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      Ruth O’Meara

      On an adventure!

      A Mini Bio

      I’m from the Irish Midlands and love hiking, surfing and cycling along the Irish coast. After years of living abroad and travelling around the world in international sales and teaching roles, I moved to Achill Island to pursue my passions and obtain my outdoor education leadership qualifications.

      I’ve since been lucky enough to teach many people to surf and guide them along the Irish hills and hidden gems. I love sharing my joy of the outdoors with others. With the right gear, you can explore and enjoy the outdoors in any weather – in Ireland, we can be lucky enough to experience four seasons in one day.

      Favourite Place to Play

      I’m happiest in the surf or mountains, so wherever that takes me along the Wild Atlantic Way.

      Not a Lot of People Know This

      As a child, one of my favourite sports was gymnastics, and I once held the title of county gymnastics champion!

      Though I first learned to surf at Playa la Boca in Concón, Chile, I came back to Ireland and with a new appreciation of what an epic surf location I was living in, bought a surfboard, and have had many adventures along the Irish coastline since.

      Experience & Education Read More
      • Mountaineering Ireland Mountain Skills 1 & 2
      • Mountaineering Ireland Lowland Leader
      • Fáilte Ireland National Tour Guide
      • Fáilte Ireland Regional Coastal Guide
      • ISA Surf Instructor & Beach Award
      • Remote Emergency Care 3
      • QQI certified in Gaeilge
      • Leave No Trace Trainer
      • RLSS National Pool Lifeguard
      • Traditional Reiki Practitioner
      • Institute Cervantes Diploma in Spanish
      • ACELS Certificate in English Language Teaching
      • BBS Honours Degree in Business Studies with French & German
      Travel & Biggest Adventures Read More

      I lived in Valparaíso, Chile for a year teaching English, and first learned to surf at Playa la Boca in Concón, Chile. I came back to Ireland and with a new appreciation of what an epic surf location I was living in, bought a surfboard, and have had many adventures along the Irish coastline since.

      While in South America, I had many adventures travelling through Peru, Argentina, and Ecuador. I completed a biking and white-water rafting tour to the incredible wonder of Macchu Picchu, cycled Mendoza’s vineyard region and stayed in the rainforest in Ecuador, and met many wonderful people along the way.

      I especially remember a magical town called Vilcabamba in south Ecuador, also known as the Valley of Longevity, where locals are rumoured to have one of the longest lifespans in the world.

      Favourite Regions Read More

      I love exploring the entire coastline of Ireland, and the more I explore, the more I realise there is to discover. I spent a summer surf instructing and hiking in north Donegal and love the friendly surf culture of Donegal and Sligo.

      The wilds of Mayo hold a special place in my heart, and I am still awed by the beautiful views, white sand beaches, and remote, pristine hills and mountains on Achill Island and the Corraun Peninsula.

      I also love the chilled-out vibes and artistic culture of Galway city and surrounds, as well as the Gaeltacht (Irish -speaking) regions dotted around the country.

      Adventurer's Stories about Ruth

      Ruth did a great job keeping us on track, giving very interesting information about the places (and Ireland), and just being a very nice person.

      Walter Olsen
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 29/09/2023

      Ruth was terrific . She was knowledgeable about the country , the areas that we traveled to. She had great recommendations for restaurants.

      Margaret Lucey
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 25/09/2023

      Ruth was wonderful. Very knowledgable, patient, and kept us on the move at just the right pace to accommodate us all.

      Ron Cummings
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 24/07/2023

      Ruth was lovely - enthusiastic, knowledgeable and took very good care of everyone

      Janet Neve
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 19/07/2023

      We would follow Ruth anywhere! She was knowledgeable & approachable. An exceptional guide to a magical place.

      Deb O'Connor
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 19/07/2023

      Ruth is a good guide, very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. She did a great job of keeping a group of people of various levels of physical fitness happy.

      Tracy Litwin
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 18/07/2023

      Ruth was an excellent guide. She was knowledgable, easy going and very organized. She was also quite personable.

      Christina Herrick
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 17/07/2023

      Ruth was wonderful in every sense. She was very encouraging and helped me get through the tough times when I thought I may not make it up that mountain.. She had everything planned out, was on time and did a great job!

      Linda Morrissey-Scagel
      Hiking - The Wicklow Way
      Reviewed on 26/06/2023

      As mentioned earlier, Ruth was the kind of guide we’d have hoped for, and if we are ever so fortunate to return to Ireland in the future, we would be so lucky to have her guide us again.

      Joyce Jorgenson
      Hiking - The Wicklow Way
      Reviewed on 23/06/2023

      Ruth was excellent. Friendly, warm, informative and knowledgeable. We were so glad to have met her!

      William Leffler
      Private Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 26/02/2023

      Our guide Ruth was awesome!!! She went above and beyond to make the trip the best!!! I have problems with arthritis in my knees and she stopped at the pharmacy and got me a few ice packs. She really cared about each one of us. She had lots of info to share on the places we stopped. Very laid back!!

      Susan Fruland
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Cork and Kerry
      Reviewed on 18/08/2022

      Our guide, Ruth, was very knowledgeable about all of the places we visited and the guided us on how to navigate the terrain of each hike.

      Sharon Burns
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Cork and Kerry
      Reviewed on 27/07/2022

      Ruth was amazing! This is my third Wilderness trip and she was my best guide ever! I had heard before the trip that Ruth was a new guide this year but she has a natural talent for the way she guides and did an amazing job with us.

      Gary Fruland
      Hiking and Island Hopping - Cork and Kerry
      Reviewed on 25/07/2022

      Our whole party - ranging in age from 20-85 - LOVE Ruth. She was like a good friend by the end of our time together. Enough said :-) See our earlier comment.

      Margaret Moore
      Private Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 06/06/2022

      Ruth was an excellent very patient guide. She always consulted the weather the night before so we made the best use of the day.

      Ann Cuddy Moore
      Private Hiking and Island Hopping - Ireland's West Coast
      Reviewed on 06/06/2022

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