Volunteer Voices

It was a completely great time. "Brilliant" as the Irish say. There were just five of us volunteers: myself and another vol from the US, one from Slovakia, one from Slovenia and one from Japan by way of Limerick University. Four females, one male. We all got along really well, sharing work load and household duties without problems. The work was demanding (mostly garden-related (lots of weeding!)with cleaning, painting, minding the ecoshop and other work thrown in. We worked a good 8 hours/day but with the staff working just as hard it was ok. I think we really did have a helpful effect, getting the place a bit caught up on Spring chores. It's a typically struggling non-profit and utilizes almost entirely volunteer labor. Their educational outreach is the backbone of the place, and as school groups were there almost daily, they really needed to get the grounds up to snuff. The accommodations are simple but more than adequate. We were asked to bring sleeping bags, which I wouldn't recommend as there's plenty of bedding available and it's just one more thing to lug around. We ate very well from the garden and using the vegetarian supplies that Sonairte furnished. The staff (most of whom no longer get a salary due to financial hard times) are welcoming, warm and fun - great people. I think we all felt a part of the Sonairte family by the end of the project.”

Marcy Edwards ~ Ireland 2009