My name is Colm Mahon. I live near the town of Westport, in Co. Mayo, on the west coast of Ireland.

I have worked for numerous Outdoor Education and Adventure Centres, including spending six years at Petersburg OEC., where I have thought “Mountain Skills” training,  Kayaking courses, open Canoe courses, and Bush Craft courses and a body of other courses run by the centres.

As well as being a youth worker I am a Presidents Award Leader (PAL) and also a scout leader with 2nd Westport Scouts. I have a particular interest in running programmes for scouts and youth groups. These are available on request.

Since 2001 I took up employment with Co. Roscommon V.E.C. on their Youthreach programme where I teach Sport and Recreation, Outdoor Pursuits, Health-Related fitness and others, under the F.E.T.A.C. and Leaving Cert Applied programmes. I am a member of An Comhairle Mhuinteoireachta (The Teaching Council), Hold a degree in Outdoor Education and Leisure,I am a qualified Bushcraft  NCFE  Instructor. This is the only nationally recognized award for Bushcraft leadership in the UK and Ireland., Hold a Mountain Leader Award, Open Canoe Instructor Award, Kayak Instructor Award, and Archery Instructor Award, as well as relevant first aid certification.

I have attended Bushcraft training courses in the UK with “The Woodcraft School” under the tuition of John Rhyder, and “Woodsmoke” run by Ben Mc Nutt.