Help create and maintain a lovely and peaceful place in Tourmakeady, west of Ireland

Ireland

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Favourited 536 times

Host rating
Feedback
23
Last activity
07/08/2022
Nº of Facebook friends
103
Reply rate
100.0 %
Average reply time:
within 6 days
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Availability

2022

Min stay requested: at least 1 month

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Details

Description
The Garden is privately owned. The owners don't live in the house but are there frequently. My name is Frank and I am the head gardener. The garden is still under development though most areas are already cultivated. Beside the garden we also have hens, sheep, bees, two pigs and two cats.
Our aim is to create a lovely and peaceful place. Still we are no dreamers and know to achieve this a lot of work has to be done.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
The West of Ireland has a rich culture. Tourmakeady is in a gaeltacht area where our visitors can learn some Irish if wanted. The nearby town of Westport is well known for good trad music (Matt Molloy's pub etc.)
Help
We are looking for people who are interested in gardening.The Garden is one of the biggest, privately owned gardens in the West of Ireland. We do have flower gardens, vegetable gardens, an orchard, a poly tunnel etc. The vegetable garden and orchard are run organically.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Our Workawayers are staying in a nice little cottage 5km from the garden. The cottage has three bedrooms, bath, living room and kitchen and a nice porch facing the lake. We always welcome two visitors to share the house. Usually we are trying to get two different nationalities. Workawayers can take surplus fruits and vegetables from the garden. We also offer €50 a week for each volunteer to cover for food and drink.
What else ...
We provide bicycles and lifts to nearby towns or the bus station. Tourmakeady is in the middle of nowhere and as such a good starting point to visit towns like Galway, Westport or Castlebar. For the last two years we had wwoofers who all enjoyed their stay a lot. We are easy going, friendly and helpful. My personal attitude is: 'There are no problems, only tasks that need solutions.' Tourmakeady might be small but is very active. We do have a festival (ceol na locha) and an agricultural show every year. It is a GAA region and therefor to learn a lot about gaelic football.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
25hours a week max

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Feedback left by and about host (23)

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:
(4.9)

Communication:
(4.8)

04/07/2022

Left by host for Workawayer (Maddie)

Maddie stayed with us for 6 weeks earlier this year.
She is easy going but absolutely honest in her job. It was a pleasure and also fun working with her.
I can guarantee that, whatever job you will throw at Maddie, she will do it with good attitude and to a high standard.
Maddie is one of these few people who don't seem to care what job it is they… read more

(Excellent )

27/05/2022

Left by Workawayer (Maddie) for host

I absolutely loved my time here at the gardens, with the other workawayers, with Frank, the whole team, and the animals. I stayed for 6 weeks.

This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who likes horticulture or being outdoors and working on the land. We had lots of variety in the jobs that we did from potting on, and planting to walking the… read more

(Excellent )

05/05/2022

Left by host for Workawayer (Searlait)

Unfortunately I can only give 5 stars.
If you are looking for someone who is absolutely reliable, someone who show initiative, is practical, someone who thinks in solutions and not in problems, who is efficient and friendly; you would be looking for Searlait.
I can't think of anything I wasn't happy about while she was with us. Or maybe there was.… read more

(Excellent )

29/04/2022

Left by Workawayer (Searlait) for host

How to sum up my experience at the place? I have left with memories I will cherish forever.
Living in the idyllic (and brand new!) volunteer house with two other helpers who have become friends, the beautiful walk to work in the morning along the river, saying hello to the Alpacas on our way in, taking in the beautiful garden in the stunning… read more

(Excellent )

07/03/2022

Left by Workawayer (Hana) for host

I had the most wonderful time in Tourmakeady. Everyday was different and the jobs were fun and we had lots of free time as well :) I felt like I was taken very good care of and everyone was very welcoming and helpful. Felt like one big family, working in the gardens, polytunel with fruit and veg, in the orchard, kitchen... Picking blueberries,… read more

(Excellent )

12/10/2021

Left by Workawayer (Justine) for host

What a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this place. I stayed a month and it was one of my best workaway. Everyone was so so lovely, very patient, ans they LOVE what they're doing. The place is beautiful, there is a lots of differents things to do in a garden. I'm really grateful for this experience and the people working there.
Frank is a… read more

(Excellent )

27/07/2021

Left by host for Workawayer (Isabel)

Isabel worked with us for a few weeks.
The fulfilled all tasks like weeding, pruning, propagating, feeding, watering and a few other things to a very high standard.
Isabel is a very tidy worker, trustworthy with a good and positive nature. She is very interested in all tasks and a quick learner.
I can truly say that she will always be welcome… read more

(Excellent )

27/05/2021

Left by Workawayer (Isabel) for host

What a beautiful garden and incredible team there is at the place! If you are at all interested in gardening, botany, formal garden design, growing vegetables, orchards, horticulture, or even in sustainable Irish agriculture(!), then this is the place for you! Frank, the head gardener, is always generous in imparting his wide knowledge of plants,… read more

(Excellent )

20/08/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Clémentine & Maxime)

