Oona

I first became interested in personal and spiritual development while studying at university, and what started as a hobby quickly became my main focus, as I studied techniques ranging from Neuro-Linguistic Programming to divination systems, shamanic ceremonies, and Reiki healing.

Then I heard about firewalking. After my first firewalk, I quickly found myself keen to repeat the experience, and then I found myself signing up to train as an Instructor, and then the number and size of the firewalks I offered seemed to naturally grow and the results people experienced to have continued to amaze and inspire me, and today I find myself in the extremely fortunate position of being able to do the work I love full time, and now to also train others to be able to share this amazing experience.

I have been lucky enough to be able to share the firewalk all around the UK, and at various international sites too. I have firewalked in the desert, in the mountains, in the valley beneath Glastonbury Tor, and in settings ranging from small spiritual gatherings to festivals with tens of thousands of attendees, and my own fire pitch here at Tir na nOg has been a space for countless moments of change in the past decade.

For me the firewalk is holistic, offering an embodied experience of release, healing and empowerment, providing an undeniable shift in what we perceive to be ‘real’ and ‘true’, opening up possibilities for change and growth that are invaluable to participants.

Stephen

I have always been interested in fire. For as long as I can remember.

I always lived in a house with a real fire or stove and learnt how to lay and light fires at a fairly early age. In 2002 I saw a friend with fire poi and thought ‘I would like to be able to do that.’

I started to practice long and often, meeting a lot of great friends along the way, together we set up the Fields of Fire Nottingham fire and circus meet in 2003 which is still going strong, and from that grew the companies Pirate Technics and Shipshape Arts who take commissions on huge art installations up and down the country.

I love playing with fire, and creating unusual and beautiful bonfires and flammable art.

I love putting a huge amount of thought and effort into something that will only exist for a short amount of time before going up in a blaze of glory. I have been involved in the construction of burn sculptures and in fire performances at numerous small and large events over the last decade, including Secret Garden Party, the Artemis Gathering, and Wilderness Festival.

Since moving to Scotland, recent projects include performing with the Elsewhere theatre company at the Psychedelic Forest and providing fire and sound backup to the Tipi stage at the Kelburn Garden Party, as well as events at the Celtic Fire base at Tir na nOg Holistic Centre.