ireland, and also with an Ghaelige, ár dteanga dúchais. By a great blessing, I came upon Aoife, who is an incredible guide in this work of cultural recovery. I have attended multiple workshops, retreats, and ceremonial fires led by Aoife at Uisneach, Tara, and various sacred sites and holy wells around the country.

Aoife’s deep understanding of the old ways of Éire, our mythology, Celtic ritual, and her familiarity with the sacred places, trees, and plants of Ireland, shine through her guidance of these gatherings. As Gaeilge agus as Bearla, she weaves her knowledge of land, story, song, and spirit to create unforgettable experiences, and she holds space beautifully. There is reverence in how she leads the rituals of gathering on the land, and around ceremonial fires, but also an easy weaving in of craic agus ceol. Ready with her bodhrán or feadóg, songs and storytelling, and sometimes Irish dancing, Aoife creates beautiful gatherings that feed the heart and soul, and contribute hugely to recovering the old practices that we need to nourish us in these broken times. I am grateful to have met her and recommend her wholeheartedly as a wise guide for anyone seeking to reconnect with the old ways of Ireland.’’ -AODHAMMAIR

‘‘I felt called to learn more about Irish Herbs and Sacred Trees, connecting myself with Celtic mythology and the land of Éire, and chose Aoife to be my guide. I just had this feeling that she has a true connection with the land, and holds the gates to the ancient wisdom of this magical island. I was totally right, Aoife is definitely the right person for that - she carries in her own body the healing of the plants. She is helping me to connect with the nature around me, the goddesses of Ireland, and the sacred cycles of Celtic Wheel. Through Fire Ceremonies on special dates, magical tinctures that she weaves, and her natural healing energy I’m seeing myself transforming in many levels. I’ve been specially experiencing a deep healing in my feminine, shedding layers that don’t serve me anymore, finding my self love and self worth, my healthy abundant feminine and the right way to relate to the masculine energy. It’s been a process that I’m sure it will keep unfolding, but up to now I already had so many changes that all I can do is to be really grateful to Aoife and tell everyone to not hesitate in bringing her to your life. As I say to my friends when describe her… Aoife is a Druid, and a Witch.’’ Helena/Student

‘‘From a practical point of view, the retreat is a wonderful time, led beautifully by Tara and Aoife, who are grounded in integrity and each possessing wisdom and authority far beyond their years. The retreat space was beautiful, one couldn’t have asked for cleaner, more delicious food, and all logistics communicated gracefully and executed without a hitch.

From a spiritual point of view, the effects of my time on retreat with Aoife and Tara have felt so far nothing short of seismic. What’s awakened in me is a remembrance of a new way (which is actually an ancient way) to be in relationship with myself, others, and the land: a way of being with and having reverence for all. For generations, members of the Irish diaspora have wandered adrift in the US, disconnected from the land of our ancestors, many of whom left Ireland under pressure to assimilate and leave everything from the Old World behind. For countless others who boarded the ships for a better life, the sorrow of emigration was so great they simply couldn’t bring themselves to speak about their homeland. My personal experience of this collective forgetting is that I struggled for decades, severed from my own lineage, shopping the rituals of other cultures, seeking healing through countless modalities, courting approval from exploitative systems, starving for something to fill the nameless emptiness inside.

The days I spent in Slane, at Newgrange, at Hill of Tara and the River Boinne with Aoife and Tara filled that emptiness in a way that nothing else has ever quite been able to do. Our time together allowed me to feel deeply into the rich, meaningful wisdom of my ancestors, and to begin to glimpse my role in continuing their legacy. The lessons learned and inner knowings accessed continue to unfold inside me, rippling out into already discernable changes in the way I relate to others, now with more agency, clarity, and confidence. I was not prepared for the deep-rooted sense of belonging and courage that emerged upon remembering that I am a daughter of Eriu. If the world has dumped messages on you about what it means to be a woman or what it means to be a person of Irish descent, and if you are increasingly aware that those messages feel neither fair nor true; if the roles you have been slotted into by society feel increasingly unbearable: may a retreat with Aoife and Tara offer you a portal through which you might begin to hear another way. ‘‘ - Patrice

”A most powerful experience to be at this retreat, the room we had for spontaneity, the beautiful food, the many stories shared, the music and dance, the water we drank, the land we were on, the people it summoned, the berries and herbs, the experiential learning of making medicine, of being embraced by Liath Lus in so many ways, the fire, the dreams, the listening, the sharing of dreams and sounds, the vulnerability, the movement each morning, the releasing and realizations every moment provided. The space to feel a part of nature, the camaraderie and care. With Love and gratitude, would do this again and again.” – Participant on Mugwort Retreat.

‘‘It is without hesitation that I recommend Aoife and Tara’s retreats. At a time when there is so much searching for authenticity – Congratulations, reader, you’ve found it! Aoife and Tara’s reverence for and connection to the land permeates all that they do. They have gathered so much wisdom, despite their young age.
As a retreat attendee, I was immersed in nature in a way that was unforgettable (& the grounds in the Boyne Valley by Slane Castle were dreamy).
While maintaining safety, consideration, and boundaries, Aoife and Tara incorporated elements of the archetypal, the sacred, and the primal.
The activities were powerful, special, and thematically connected; excursions to the river, through the fields, to secret corners of the ancient sacred sites – these were rare opportunities. Within the itinerary, there was structure, but still room for flow and shift.
Aoife & Tara provided exceptional facilitation, including solid guidance through group processing.
And the food was beyond. Truly world class. Foraged elderflowers with honey, cheeses sourced from neighborhood dairies; Irish stew with meat from a local farm, and venison butchered by Aoife. Absolutely sublime.
I actually had a lot of resistance going into this retreat. But I set an intention to be open and curious and allow. I’d received the call to explore my Irish ancestry over the past several years. And I am beyond grateful that I heeded that call.’’
KK W. from Los Angeles, California

”This sacred journey with Aoife has helped me in so many ways from deepening my connection with not just mugwort but with so many sacred plants. Allowing me to remember the sacred healing that these plants bring on a spiritual and emotional level. This journey also helped me to uncover the deep messages from my subconscious in my dream space, to clearing and healing so much dense energy in my womb space. Aoife’a ability to hold the depts of the raw feminine is incredible and the ancient wisdom that flows through her allows for deep deep healing. This is much more that a journey with mugwort this is a deep container of support, healing and transformation. Would 100 percent recommend this sacred journey with Aoife.” – Participant in Mugwort Online course.

”Aoifes experience as a space holder really comes through. She is there to hold you in space and respect your own journey. Balanced, beautiful and respectful. Her knowledge of the land is inspiring.” – Participant on Mugwort Retreat.