In our Autumn 2020 issue, we were thrilled to speak with the wonderful Louise McEvoy of Aloha House, who told us all about Aloha House’s plans and upcoming initiatives. Read on below to enjoy the article!
The Aloha Welcome
A house of bliss
by Aisling Cronin
Those who experience a yoga retreat, meditation class or holistic treatment at Aloha House tend never to forget it.
Aloha House is a tranquil, vibrant and comfortable holistic retreat centre and guest house. It is located in Killorglin, Co. Kerry – right in the heart of the scenic Reeks District – and run by husband-and-wife team Brian and Louise McEvoy.
Louise is an experienced yoga and aerial yoga teacher, who also teaches Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage. Brian is a superb cook, whose philosophy is ‘food is medicine.’ His healthy plant-based dishes are greatly appreciated by Aloha House guests! He and Louise take care to source local and organic ingredients wherever possible, and they also grow their own herbs and vegetables.
Instant calm is inspired by the venue’s beautiful backdrop of the River Laune and world-famous McGillycuddy Reeks mountain range. During a recent chat I had with her, Louise described the very location of Aloha House as an integral part of its healing charm. ‘During our retreats, we allow people plenty of time to explore the nature that surrounds them – this is a very powerful part of their overall experience.’
Aloha House truly is the perfect place to hold space for healing and community. They have a number of beautiful spaces available to rent, for anyone who wishes to host residential and non-residential treatments, courses, workshops and classes.
The venue offers a range of accommodation and catering options, for up to fifteen people. Guests have access to a fully-equipped kitchen, chill-out lounge, reading room, sunroom and dining area. The gardens overlooking the river and mountains are a great place to ground.
Aloha House have a number of yoga retreats coming up over the next few months, which sound like they will be blissful indeed! Different teachers will come on board, catering for all levels of practice, and leading attendees through styles like Iyengar, Restorative and Hatha Flow. ‘Aerial Yoga is another very popular type of yoga we offer during our retreats,’ Louise adds, ‘as it gives people the opportunity to experience something unique!’
The venue’s beautiful Namasté studio has been professionally rigged to the highest safety standards for Aerial Yoga, and has space for 10 students.
In the evenings, guests are free to enjoy a bedtime relaxation and sound journey. Local teachers and facilitators offer a variation of yoga and meditation experiences, to add depth and variety to the weekend. ‘We love to provide our guests with a range of different experiences,’ Louise explains, ‘so that they can move through different ways of being, rather than just doing yoga all the time.’
Holistic treatments at Aloha House are provided by Louise and a local team of gifted therapists. Louise’s treatment portfolio focuses on Lomi Lomi Massage, Pregnancy Massage, Kua Lua Backwalking and Kambal Yoga One-to-One Meditation. Other holistic practitioners use the spaces at Aloha House to provide treatments like Rebirthing Breathwork, Reflexology, Reiki and Holistic Massage.
