Stephen Hannon

Trustee

Stephen started kayaking, hill walking and climbing at an early age prompted by his involvement in scouts and his father’s interest in mountaineering.

His interest in adventurous sports developed and he later became involved in instructing in adventure and outdoor education centres and in running a sea kayaking company called Saoirse na Mara. Parallel to this Stephen had begun working as a primary school teacher and developed an interest in learning through experience. After 10 years working as a primary school teacher, with two career breaks to go on expeditions and to work for Canoeing Ireland, Stephen felt the draw back to education. He completed an M.Ed in University College Dublin and later an MA in Outdoor and Experiential Learning in Cumbria. He started working on the BA in Outdoor Education in GMIT Mayo Campus in 1999 and has developed an interest in learning through expeditions, student exchanges, youth work practice in the outdoors and Education for Sustainability.