Established in 2007, Carraig Dúlra Ltd is a family-owned social enterprise dedicated to providing education, experiences, and connections related to sustainable living.
These subjects are shared through hands-on courses, local and national partnerships, and outreach projects in County Wicklow and beyond.
Each initiative is linked to helping people develop and maintain a connection to their community and to the natural world, so that we can live more justly, healthily and sustainably into a resilient future.
Courses and events (often custom made or funded)
Courses are offered in areas such as Permaculture Design, bush craft, foraging and nature walks, organic gardening, cooking with un-processed home grown ingredients, natural building: cob, straw bale, heritage skills, art, woodland crafts, art and natural well-being workshops, as well as, how to create local livelihoods, sustainable business, skills exchange networks and community collaboration and more.
Outreach projects
Staff and volunteers often work with setting up and supporting school and community gardens, and a CSA (community supported agriculture project called OOOOBY (out of our own back yard) which runs a local food box scheme. All their educational and outreach offerings have been underpinned with content that comes from the ethics of permaculture which are Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share.
Suzie and Mike also own a small-holding called Carraig Dúlra Farm located on the fast-developing East Coast of Ireland. They hope to make the farm an oasis (in Irish Tearmann); a reserve; a protected place. It is where they research sustainable food production using organic, permaculture, bio-diversity friendly methods and a new native woodland. The site incorporates natural building, up-cycling and related methods in all farm buildings and structures.
The small-holding site has been developed with Suzie and Mike’s time, expertise and personal investment and with some grant aid. Most of the labour has been by volunteers who have come from Ireland and abroad. To arrange a visit to the farm, please email .
For more information, consultation, and/or interviews about Carraig Dulra Ltd, please contact Suzi Cahn or Mike Cahn.
Carraig Dulra in the news
- The Pod Project blog from one of our past PDC participants
- Suzie was a "SuperGarden" contestant in 2015: Watch Part 1 and Part 2 of the episode, and a short video highlighting her use of upcycling
- August 2010 Irish Times - mention of Food Growing course in article on Getaway Breaks
- March 2010 Eco-Eye on RTE - on GIY, with footage at OOOOBY and Carraig Dulra farm, and interview with Suzie Cahn
- January 2010 Irish Times article about Grow Your Own courses
- 31 October 2009 - OOOOBY Do (Irish Times)
- 8 May 2009 - 10 of the best WWOOFing breaks in Europe (The Guardian)
- 25 July 2008 - Irish Independent article about sustainable living during a recesssion
- 19 July 2008 - Irish Times article about permaculture / tracking course August 2007 Morning Ireland (RTE) radio report about bushcraft and other skills
Financial Transparency
As a social enterprise, Carraig Dulra's focus of its activities are for the benefit of the community through sustainability education and empowerment. Any profits we make are reinvested in areas that allow us to continue these activities into the future, making the organisation financially sustainable. We voluntary publish our accounts to ensure our financials are completely transparent.
OOOOBY
OOOOBY
School, Community Gardens & GIY
School, Community Gardens & GIY
The GIY Glenealy/Ashford/Wicklow (Southeast) group is for gardeners from every level of experience