Síle O'Connell

14 Years of Making Trails Accessible

Síle's journey into senior outdoor activities started in 2010 when she volunteered with Age Friendly Ireland. She was leading walking groups in her native Dublin and saw firsthand how much time outside changed people's lives — their energy, their mood, their confidence. That's what hooked her.

She pursued formal training in gerontology while working as a recreation coordinator, completing her postgraduate certification at Trinity College Dublin. But the real work happened on the trails themselves. Over more than a decade, she's documented Dublin's paths, talked to hundreds of retirees about what stops them from walking, and identified the barriers — steep gradients, unclear signage, nowhere to rest when you're tired.

Her breakthrough came in 2017. Research she'd conducted on gentle trail gradients and accessibility features was adopted by Dublin City Council's Parks and Recreation Department. That's when her work shifted from individual walking groups to shaping policy across the entire city. Today, she leads editorial coverage of senior leisure activities for masteringflow Limited, drawing on years of field research and genuine community partnerships.

Síle holds a degree in Sports Science and Health from University College Dublin. But more than that, she's spent thousands of hours on Dublin's trails. She knows Phoenix Park's slopes, the best benches, where to find shade, which paths work for people with mobility concerns. She believes age shouldn't limit anyone's ability to enjoy Dublin's natural spaces.