Phil Brown, Ecologist & Guide
With roots in the Isle of Man, but growing up in the north of England - and having lived in the west of Ireland for over 30 years - Phil feels he’s from three different places in three different ways. Formerly working as a guide (in his day job he was an Iron Age man), Phil has spent most time working with trees, but these days he loves to combine his passion for the natural world with outdoor activities, and interacting with friends of all kinds along the way…including with the many friends he hasn’t met yet!
Phil loves to play, especially football (soccer), and enjoys being part of something bigger than himself. He runs a local club (Mixed Bag United) who’s mission is to play soccer, for fun, with a wide diversity of participants. He also loves to travel, explore, and experience the myriad cultures and ways of life he finds – past and present, and maybe even help shape those of the future. Phil follows a Buddhist philosophy, and has been involved with a local retreat centre, Sunyata Buddhist Centre, in County Clare, Ireland, since its foundation in the 1990s, currently serving as treasurer. In the summer of 2025, Phil became an instrumental member of the Ireland West Camino pilgrimage support team.
When he’s at home, Phil lives a simple country life near the big woods and his amazing garden, with his wife Fiona, in their 200 year-old cottage in County Clare.
