Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
24 Apr 2024
Reply rate
93.3 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
32
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Please join us on our traditional Irish farm in beautiful County Mayo . As my husband is poorly in hospital I need help as soon as possible. Accommodation in restored dairy separate from main house. Help approx 3-4 hrs a day. Our family have been working and driving horses since 1740, so we have lots of experience to share and as practitioners of natural horsemanship are open to new ways of doing so your ideas and thoughts will be encouraged. All of our horses are ridden and driven bitless and are barefoot ie do not wear iron shoes. They are trained with compassion and understanding so the relationship between them and their handler is of extreme importance. If you have not experienced this before we guarantee it will be life changing. You do not need any experience with large animals just an open mind and willing disposition to have a go and help us with some of our projects and variety of tasks. Perhaps you would like to repair stonewalls, plant trees and flowers, build a shed or just spend time helping with our friendly equine friends. We have recently built a shepherds hut which has a decorative Romany interior so if you enjoy art and design this could be a project for you? We are a happy, cheerful and creative family and would greatly appreciate your help. In return we promise you a comfortable stay, good home cooking , time off for exploring and a great experience with animals and the Irish countryside .
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Based in the wild and rugged West of Ireland you will be surrounded by a traditional landscape and farming homesteads showing a, fast diminishing ,old way of life. People have lived and worked upon these lands for thousands of years. A culturally rich area surrounded by important places of interest such as the Irish Country Life Museum, Hennigans Heritage Centre, Foxford woollen mills, Michael Davitt centre , Coleman Music Centre and renowned Famine Museum etc etc. Mayo is surrounded by the historically rich and vibrant counties of Sligo, Roscommon and Galway with its superb coastline of the Wild Atlantic Way. Good transport links to Dublin city, the charming towns of Westport & Ballina are within easy reach and the wonderful city of Galway is just an hours bus journey away. The fascinating islands of Achill etc are well worth a visit as is a walk or spiritual pilgrimage to the summit of Croagh Patrick . If you would like to explore and extend your horizons we will help you in any way possible to reach these important places of interest.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are happy to offer this experience to any travellers who are happy to get stuck in and have a go. Some of the tasks are quite physical so you will need to enjoy the outdoors and be ok with sometimes doing tasks alone or within a small group. If you possess basic building or DIY skills that would be beneficial for some of the restoration activities. If you have an interest in working and training horses that would also be helpful. We are always grateful for people who are experienced with horses. However if you are ore comfortable just using a paintbrush or sweeping the yard you are just as valuable so thank you.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Accommodation
Own room in an original 200 yr old Irish cottage. Internet access. Share large family bathroom and cosy living area with wood burning stove. Project is ongoing converting a second pre-famine stone house into accommodation for visitors so the old dairy may be ready for your stay.
There is a large fully equipped family kitchen with dish washer, washing machine and dryer etc etc. We are willing to provide meals at no cost . If you would like to prepare your own food now and then to share your cuisine that is fine. We can accommodate vegetarians , vegans and special diets.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
4-5 hrs per day . 4 days per week
Feedback (18)
If you get tired during work, it's… read more
Livvi did seem to try hard to be accommodating, and offered a lot of information and opportunities for cultural excursions.
She provided great meals and was a good host in that way.
However, she seemed to really want to take on a “counsellor”… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.7)
If you get tired during work, it's… read more
Livvi did seem to try hard to be accommodating, and offered a lot of information and opportunities for cultural excursions.
She provided great meals and was a good host in that way.
However, she seemed to really want to take on a “counsellor”… read more
Livvi is a wonderful host, caring for all the animals and people in her home. Always ready to help you with all your questions and to share her knowledge.
I'm very grateful for my time at the farm and thank you, Livvi, again… read more
Always committed to doing a really good job of whatever they were asked to do, we are really grateful to them for all their help during their time on the farm. We will miss hearing all their entertaining stories of… read more
We loved the farm . Livvi ,Ernie,Anna and Sweepy made us feel right at home . Livvi has the most beautiful relationship with her horses that i have ever seen. The love she has for them is unmeasurable.
we got the opportunity to work with the horses… read more
Cleaning the yard with Ernie can be physical, but he is very funny. Livvi… read more
Through Livvi I learned a lot about the behavior of… read more
It was one of the deepest and best experience of my life . I could say a lot of things, but I think everybody already says what is to work in this place . Livvi and Ernie are two amazing people, i think everybody (with experience or not with… read more
To begin with, I have been with them for 3 weeks, and if I had had more time I would have stayed a month longer .. I had my own space in an old restored derry. It was a luxury to wake up in the mornings with the sun and prepare a cup of tea right there. I… read more
Work wasn’t too hard to do, me and other workawayers had fun time working. Ernie taught us how to drive the quad and how to use trimmer. He can build and fix almost anything (!!!)… read more
