Editor: Stephen Hannon
Stephen lectures on the BA in Outdoor Education and the MSc in Outdoor Education, Sustainability and Well Being at the Mayo Campus of the Atlantic Technological University (ATU). Stephen lectures in the areas of experiential learning, expeditionary education and facilitation. He has a particular interest in place-based pedagogy as a way of making outdoor practice responsive to where it is located and as a means of engaging people with their own local environment.
Meet the members of the editorial panel here.
Editorial Panel
Ciara Munnelly (Sport Ireland)
Ciara is the outdoor recreation manager in Outdoors unit in Sport Ireland. She is currently leading on national projects with significant impact including the development of a National Digital Database, National Trails Register and Trails Development. She is also involved in the working group developing the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, working closely with various Government Departments and stakeholders. Ciara is an avid horse rider and has completed up to Grand Prix level in Showjumping. She also played rugby for a number of years and gained a cap playing for Leinster. In recent years, she has gained a broader appreciation of the outdoors and has travelled all over Ireland hillwalking and trying out new outdoor activities.
Emer Carton (Canoe Ireland)
Emer is an adventure sports enthusiast and has been a participant and instructor in sailing, windsurfing, rock climbing and kayaking at various stages since 2008. She has graduated from Colaiste Dhulaigh with a HND in Adventure Education, and from Chichester University with a BA Honours Degree in Adventure Education and Facilitation. More recently she has completed the Sport Ireland Instructor Developer Training and is completing a diploma in Life and Executive Coaching & Mentoring.
Emer is based in Kerry and is a member of the Kerry Canoe Club. Her passion is for helping underrepresented groups of people to gain access to adventure sports. Her current professional role is as the Diversity and Inclusion Manager and Women in Sport Lead with Canoeing Ireland, helping to make paddle sports accessible to all.
Dr John Pierce (Munster Technological University)
John has been a lecturer in the department of Health & Leisure Studies at Munster Technological University for over ten years. He lectures in outdoor learning across three different degree programmes. He has also spent a lot of his career training adventure sports practitioners and instructors.
Dr Sarah O’Malley (Limerick County Council)
Sarah is an EU Projects Officer with Limerick City and County Council, Ireland. The projects focus on implementing nature-based solutions and developing green infrastructure in urban/city areas. She has lectured and worked in the areas of outdoor learning, (dis)connection with nature, environmental sociology, education, disability and inclusion. She has published on these subjects. In her spare time, she is by, in, or on the sea!
Dr Cormac Doran (Trinity College Dublin),
Cormac is the Head of the Graduate Studies Office (Assistant Academic Secretary) at Trinity College Dublin. He has been involved in outdoor learning for over 25 years as a lecturer, youth worker, researcher, instructor and consultant. His previous role was leading a research centre between Ireland and Canada which followed roles as a Head of Department in TU Dublin as well as lecturing in various institutions in Ireland and internationally. Cormac’s main research areas are in higher education theory and practice, community, youth and the outdoors and he is consistently looking at ways to create new knowledge for those who venture outside.
Robin Gregg (Ulster University)
Robin Greg based in Ulster University is a Lecturer in Outdoor Adventure and Coaching. Robin is Course Director for the BSc (Hons) Outdoor Adventure programme based at Ulster’s Coleraine campus and run-in partnership with Tollymore National Outdoor Centre. Robin is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a British Canoe Union National Trainer and is happiest when surfing.
Shirley Gleeson (Eco Wellness Consulting),
Shirley is the Director of Ecowellness Consulting and Nádúr Centre for Integrative Forest Therapy. She has a Masters in both health promotion and social work and has worked for twenty years in health and social care, specialising in adult mental health. She designs, implements and evaluates nature-based interventions for positive mental health. She is a member of the Advisory Committee of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Health and Well-being Specialist Group. Community Ambassador for Nature Based Solutions (NBS) for the Health and Well-being Community in the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform. Shirley is a speaker and ambassador on the topic of nature and wellbeing presenting to the United Nations expert group on green jobs in the forestry sector. She has presented he work at international conferences throughout Europe.
Karol Quinn (Gaisce – The President’s Award)
Karol works as the Learning and Evaluation Programme Manager with responsibility for the quality of Adventure Journeys with Gaisce, The Irish President’s Award. He has worked in Outdoor Education for over twenty years as both a volunteer and a professional youth worker with Scouting Ireland. He has been involved in a number of initiatives such as the Dublin Mountains Initiative for the development of the Dublin Mountain as a recreational space. His passion is working with young people to develop hill walking and backwoods skills.
Mike McClure (Sport Northern Ireland)
Mike works for Sport Northern Ireland with a remit for developing outdoor sports in the North And is based at Tollymore National Outdoor Centre. His background is in Environmental Science and he worked in the field of outdoor and environmental education for over 20 years. Mike is also currently the chairman of the European Network of Outdoor Sports (ENOS) and has been involved in a range of pan-European Projects. He is passionate about engaging people with nature and communicating about the importance of ecosystem services, nature-based solutions for sustainability and restoration of biodiversity.
Mairéad Cluskey (Atlantic Technological University, Mayo)
Mairéad is a lecturer on the BA (Hons) in Outdoor Education and other programmes in the Department of Environmental Humanities And Social Sciences on the Mayo Campus of the Atlantic Technological University. Prior to her role in ATU, Mairéad worked as a professional Community and Youth Worker and lectured in TU Dublin in the areas of Youth Work, Community Development, Management, Research, Child Protection, Child Development and Family Support. Mairéad has a particular interest in the professional formation of students in value-based professions, to support an engagement with people and the planet that is concerned with positive social change.
Available here: Lasmuigh Editorial Panel Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct.
Get in touch: lasmuigh journal@gmail.com