Share experiences with a family in the Kilkenny countryside near Tralee, Ireland

Details

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  Description

  So there are five of us in this family; a 7-year-old boy, Uisne, a 4-year-old girl, Eirú, and a 10-month-old baby Tuireann and Diarmuid and I. The children go the Killkenny Steiner School and I teach Irish there.
  I am a performance poet and a Celtic celebrant and Diarmuid is a facilitator of healing camps for men. Our joint project is Wild Irish in which we create events for Irish people to reclaim their native language, cultural and spiritual traditions. We speak Irish and English at home,
  We recently moved to this old farmhouse on one acre, bordered by a river, adjacent to a gorse-filled valley. This is cow country. There will be mud.
  So there's a good amount of clearing to be done and fixing the place up. And in the pollytunnel too, if that's your inclination.
  We follow the Steiner approach to raising our children; as much freedom as possible within the safe boundary. The children are sweet and social.
  Depending on your skills and interests we could collaborate on other work too. We are open to all kinds of help really.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Since our work is in cultural reclamation, you would learn much on this subject. I am an advocate for maternity rights and freebirth and my recent performances were about this. Many years now living a liberation philosophy, I now embrace motherhood as a path to self-realisation. I am an Irish language poet and writer. I also have a holistic approach to health and forage wild food and herbs in the summer. My work is around reclaiming rites of passage and the sacraments from the Celtic Christian lineage.
  
  Diarmuid has much to share with a young man. His experience as a facilitator of young men and his career as a hurler have made him a public commentator on masculinity.
  
  Our community is centred around the Steiner School and the many associated events of that community which have a spiritual or environmental or practical orientation so you would be connected to those people also.

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  Au Pair Help

  This host has let us know they’ll be complying with Irish regulations for au pair stays.here

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  So there is a wide variety of tasks that one could undertake with us. In the winter months, its domestic indoor work.
  Tidying up the trail of debris left behind by hurricane children. Creative and imaginative play with the children. Cooking, if you like, and cleaning. From experience, the best fit for this role is a young(ish) woman or maiden who seeks the experience of motherhood and home to prepare for her own. The work is light and we are very flexible. There is plenty scope. In Spring and Summer, there are outdoor jobs, in the pollytunnel and clearing up around the place.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Irish: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  We use both Irish and English at home. We both have experience in teaching Irish.
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  Accommodation

  A static campervan down by the barn with a double bed, sink and cooker and electricity (pending) is a fairly contained living space for a person or couple. There is a hot shower in the house and a toilet in the shed too.

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  What else ...

  The house is rural, situated on the South Lenister Way walking trail, with a river down the back for a dip.There is a waterfall and plunge pool for a swim, Poulanassy about 8km away. The Barrow Way walking trail is also near. Charming village of Thomastown is 20 minutes away, shallow swimming wier, off the wide River Nore there.
  There is a nearish bus stop for Waterford City, ( 20 minutes) , plenty happening there and Kilkenny City is 30 minutes drive. Both cool cities. Historic and artsy. Kilkenny County has more woodland than the other counties, it's very beautiful. This is river country. There are kayaking tours down the Barrow from Graigenamanagh. It is inland but only 30 minutes to the spectacular Copper Coast of Waterford with many beaches along there. During the school months, September to June, we travel to Callan, Mon to Friday so you have the daily option to go to shops, cafe etc for the morning, returning at lunchtime, and work in the afternoon. Kilkenny Arts Festival from August 6th to 30th.
  There are two bikes here you can use. There is the Waterford Greenway for longer bike journeys. Ireland is hitchable. Public transport is ok. We are two and half hours from Dublin by train or bus.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have both a wired and wireless connection from the modem that you can use but the signal is not good enough from the guest bedroom, you would have to move the modem down. So not ideal for digital nomads. We have a dog only. A cat allergy prevents us from having a cat.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Its fairly ideal for a campervan. There is a yard separate to our own, beside the (unoccuppied) stables, with a separate gate. There is a power source there in the stable that you can plug into. You could also pull into the barn if you wanted to be out of the elements; plenty space in there and again separate to our house and yard. We have a well so good water and you could fill up from the outdoor tap.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Well our dog is an alpha male but he's not fighty. He is social and has a soft temperament so we are willing to try to host another dog.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

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