'The time is right to close this chapter': Cork attraction to close at end of season

After 12 years of reporting on global conflicts, war correspondent Kurt Lyndorff and his artist wife Sheena Wood moved to West Cork in search of something very different and life-enhancing.

They arrived in Ireland in 1993 from Costa Rica, where Kurt was the Latin America correspondent for a leading newspaper in his native Denmark.

He started his career covering the dangerous conflicts of the Falklands, then the Middle East, and finally South America.

The Middle East was extremely dangerous for a journalist, and Latin America was a very dangerous place for the family to live at the time, with violent crime and regular earthquakes. It all added to the high stress, which had built up over so many years.

It was time for something different. They weren’t exactly sure what they were looking for, but they knew it had to be ‘gentler’, and that Ireland was the place that could provide that, recalls Sheena, originally from the UK.

“After what we had seen and lived through, we wanted a project that involved learning and connection, and we knew we had to come to Ireland to find a quiet, beautiful spot for that experience,” said Sheena.

They toured the whole coast down from Dublin and found their dream place at the most southerly point in Goleen by Mizen Head, a former sheep farm, where their combined talent, vision and energy resulted in them creating The Ewe Experience, the country’s only interactive and interpretive sculpture garden.

“We wanted to create something to make people stop and think about the world around us and the fragile environment. It’s about you (Ewe) and me and what we all share,” said Sheena.

After a decade, they started all over, moving to a stunning waterfall, along with their two children Kloe and Eliza, and expanded The Ewe in Glengarriff, where it’s been enchanting people of all ages for 22 years.

It’s hard to describe, or even to do The Ewe justice on paper. Set along a stunning waterfall, it’s many things to many people: a charming walk along windy paths in lush woodland, or an educational experience where you can explore the natural world through interactive art and inspiring sculptures, as well as a science and poetry trail.

“When we first started, people weren’t really that into nature, and this was regarded as a bit ‘green’,” said Sheena.

“But our idea was to make the environmental experience fun and engaging, with a lot of humour, to make it playfully philosophical. It really doesn’t matter where your interests lie, as this engages everyone and is a chance to enjoy nature. The information boards are in some ways secondary, people hoover up what they can," she said.

What has brought visitors back time and time again is that The Ewe has always evolved and responded to what’s happening in the world.

However, after 32 years, the couple has made the difficult decision to close at the end of the season.

“The time is right to close this chapter of our lives and start anew, although it is sad to finish such a successful venture,” said Kurt.

The project has been a mammoth one for the couple and a real labour of love that not only involved creating the mind-blowing art and sculptures dotted over two acres and a half acres, but also installing and uninstalling a lot of them at the start and end of every season, and also dealing with the fall out of the increasingly fierce storms that recent winters have brought.

“We want to go out at a time when we still love The Ewe,” said Sheena.

There’s now a chance for someone else to put their stamp on the property – or just enjoy it as an incredible home.

The property is for sale, along with their stunning residence ‘Falling Water Lodge’, guiding at €975,000.

The property is in a private nature reserve.

“What’s nice about it is that it can be taken as it is or reinvented. All we want is for whoever buys it to love it as much as we did, and have their own dream for it,” said Sheena.

“We have had so many sad, but also very kind comments about us closing. Several people have suggested a public group should take over our educational work, promoting art and protecting the environment,” Kurt adds.

The couple plan to stay in Glengarriff – it’s home – and have lots of ideas to try, including offering their services as environmental design consultants, and for art and design.

Eldest daughter Kloe was born in the Middle East and, inspired by her parents, she now runs Two Green Shoots, designing gardens and running edible foraging tours in the incredible temperate rainforest on the site next door.

Eliza, born in Costa Rica, works to nourish people as a dedicated occupational therapist in Norwich in England.

Typical of a couple who give back – to the environment and their community – four charities will benefit from the last season at The Ewe Experience gardens, which will be open until August 31.

They are UNICEF, Cork Cancer Research, The Alzheimer’s Society and Bantry Hospice.

Lots of items will also be sold for charity as well as the proceeds from two wishing wells in the garden. All donations will be matched by The Ewe Experience.

There will be up to 40% reductions on the artworks by artist Sheena in the gallery on-site and currently the couple are busy preparing for a new exhibition called ‘The Ewe Goes to The City’, which opens upstairs in Quay Co-Op on Sullivan’s Quay in early September.

“Many unseen textiles, ceramics, paintings and surprises will be on show. Some pieces have been specially created for the exhibition, and all proceeds from sales will go to Gaza,” said Sheena.

For now, they’re going to savour their last season.

“We’ve had three generations of loyal visitors coming and we’re looking forward to having a chance to say farewell before closing the gate for the last time,” said Kurt.

And as their way of saying ‘thank Ewe’, all sculptures in the garden will also be for sale at greatly reduced prices, giving everyone a chance to have a part of The Ewe in their own homes!