Hi, I’m Deirdre Monaghan and I created The Quiet Wilderness to share my love of slow living, creativity, and exploring where you live.

You could say that I grew up in a slow home. I spent an idyllic childhood on the northwest coast of Ireland, where my father was a lobster fisherman, and my mother ran a bed and breakfast. My parents were super laid-back and easy-going, and I had great freedom, spending much of my time exploring rockpools, climbing trees, and holed up in my bedroom listening to music, reading books, and writing poetry.

Of course, during my teenage years, I couldn’t wait to get away from my quiet countryside life and live in a big city. I went on to travel, study and work in many different places, before finally settling down with my husband and two fur babies, in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

We’ve been in Fermanagh for 10 years now, and it feels like I’ve come full circle. I’m living in a place where I belong, spending my time creating, writing, exploring, and enjoying the simple things in life!