Our Lecturers

Alan McCluney

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Alan McCluney is a keen gardener and mushroom hunter.

Alison Fitzgerald

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Alison Fitzgerald has over 20 years of experience as a basketmaker and teacher, and has a particular interest in frame baskets

Barbara McInerney

Barbara McInerney is a wildlife enthusiast and works as an education officer with the NPWS.

Bob Wilson

Bob Wilson, is an ecological consultant, and has worked professionally for many years with stone.

Brigitta Varadi

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Brigitta Varadi, a native of Hungary, is an award winning felt maker and renowned for her innovative textiles.

Burkhard Herrmann

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Burkhard Herrmann is a former self-builder, who built his own house and went on to establish his own building business.

Ciara Barrett

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Ciara Barrett is a schools and community gardener for the past 6 years and has developed nature trails at the centre.

Colin Bell

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Craig Sands

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Craig Sands works as a gardener for the Sustainable Communities Project and has compiled the How-to guide to Community Gardens.

Dennis Hawke

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Dennis Hawke is the kitchen gardener in Rathmullan House Hotel in Donegal and is also an organic salad producer.

Dermot Carey

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Diane Roemer

Diane Roemer is a teacher and artist and runs a painting school in Tawley, Co. Leitrim

Dick Roberts

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Dick Roberts is a maintenance worker at the centre and gardens at home.

Ellen Cox

Lecturer on the following courses: 
Aromatherapist with Atlantic Aromatics

Eoin Craven

Lecturer on the following courses: 

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Gaby Wieland

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Gaby Wieland, a Naturopath, Herbalist and cooking instructor has been baking breads and making cheeses and growing herbs for over 20 years.

Gerard Greene

Gerard Greene has a background in ecology and fine art and worked at the Raadvad centre in Denmark, training in paint-making, restoration and eco-building.

Graham Strouts

Graham Strouts is a permaculture teacher.

Hannah Mole

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Hans Wieland

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Hans Wieland has been working and teaching at the centre since 1997.

Heidi Wickham

Lecturer on the following courses: 
An Artist from Sligo.
Runs Felt Making Workshops.

Ingrid Foley

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Ingrid Foley is a market gardener and works with the Community Food Project.

Jill Scott

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Jill Scott is an award winning gardener, who looks after the flower beds at the centre.

Jim Cronin

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Jim Cronin has been growing herbs and vegetables in Clare for over 20 years and uses working horses on the farm.

Johnny Toner

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Jörg Müller

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Jörg Müller is a medical herbalist and award winning tea blender living and working in Galway.

Julia Lehmann

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Julia Lehmann, head gardener at the centre is currently studying for a PhD in organic farming.

Kevin O'Hara

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Liz Longworth

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Liz Longworth has grown and used herbs for many years and is a Primary School teacher.

Lynn Kirkham

Lynn Kirkham is an experienced teacher and runs her own business Greenmantle in Tipperary with Paul Finch.

Lynne Maguire

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Lynne Maguire is a cook at The Grass Roof Café.

Mark Scott

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Mary Luthers

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Mary Luthers from Bluebell Farm in Dromahair has nearly 30 years experience of organic farming and produces eggs and untreated wool from her own flock.

Michael Lacey

Michael Lacey brings creativity to the design and construction of stone walls, garden features and other hard landscaping.

Mike Cahn

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Mike teaches natural beekeeping at Carraig Dúlra

Mike Harris

Mike Harris ran the award winning Heather’s restaurant in London.

Miriam Crowley

Miriam Crowley is the local wildlife ranger in Co. Sligo

Ollan Herr

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Ollan Herr is a reedbed and wetland system consultant from Dundalk.

Organic Centre Staff

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Pat Finnegan

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Pat Finnegan is a beekeeper from Cliffoney in Co. Sligo

Patricia Gardiner

Patricia Gardiner has a Masters in City Planning, worked on the development of wind energy projects, and now leads training to develop urban walking projects.

Paul Finch

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Paul Finch is an experienced teacher in willow craft.

Paul Flynn

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Peter Cowman

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Peter Cowman is the director of the Living Architecture Centre in Leitrim.

Peter Schneider

Peter Schneider is a consultant engineer for alternative energy and organic farmer.

Phil Wheal

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Phil Wheal is a lecturer on our full-time course and our fruit expert.

Prannie Rhatigan

Dr. Prannie Rhatigan works mainly in public health. She gardens organically and has just published her own cookbook “Irish Seaweed Kitchen”.

Richard Hamilton


Richard O’Gorman

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Richard O’Gorman is an experienced landscape gardener and has been one of our dry stone building lecturers for many years.

Rob Doyle

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Rob Doyle is an alternative energy enthusiast. His house in North Leitrim has no grid connection and is powered by water and wind, with solar thermal panels for water heating.

Siobhan Morris

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Steffi Otto

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Steffi Otto works in pre schools and schools as environmental awareness teacher, doing arts, crafts and gardening sessions.

Steven Meyen

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Steven Meyen works as a Forestry Development Officer with Teagasc providing advisory and training services to forest owners in Donegal, Sligo and north Leitrim.

Sue Anthony

Sue Anthony is a beekeeper living in Ballymote, she also supplies equipment.

Suzie Cahn

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Suzie Cahn has been growing organic vegetables, fruit, and herbs in her garden, at Gaelscoil Cill Mhantain, and now at Carraig Dulra.

Tina Pommer

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Tina Pommer a native of Germany, living in Leitrim sine 1996, continues her family tradition of collecting mushrooms and wild fruit.

Tom O'Brien

  • Tutor in Basketry and Living Willow Structures.
  • City and Guilds Diploma in Wood Design level 4.
  • U.U Certificate in Heritage Crafts.
  • U.U.

Tony Cuckson

Tony Cuckson looks after the wages, tells stories and gardens at home.

Tracey Yappa

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Tracey Yappa started growing mushrooms 20 years ago, she has specifically studied the cultivation methods of various edible species.

Trudy Lomax

Trudy Lomax is a native of County Sligo, chairwoman of the Mullaghmore Environment Group and runs a boatyard and boat charter with her husband.

Vanessa Finlow

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Anna Browne teaches natural cosmetics and other self sufficiency skills to adults and children in the midlands.

Vivien Campbell

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Vivien Campbell is the herbalist presenter on the RTE1 show Corrigan Cooks Naturally.

Wendy Nairn

Lecturer on the following courses: 

Wendy Nairn has produced organic vegetables from her garden for markets and restaurants for more than twenty years and now grows for family and friends.