With Conan’s qualifications in Civil Structural Environmental Engineering, his best paid work opportunities would come from carrying out destructive industrialization, but he was instead driven to earn his living from ecologically restorative work. 

He grew up on a farm learning from his Grandfather who had his knowledge from his father (this was biodynamic and organic methodology before it became known as permaculture) and has been directly involved in land restoration and management at Síolta Chroí’s pilot site in Agahcloghan, Carrickmacross. He holds a BAI in Environmental Engineering from the University of Dublin, a Certificate in Permaculture Design (ShiftBristol), a B.Eng in Civil and Structural Engineering from Dundalk IT and is currently completing a Certificate in Ecosystem Restoration through Gaia Education and Stichting Ecosystem Restoration Foundation in the Netherlands. He has broad experience on various types of campaigns, also in the design and delivery of outdoor skills camps and leadership programs, along with project oversight and financial management experience gained whilst working in local government. Conan also has experience in oil spill remediation,construction and road maintenance, woodworking, farming and food production.

On his farm he has both a small suckler herd and poultry. Conan wants to improve and restore his land through regeneration and is moving towards agroforestry. Conan hopes that through participating in this EIP he can experiment to find ways to improve his soil, demonstrating scientifically that building soil naturally is the way forward. He wants to establish a sustainable farm income, finding ways to support himself and others to live rich full lives in harmony with the land, whilst promoting the regeneration of soils and ecosystems.

Conan is also an active member of Síolta Chroí, a not-for-profit co-operative which draws on ecosystem restoration and regenerative agriculture models that not only reverse ecological degradation and restore biodiversity, but also improve the resilience and livelihoods of landowners. In this video from Síolta Chroí, you can watch as Conan collects eggs on his farm.