What we do
Lucy O’Hagan
Passionate about supporting people to re-establish their connection with themselves, their communities and to nature, of which we are a part. Lucy is particularly interested in rewilding and rekindling the knowledge and skills we once knew so intimately, which connect us to our place in the world.
Over the past five years, Lucy has been swept away by a strong love of Ancestral skills which satiates both her love for nature-based skills as well as the deep soul work that her heart craves.
In 2018, she took part in Lynx Vilden’s Stone Age immersion projects, living wild for 4 months with a community. From the ancient caves of the Dordogne, to the northern lands of the Sami, she deepened her understanding and love of Ancestral skills, whilst also exploring cultural regeneration and deep nature connection practises.
Lucy’s love for nature sprouted in early childhood,
as the fields and woods around her house
served as both school and sanctuary.
Lucy’s passion for teaching began after finishing a degree in Social Anthropology and French when she had the chance to work in schools in the Caribbean and on Reunion Island, assisting in the integration of environmental learning across the curriculum.
Lucy trained as a Level 3 Forest School practitioner in March 2015 and soon after set up the Phoenix Forest School in Dublin’s iconic Phoenix Park in September 2015.
Since then, Lucy has been deepening her relationship with nature and passion for teaching through learning at and working with an exciting diversity of schools. She has attended and assisted John Rhyder of the Woodcraft school in Sussex. Here, she furthered her knowledge of ethnobotany, wildlife tracking, and trained as a Bushcraft Instructor. This involved sleeping out in the woods for one week a month, September-June, learning practical bushcraft skills and effective ways to teach these to others.
Since 2018, Lucy has continued to deepen her practice as a Rites of Passage and Vision fast guide for youth and adults. She considers her life a giveaway to the rocks, rivers, trees, and hearts of this land. Lucy feels most at home wandering through the woods, following animal trails & nibbling on what food or medicine nature has to offer.
Lucy’s Training
“So much of my learning has come directly from the plants, animals, the land, and my hands. But they don’t always issue certificates”.
NCFE Level 4 Bushcraft Instructor | NCFE Level 4 Practical Ethnobotany | NCFE Level 4 Wildlife Tracking | OCN Level 3 Forest School Practitioner
CyberTracker Level 3 (Track & Sign) | Level 3 (Trailing) | REC Level 2 First Aid | Member of the Association of Foragers | Member of the Irish forest school association
Allyship
We recognise that connection to nature and the health of the earth is inextricably linked to the liberation of all people and the abolition of harmful systems of oppression. Wild Awake is committed to the life-long process of building relationships built on trust, accountability, and consistency with marginalized groups and/or individuals.
We support the following organisations and continue to learn how we can leverage our privilege and power to uplift those who are often on the front lines of change.
FAQ's
1. What is ‘Rewilding’?
‘Rewilding’ is a process through which we can come to understand our role as humans within the wider ecological community; exploring our own ecological niche. Many definitions of ‘Rewilding’ suggest that it’s about humans stepping back from the natural world, but I would argue that it is about humans stepping in and taking up their place as a part of nature and working to end the systems of oppression that threaten the world and all those, both human and other-than-human, who live here.
2. What is Ethnobotany?
Ethnobotany is the study of the relationship between people and plants. This could be how we have and continue to maintain our relationships with plants for food, medicine, textiles, dyes, basketry, fire-making, natural navigation and other needs. This study also explores how we have built a cultural relationship with plants through folklore and mythology and how these plants relate to the wider ecological community.
3. What is Forest School?
Forest School is an ethos of learning which seeks to support resilient and creative learners through regular and on-going relationship building with the natural world. Free play and supported risk-taking is central to the practice of Forest School. Forest School is led by qualified practitioners who are continually reflecting on and building upon their practice.
4. What is Cultural Regeneration?
Cultural regeneration supports healthy communities to grow and thrive by connecting to their story as a people and to a place. To ‘regenerate culture’ means recognising the diversity of cultures that can exist within one place and celebrates that diversity as part of the human story of a place. This can play a key role in the building of more sustainable local communities: enhancement of people’s self-esteem and sense of belonging to a place and development of creativity within the local community, especially among the most marginalised.
5. What is Ecological Regeneration?
Ecological restoration means restoring the vital health of a place to support a vibrant and biodiverse community. Ecological regeneration is also know as ‘Rewilding’ and often seeks to restore an ecosystem to a baseline which was disrupted by modern and often harmful agricultural projects.
6. What is Hide Tanning?
Hide tanning is an ancient art that has been practiced by humans for millennia. It is the alchemical process of preserving and transforming an animal's skin into a soft, supple, and durable material. We practice traditional and natural forms of tanning, without harmful chemicals and use skins that would otherwise go to waste. We view hide tanning as a sacred act and practice gratitude for the life of the animal throughout the entire process.
7. What is Vision Fast?
Also known as ‘Vision Quest’, a ‘Vision fast’ is a way of intentionally and ceremonially marking a transitional point in one's life by spending a set period of time fasting from food in a wild place. We follow the lineage of teachings from The School of Lost Borders and Bill Plotkin as well as continually exploring and reviving our own ancestral lines of ritual practice.
8. What is Rite of Passage?
A rite of passage is an intentionally designed ceremony, marking the transition from one stage of life to another. Our rites of passage programmes are designed to support youth as they transition into young adulthood and help them to identify and bring forward to their unique gifts to support themselves, their communities and the earth.
9. What do I need to bring?
Shelter e.g. small tent, basha etc. There is space for Hammocks.
Personal Cup, bowl, plate, cutlery
Sleeping bag
Sleeping mat
Footwear appropriate to the weather -you may consider wellies as part of your kit
Full set of waterproofs
Personal toiletries and medication
Torch and spare batteries
Hand cleaning gel & Face mask
Water bottle
Lunches & snacks
Notebook and camera if you wish
Folding chair if it’s hard for you to sit on a wooden stump or the ground
Swimsuit and towel