Stonehouse Forest School
Take a walk on the wild side and connect with nature, exploring woodland, learning bushcraft skills with tools, ropes and fire, making natural crafts and having fun with games and activities.
Siúl ar an taobh fiáin.
Latest News
3-day forest school course Nov/Dec
3-day forest school course on Sunday 23 & 30 November and Sunday 14 December from 10am-12 noon.
For boys and girls aged 6-12 years
Cost is €90
Phone/Text Ciaran on 086-0496518 or email admin@stonehouseforestschool.ie
Three-day Halloween course
Stonehouse Forest School Halloween course.
3 days: 28th, 29th & 30th October 10am-12noon
For children 9-12 years, costs €100 per child
Stonehouse Forest School on LMFM’s Late Lunch with Gerry Kelly
It was great to join Gerry Kelly on LMFM's Late Lunch to talk about all things environmental, including my work with the Irish Environmental Network, our great members, my opinion pieces on the environment, the work involved in rewilding my few acres at Stonehouse, Dunleer and my plans to open a Forest School on the site. Many thanks to Gerry and his team on the Late Lunch for this wonderful opportunity.
Our Story
Established by Ciarán Brennan in 2025, Stonehouse Forest School provides children and adults with an opportunity to immerse themselves in nature, learn about our natural environment and biodiversity, appreciate it, enjoy it, protect it and make sure it is there for generations to come.
Situated on private land at Stonehouse, Dunleer, Co Louth, the forest school offers an educational approach where children learn through hands-on experiences in a natural woodland or forest setting. It fosters creativity, problem-solving, and self-confidence through activities like building shelters, using tools, and exploring nature. Forest School activities are child-led, run over a sustained period and in all types of weather, and emphasise developing an appreciation for the environment.
The forest school is situated in Stonehouse Nature Sanctuary, a small parcel of land owned by Ciaran which is being rewilded and returned to nature. Participants in the school regularly plant native saplings in parts of the sanctuary.
It is a haven for wildlife such as foxes, badgers, pine martens, deer, as well as a variety of bird species such as crows, pigeons, sparrows, thrushes, finches, swallows and buzzards. Bats are also a common sight in the area.
Ciarán is also developing an education centre in a building on the land where those taking part can learn more about the biodiversity of the sanctuary.
Learning about nature
Our activities
Nature and wildlife discovery, observation and appreciation
Nature and wildlife identification
Nature trails and bug hunts as well as sitting and listening to nature
Tree planting
Collecting nuts and seeds for planting in a ‘forest in a box’.
Bushcraft Skills
• Tool use, including how to use knives safely for whittling and carving
• Fire-lighting, including how to light a fire using a fire steel, collecting the right kindling and wood for a fire, as well as safety around a camp fire.
• Den and shelter building
• Splitting logs
Making natural crafts
Learn how to create:
Ogham pendants from native tree cuttings
Wood cookies
Charcoal
Wooden tent pegs
Play & Games
Providing the opportunity for fun games and activities, such as:
Rope play such as setting up and using rope swings and low ropes
Tree climbing
Balance beams
Making towers from wooden logs
Hammocks
Hide & Seek
Our Expertise
Stonehouse Forest School is part of a small rewilding/nature restoration project on my own land near Dunleer in Co Louth. I am a qualified forest school leader having took part in Brigit's Garden Forest School Leadership Course in 2024/2025 https://brigitsgarden.ie/forest-school-leadership/ . I am a member of the Irish Forest School Association https://irishforestschoolassociation.ie/ and I am also Garda vetted, Children First compliant, First Aid trained.
Our Policies & Procedures handbook contains information, policies and procedures that are related to Forest School sessions at Stonehouse Forest School. The policy and procedures are in place to ensure that all persons involved with Forest School can do so safely.
Forest School experiences help to develop children’s self-esteem, risk management, independence and personal skills alongside their learning. It involves groups of children, teenagers and even adults making regular visits to woodland, forests or wild areas over a long period of time.
This environment enables all children, young people and adults to benefit from increased opportunities for learning experiences in nature.
The handbook demonstrates how we run the school in a safe, fair and equitable manner to enrich the experience of all involved.
