A large field on a working farm is the setting for a yoga festival that will take place in Moynalty, Co. Meath, on Saturday and Sunday, May 30 and 31.

According to yoga teacher, Marion Gilsenan: "The festival takes place during a natural window in the farming calendar after the silage has been cut and before the next cycle begins.

"That timing has always felt significant to us, as it allows the land to be used in a different, more reflective way while still respecting its primary purpose.

"We can feel a real sense of collaboration with the land and with the farming rhythms," she said.

Yoga festival

Marion founded the yoga festival in 2012, at which time it was held in the Moynalty Steam Threshing Museum field.

Since then, it has grown into an independent gathering that has run annually - with a pause during the lockdown years - in Rathinree, a scenic spot, just a mile outside Moynalty village. 

Marion is inviting people to step into a weekend of movement and magic with uplifting yoga, dance, meditation, sound healing, and 'heart-opening' talks.

"Wander through wellness stalls, enjoy wholesome food, unwind in the sauna, and let little ones explore an enchanting children’s area designed for creativity," she urged.

The weekend opens and closes with live concerts, creating a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere.

"Attendance has grown steadily over the years, and we now welcome a loyal and returning community, along with new visitors each year," Marion said.

"While we keep the event intentionally intimate compared to larger, more commercial festivals, we typically host a few hundred attendees over the weekend.

According to Marion, the core aim of the festival is to reconnect people with themselves and with nature.

She explained: "We offer a wide range of embodied practices including yoga, meditation, breath work, dance and sound healing.

"Practising outdoors, or in simple tents on the grass, allows people to feel more grounded and connected to the land. We see this as a powerful way to support both physical and mental wellbeing," she said.

Rooted in local community

From a rural and farming perspective, Marion said the festival is "very much rooted in the local community".

"For me, the land is central to the experience, and we encourage respect for it through a strong sustainability ethos.

"Over the years, we have worked towards a zero-waste approach, prioritising reusable materials and mindful consumption," she said.

Local producers and residents provide food, tea and coffee.

"There is a strong sense of neighbourly co-operation around the event," Marion said.

"In addition, our herbal workshops highlight the value of native plants and traditional knowledge, reminding people of the 'free medicine' that exists in the hedgerows and fields around us."

Participants often comment on the fact that the festival is drug and alcohol-free, according to Marion.

"This creates a safe, inclusive, and genuinely uplifting atmosphere, where people can connect, have fun, and recharge without relying on substances.

"The festival reflects a meeting point between rural life and wellbeing practices, showing how farmland can temporarily host a very different kind of activity, while still honouring its primary role and supporting the local economy," she said.