About Us

Tara is an Irish herbalist, mother, steward of wild lands, cob horses, goats, rare breed cattle, and gardens. Originally from the shores of the Irish Sea in Co. Wexford, she now tends land and native woodland in East Clare on the shores of Lough Bridget.

Growing up in a culture steeped in magic and folklore, Tara was always enchanted by the stories of the wee folk and nature spirits, finding refuge in the wild places from an early age. Her journey with plants and medicine began in childhood and deepened through formal training in herbalism with Nikki Darrell at Coláiste Luibheanna — where she also met her fellow Wild Routes Ireland host, Chris.

She is an ordained Priestess of the Sacred Land through Coire Sois ~ School of Irish Spirituality, and holds a lifelong commitment to the preservation and restoration of Ireland’s indigenous traditions, sacred sites, and living heritage.

After many years journeying through the land of Ireland — connecting with ancient stones, sacred trees, and the wild places that hold the memory of this island — Tara feels a deep calling to bring others to experience these places and the healing they offer.

Chris is originally from Ohio but has now made his home on a rural homestead in the Mhúscraí Gaeltacht (Irish speaking region) deep in the wilds of West Cork along the shores of the River Lee. He left the states 33 years ago and has made his home in Ireland for the last 29 years by way of Spain, Finland, Greece, and Hungary. He began his obsession with plants while living in a treehouse for 6 months in an ancient oak woodland in Co. Wicklow 22 years past. He went on to study organic horticulture and spent several years running a market garden business based out of a Victorian era walled garden adjoining Gort na Tiobraid Castle in Co. Limerick. His herbal studies began there while growing every kind of medicinal plant he could find seeds for.

Starting 20 years ago, he undertook formal herbalist training, first at the BSc Herbal Science programme in the Cork Institute of Technology, and then clinical training at the Irish School of Phytotherapy with Nikki Darrell. Chris practiced as a community herbalist for the several years. He is passionate about making all his own medicines and has developed some innovative processes incorporating some principles of Alchemy. Chris is also kept busy brewing, distilling, and concocting and has of late created many yummy, wild, herbal cocktail experiences, the latest of which featured at the Radical Herbalism Gathering in the Shrewsbury. Lastly, he’s been touring the island of Ireland relentlessly for last 3 decades in search of nature, beauty, and the mysteries of this unique land.