Séamus O'Malley

Séamus grew up in Westport, County Mayo, where his childhood walks with his grandparents along local greenways sparked a lifelong passion for making outdoor spaces accessible to people of all ages and mobility levels. That experience shaped everything he'd do later.

After completing his Environmental Management degree at University College Cork in 2008, he initially worked with the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service. But his real calling came when he shifted into specialised trail design and accessibility consulting. Over the past 16 years, he's worked directly with Mayo County Council and tourism bodies to assess, improve, and promote walking routes specifically suited to older adults. Age Friendly Ireland recognised his contributions to senior-focused outdoor recreation — it's work he's genuinely proud of.

His work on mapping the lower Croagh Patrick approaches and enhancing the Westport Greenway paths has become a benchmark for gentle hillside trail development across Ireland. These aren't just projects to him. They're about opening doors — or rather, opening trails — for people who thought they couldn't walk anymore.

What drives Séamus is straightforward: he believes that terrain, waymarking, and rest points can be optimised for those with varied fitness levels and mobility considerations. His practical, evidence-based methodology combines field testing with feedback from older walkers, ensuring his recommendations are rooted in real-world experience rather than assumption. He's walked thousands of kilometres with people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s — he knows what works because he's watched it work.