A unique yoga walk on historic grounds of famed Limerick castle

DRIVING through a stone entrance marked as being private, down a long winding avenue lined with autumnal lime trees, Springfield Castle in Dromcollogher is tucked away in the landscape of west Limerick - a private, luxurious venue, which dates back to 1280.

In a rare opportunity to walk on the grounds of the private estate, which is rented out for weddings and events, Kilbehenny woman Caroline Conroy of Yoga Walks Ireland, is hosting a Halloween Yoga Walk on the castle grounds this Sunday, November 2.
“It will be amazing to practice some yoga beside walls that have been there for 700 years,” Caroline said.
She said that Springfield Castle is “just perfect” and that she loves “seeking out places that hold history and mystery”.
The yoga walk will involve a mixture of walking, yoga moves, meditations, chats and learning about the rich history of the castle.

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“It definitely delivers on atmosphere for Halloween and Samhain. There are amazing walking trails, hidden gems, a lovely grotto and there have been a few ghost sightings there.”
The Kilbehenny yoga instructor said that this kind of event gives people the opportunity to embrace the energy of a place and its history, while also letting go of anything that is draining them.
She pointed out that Sunday, November 2, is also All Souls Day, when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead, thins and we can absorb some of the energy from the ancestors of the castle.
“This time of year is all about healing and nature giving us permission to slow down and let go,” Caroline said.
She said that this will be a “unique opportunity to experience the land and the spirits of Springfield Castle.”
Springfield Castle is family-owned and run and Caroline said that they are very interested in keeping it very natural and eco friendly.
“The land is a real medicine and in ways, we have drifted so far away from the earth and the earth in Springfield Castle is Mother Earth as a really nurturing source.”
She added that the earth “comforts us, grounds us and the earth is the ultimate stress reliever”.
In a world, which is getting increasingly more digitally dependent, Caroline said that events like this give people the opportunity to step away, get lost in what the natural world has to offer and to connect with others, while reconnecting to themselves.
“When we’re online all the time, we lose our compass of what’s fake and what’s real, especially with AI. This yoga walk is a simple, but powerful way to put everything behind us and trust in something outside ourselves - it’s about making that deep spiritual connection.”
Explaining how the morning of the Halloween Yoga Walk will go, Caroline said: “We’ll move along the grounds, stopping occasionally at different locations - we’ll have a beautiful morning with time to connect to the divine wisdom and energy and I’d hope that people will leave the walk with more than just a relaxed mind, they will feel lighter, more flexible and stronger, but will get so much more than that through the chats and connections to the people they meet and what they discover about themselves.”
The Halloween Yoga Walk takes place on the grounds of Springfield Castle, Dromcollogher, on Sunday, November 2 from 10am until 12.30pm with yoga, meditations and a chance to connect with the mystery and history of the land and season. Places are limited, it costs €25 per person and bookings can be made with Caroline on 087 1220116.