About Us
COIRE SOIS - School Of Irish Spirituality was founded in 2019 by Irish Pagan Priestess Deirdre Wadding. A former primary teacher and professional storyteller, Deirdre has had a deep love of Irish mythology and of her native land and language since childhood. Her path to her current spiritual practice has been long and varied, and has grown and evolved out of years of personal work, and her training in Celtic Shamanism with Caitlín Matthews of FIOS (Foundation for Inspirational and Oracular Studies). For many years, Deirdre has been asked to share her teachings and finally decided to found COIRE SOIS to share her own experience and understanding of working with the Sacred Land, Irish Mythology and Ancient Irish Deity. Her preference is in person work as she feels the most important aspect of this practice is to be out on the Land, connecting with the living spirit of Nature. However, the recent lockdown, due to COVID-19, has given her the impetus to push herself into the 21st Century and begin to share work online. The Priestess Training Programme is a women-only vocational programme. All other workshops/courses are open to all.
Deirdre lives with her adult children who come and go, her partner who commutes between work in Dublin and their home in Kilrane in County Wexford, in the south-east corner of Ireland, close to the sea. She spends as much time as possible outdoors connecting with nature, communing with full moon, sunrise and observing and celebrating the festivals of the Wheel of the Year.
Activism
In common with most mothers, the most important thing in my life is my family. A close second is my activism, which, as everything else in my life, is driven and informed by my spirituality. I believe that, in calling ourselves Pagan, we express a devotion to the Earth as our primary mother. For me, that means acknowledging a responsibility to the natural world and recognising that all people are our brothers and sisters. For that reason, there is no room for any kind of prejudice, and an obligation to stand up and be counted, and to fight injustice wherever we encounter it. For me, that means being politically active, and I am unapologetically a socialist, believing that we will never tackle the climate crisis, poverty, racism, xenophobia, and, indeed, the current pandemic and others to come, until we end the capitalist system, which is destroying
our planet and its people. However, just as within Christianity, there are contemplative orders and orders which are active within the community. As Pagans, we all have different roles. Some may choose, as I, to be activists in the physical world, but some may choose prayer and intention as a way of shifting consciousness, or the middle ground of signing petitions and emailing public representatives on issues of justice. These courses and workshops are open to all who are called to work with Irish tradition and this Sacred Land, and are designed to be inclusive in nature.
Remembrance Event after the Orlando shooting
Poetry at a “Bards in the Woods” event to encourage use and protection of our forests.
Embodying the Spirit of Water at a Water Charges (Demunicipilisation and Double Taxation) protest in my hometown.
Protest against demunicipilisation and double taxation for Water Services
Ceremony in solidarity with Standing Rock, Water Protectors, at the Hill of Uisneach sacred site in the heart of Ireland
Lighting sage given by a supporter from North Dakota at a protest in solidarity with Standing Rock at the U.S. Embassy, Dublin
“Deirdre is a gifted and well respected practitioner and teacher with great compassion skill knowledge and authenticity. Highly recommended!”
- Danu Forest, Teacher and Author
“I attended Deirdre’s workshop on the use of the Irish language in Ritual at Eigse, a festival of Irish Spirituality. Like for many, the Irish language comes with a lot of baggage for me, but Deirdre made the living use of Irish accessible, and perhaps even exciting. There were people from several nationalities from fluent Irish speaker to complete newbies present, and by the end she had us all using our cúpla focal practically. If you have been educated to hate the Irish language, or are completely new to the language, this may well be your gateway to a living and joyful practice of Irish/ Gaeilge.”
- Brian Breathnach, DORD FIANN
“I would absolutely recommend Deirdre’s work and teachings. Her knowledge and understanding of Irish Mythology is extensive and she is an amazing teacher and space holder. She is also a captivating performer and storyteller, a woman of many great talents!”
— Tara de Róiste, Wild Routes Tours & Imbas Herbs