Siobhán O'Donoghue

Siobhán grew up in County Kerry and developed her passion for Killarney's landscapes during childhood walks with her grandmother. Those early experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to making hiking accessible for all ages. She's never forgotten how her grandmother's eyes lit up when they'd reach a viewpoint — and how frustrated she'd get when trails became too steep or poorly maintained.

After completing her Environmental Science degree at University College Cork in 2010, she worked seasonally as a mountain guide before obtaining formal credentials with the Irish Mountain Guide Association in 2013. That's when things shifted. She wasn't just leading hikes anymore — she was learning what genuinely works for older adults on the trail. Steep doesn't mean character. Technical terrain doesn't mean beautiful. And accessibility isn't about dumbing down the experience.

Over the past decade, she's guided hundreds of older adults through Killarney's trails. She's learned what makes routes genuinely manageable versus merely marketed as 'easy'. Her work with Killarney National Park on accessibility audits led to significant improvements in trail signage and rest facilities along the Muckross and Torc routes. When she identified gaps in handrails or spots where drainage had made paths treacherous, the park listened. Real changes followed.

Siobhán's philosophy centres on creating authentic outdoor experiences that respect both the landscape's integrity and visitors' physical capabilities. She believes age shouldn't limit access to Ireland's natural heritage, and she channels this into every guide she writes for novaxmanagement Limited.