It was an absolute pleasure to work with Clémentine and Maxime in these strange times we're living in at the moment.
They are a hard working couple, honest, interested and easy going. They stayed with us for 4 weeks in July and did all sorts of garden work like weeding, watering, pruning, feeding, sowing seeds etc. and though some of these works… read more

(Excellent )

03/08/2020

Left by Workawayer (Clémentine & Maxime) for host

We spent 5 lovely weeks at Toormakeady! The garden is sublime and immense, a very pleasant place to work with a magnificent view! We did a lot of things in the garden! We had a great time, Frank made us feel very welcome and the team members are lovely! You will have the opportunity to learn about quad bikes, it adds fun to work!
We are staying in… read more

(Excellent )

30/06/2020

Left by Workawayer (zain & Rachel ) for host

I had a fantastic experience here from the accommodation which I was generously given as well as the work available. If I'm being totally honest I never saw myself as a garden lover however this place gave my perspective and a complete 180 turn! I fell in with the place and the nature provided! The smells OMG the smells of the different flowers… read more

(Excellent )

26/12/2019

Left by Workawayer (Martin & Lisa) for host

We had an awesome time with Frank and the cats in Tourmakedy and really enjoyed being there. Frank is an awesome host: welcoming, helpful and always good for a joke. During our stay we could harvest and eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies like beetroot, blueberries, apples, beans, currant, beans, kale, onions, beans :D, tomatoes, the list goes… read more

(Excellent )

09/11/2019

Left by Workawayer (Doug & Nathalie) for host

This was our first Workaway experience, and it was great. October is probably not the best time to work in a garden like this as we had lots of "clearing up" tasks, but the apple harvest definitely balanced it out, and we got to do interesting things like work on the willow structures, making cuttings, and pressing apples for juice. All the staff… read more

(Excellent )

18/08/2019

Left by Workawayer (Sabine) for host

Working (and after work doing yoga) for four weeks in this beautiful garden was a impressive experience.
Every day a different view of the lake - a delight for the eyes. I enjoyed the time with Frank and the team, the fragrance of the roses, lavender and other plants. The fresh fruits, vegetables & herbs were delicious. I visited some gardens in… read more

(Excellent )

17/07/2019

Left by Workawayer (Mélanie) for host

Thank you so much Franck, I had a great time in Tourmakeady!
I wish I could come back in September but I’ll be working on a boat… Maybe in 2020?

Anyway, it was a pleasure to get to know the whole team; everyone was nice to me from the beginning, we had lots of interesting chats. I’ll always remember tea times, lunches and also evenings at… read more

(Excellent )

11/06/2019

Left by Workawayer (Shirin) for host

This was my first workaway experience and I am so glad I came to Tourmakeady. I spent 4 weeks in this paradise-like garden and used the weekends to explore Galway, Castlebar and Westport. Unfortunately after the first week the second workawayer went back home for health reasons. So I sometimes felt lonely but was happy about the stray cats coming… read more

(Excellent )

06/06/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Lisa Maria)

Lisa is a funny person and good worker. She did all the jobs we asked her to do to a high standard and without any complains even when the weather wasn't good. We enjoyed having her with us and she will always be welcomed back in here.

(Excellent )

04/06/2019

Left by Workawayer (Lisa Maria) for host

It was a great time there in the garden (6 weeks). I enjoyed all that funny and lovely conversations during the tea-time and lunch-breaks with the friendly and open minded gardening team. I already miss them all now! And Poldy is the funniest cat of the world!! He is more like a dog..
Of course the most time of the work we have spend with weeding,… read more

(Excellent )

06/06/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Lenka)

It was a pleasure working with Lenka. She does all the jobs to a high standard and is easy going. Lenka is witty, precise, tidy and punctual. She will always be welcomed here.

(Excellent )

29/05/2019

Left by Workawayer (Lenka) for host

I had good time in Tourmakeady. People are friendly! Garden is nice and so big :)
I've learned a few new things about gardening.
If you like garden, nature, nice people around...that's great place for you!
Frank was helpfull so don't worry about anything.
I worked from 9-15:30 with breaks :)
Thank you for everything! I enjoyed time in Tourmakeady.

(Excellent )

03/09/2018

Left by Workawayer (Jorge & Desiré ) for host

What a wonderful experience we had! We were really successful in finding this lovely place in Ireland. Frank and the rest of team are very nice, kind and friendly people, who will always help you whenever you need. Being in such a beautiful place like here makes work easier, moreover, tasks were very diverse. The irish music festival was amazing,… read more

(Excellent )

27/06/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (nattali)

Although Nattali was with us for only 10 days we really appreciated her help. She is friendly, reliable and hard working.
Nattali also is easy going and didn't complain once even though the midges were eating her alive (for anyone who doesn't know midges: they are the meanest little creatures that you can find in Ireland).
I hope she will find… read more

(Very good )

02/06/2018

Left by Workawayer (nattali) for host

Hallo Frank!
My first workaway was here in Tourmakedy. Frank did not hesitate to say yes to my sister and I, when we requested him. We stayed there only 10 days, short time, not enough, despite this, I had so good time with him and his crew; shawn, Joe, Brian, dodo, micha, Steve, all of them made everyday awesome, having lunch all together, and… read more

(Excellent )

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