Let it rain. Let it snow even. Let it be crisp cold. Let clouds cover the sky…or strip it to the sparkling blue.  Let the fire in your home lullaby you. Let Nature set the rhythm of hours and minutes for a little longer.  Wishing you timeless days and unreasonable laughter on your first steps into the new year.  While my wise friends, the plants, are still sleeping in their beds dreaming of the wonders of spring and summer to come, I will be having some fun making some medici

Hoping you are buzzing with joy in preparations to delight body and soul, yours and the ones around you, I am sending you a story which might be a little inspiration to celebrate herbs and their kind gifts of wellbeing. Thank you for your curiosity and will to follow my dancing with herbs, in words, photographs, in the garden, in the kitchen and in my clinic. See you next year for more herbal adventures, stay joyful and kind. Why Vermouth When a gourmet dinner with friends or

As the rainbow of autumn colors surrounding us now, are beginning to fade away into shades of grey, we should listen to our instincts as often as we can, and rest more, care and repair more.    For myself, I’ve had a busy autumn, with hosting a Sensorial writing workshop at the Ireland Writing Retreat  in Belfast in October; mentoring a new group of beginners herbalists at the Plant Medicine School in Wexford - whom I am happy to mentor throughout their next two year studies

Recently I had the pleasure of being a guest on Lieve Galle's international podcast, where we talk about they way herbs are remembered in different cultures and about the efforts made to keep the connection alive. Lieve has a great collection of interviews on her podcast with various herbalists worldwide. Remembering to trust the herbs with Columbia Hillen I try to go for a long walk in nature every day. And sometimes, at some point, I just stand still and listen. When you s

How To Make Herbal Oils Join me on Sunday, May 25th for a workshop at my home to see how easy it is to make this for yourself and your family.

join me for a workshop at my home where we will make some herbal medicine, enjoy a home-cooked lunch and...

One of the greatest satisfactions, beside working with herbs every day, is sharing the experience with others.  Thus, setting up Anamcara...

Thank you to all who joined me to start a new year by celebrating Pine, Bay laurel and Rosemary as we shared experiences and recipes. We...

Join me to celebrate Brigid's Day, the ancient Celtic Goddess of healers, poets and creativity.

Winter.  Nature’s way to encourage us to focus on our inner worlds. To pay attention to our bodies, feelings and thoughts.  To take time...

As we are approaching the new year, I am excited to announce that I will be organising a series of workshops on herbal medicine making...

Join the only herbal medicine club in Donegal

Article about Columbia Hillen, herbalist in Donegal, published in the Irish Times

From home made pesto using herbs that grow wild in northwest Donegal, to home made ice cream with seasonal flowers, to aromatic vinegars,...

Happy Imbolg everyone and to celebrate Brigid the Celtic Goddess in each of us, I am offering free wellbeing consultations until February...

I could not bear to listen to the pipes go quiet and the words, spoken and unspoken, grow farther and farther away, and feel closer and...

As fires were being lit around us here at Anamcara Healing Herbs Garden, I decided to look for the light in the blooming around me. And...

Most often I find that looking through the lenses of a camera, time indeed stops and, what I am focusing on, begins to unfold. As if this...

In celebration of the herbal medicine, a series of events will take place in Ireland under the umbrella of the National Herb Week,...

As a herbalist, student of medical herbalism at The Plant Medicine School and member of the Irish Registry of Herbalists, I will launch a...