Jessie McDonald

Mini Bio

My life’s journey has led me down many rabbit holes, from teaching languages to working on archaeological digs to collecting oral histories, studying everything from wildflowers to dry-stone walling along the way. My path into tour guiding was a natural progression—one that allowed me to continue asking questions, learning, and, most importantly, sharing that knowledge with others.

Time spent living in Italy and France deepened my appreciation for Ireland’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. On my return, I moved to West Cork, surrounded by windswept headlands and prehistoric monuments. I realised that exploring Ireland is more than just a journey through time—it’s about understanding our place within the landscape and embracing the responsibility to protect it. I now live in the sunny southeast, where I continue exploring new rabbit holes!

Favourite Place to Play

The Dingle Peninsula is a stronghold of Irish language and culture. With its stunning scenery, abundance of legends, prehistoric monuments, and end-of-the-world feel, it’s hard not to love it.

Not a lot of People Know This

I once discovered a Bronze Age burial site when left alone on an archaeological site. In my innocence, I asked my supervisor, on his return, if the bones were bird bones. He looked at me and said, “No, Jessie, they are human bones.” Cue me telling the digger driver, him telling his friends in the local pub, and the police arriving the next morning to find out where the bodies were!