Meet four people who brave the elements of working outdoors all year round

We spoke to four people about what it is like to be outside while the rest of us are behind closed doors.

WHILE most of us will be wrapping up warm as we make our way to centrally-heated offices, homes or workplaces, others will be adding layers in the knowledge that they will be outside come hail or shine all through the winter months.

We spoke to four people whose jobs require them to work in the elements all year round, to find out what they do and what it is like to be outside while the rest of the country is behind closed doors.

Maura Canning, national chairperson of the IFA and also works as a farmer in Galway

Having grown up on the land, Maura always knew she would follow the same path as her parents and together with her husband Seamus — they have two children - Craig (18) and Tegan (15) — she spends most of her working day outside on the farm.

“I was reared on a suckler farm in East Galway and followed quite naturally in my father’s footsteps.

“I spend most of my time outside and after the kids go to school every morning, there are lots of jobs to be done ranging from herding stock, tending to sick animals, scanning the cows to see if anyone is in calf and giving the sheep a worm dose or checking to see if any need to be foot-bathed.

“And of course, if ever I have a spare minute, there are always maintenance jobs to be done so I am kept busy all day and before I know it the kids are back from school.

“I’ve never wished for job indoors because I love the fresh air and walking through the fields every day is a great way to clear the head and of course it is a very healthy way of life. Being a farmer means you are your own boss and can go and please as you want.

“Like any job it can be stressful as farmers face many challenges — such as increasing input costs, uncertainty in commodity prices, increased environmental regulations and long working hours. But farming is the backbone of this nation and it is important to remind people where the food on their table comes from.”

Local milkman Adrian Murray from Meath lives with his wife Brenda and two children – Aoife (22) and Cillian (15)

Adrian not only spends his working life outside, he is also up and about while the rest of us are still tucked up in bed. But despite these pitfalls, he loves his job.

“I have been working as a milk agent since 1985 and before me; my father did the job since 1968. I start each day at 2am and deliver to almost 500 houses, several shops and restaurants in my local area.

My routine starts with loading the van, then I deliver to the houses first, getting them all done by 7am before delivering to shops and restaurants. I usually finish about 11.30am and then three days a week I also have to collect all the money owed.

“I honestly love the job and being outdoors all the time. My fitness levels are great because of the active nature of what I do and I love being my own boss —plus I really enjoy interacting with customers and having the bit of craic.

“During the summer the job is brilliant as I am out in the good weather, enjoying fresh air and the peace and quiet of the early morning. But in the winter it can be harder because of the weather and this also causes traffic delays as the morning goes on. Also, it can be difficult to take holidays because of the scale of my customer base and finding someone to keep up the standard which I have set over the years.

“But having said that, I wouldn’t change my job for the world.”

Jess Hodnett is a wildlife warden at Fota Island Wildlife Park

Spending all of her time tending to animals outside no matter what the weather can make life difficult at times, but Jess would never trade in her job for one behind a desk.

“My official job title is general operative which means I have the opportunity to work on all the sections in the park. My daily routine starts at 9am with a staff meeting to discuss the events of the previous day.

"This may include animal moves, any animals on medication and general husbandry changes. After this I am allocated a section for the day and although each section is vastly different the routines are relatively the same.

“I do morning rounds until 11am which involves checking and feeding of the animals on the section and cleaning enclosures where possible. Later I continue with cleaning, scatter feeding, enrichment, DIY jobs and food preparation.

“In the evening the food rounds on each section are done and the animals checked once more before closing.

“Do I ever wish I had a job indoors? Never.

“Although the winters are tough, an office role definitely would not suit me. It’s not for everyone but I enjoy the physical side of the job and don’t mind the rain and muck at all.

"The only cons are the amount of cleaning which has to be done and also it can be difficult when an animal becomes sick as we are all very attached to them.

“On the positive side, the park is beautiful and in a wonderful location and I work with some fantastic people and excellent tutors.”

Mark O’Connor is an outdoor educator and manager of Nature Kindergarten in Bray, Co Wicklow

Mark’s charges spend all of their time outside playing, foraging, building make-shift dens and learning about the environment around them.

Always happiest when outdoors, he says he could never imagine having a job which required him to be inside all day.

“After welcoming the children and having a morning snack, we venture off on forest adventures. The children get to direct their own learning experiences and we only join in when appropriate or needed.

“I couldn’t really imagine having a job which required me to spend each and every day inside, especially if it involved me having to stare at a computer screen all day. Having spent the past 10 years exploring, studying and working in the great outdoors, I couldn’t really picture it any other way.

“The physical benefits of spending time outdoors are no secret and mental health and wellbeing follows closely behind. Spending my days outside helps me feel healthy and I enjoy my lifestyle — I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The rewards of my job certainly outweigh any possibility of cons, but it is important to be prepared for the mixed bag of weather Ireland likes to throw at us.

While I wouldn’t suggest you need to be an elitist or a ‘Bear Grylls’ type to spend every day outside in all weathers, it certainly does take a certain type of mind set.

“They say there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing — well I have seen both bad weather and bad clothing and I personally believe good clothing will protect you from the weather. The fun you can have in bad weather is endless.”