About the Author - Lora O'Brien 2015

A brief history of Irish Author and Educator Lora O’Brien, for those who want to know...

She grew up in an Irish storytelling, rowdy folk song singing, heritage exploring, nature loving family of definitely not witches.

Nope, no ‘genuine family tradition’ of super authentic olde medieval grimoires round here… just lots of the actually important connection to community, flora and fauna, folk and fairy tales, ancient sites, songs and stories of Ireland.

After figuring out consciously at the age of 14 that there was DEFINITELY something different about how she viewed deity and religion, then discovering and reading about modern Paganism from the age of 16, she found a Traditional Alexandrian Wiccan coven in 1996, and had accomplished training and experience to 3rd Degree High Priestess level by 2002, when she left Wicca and began exploring the OTO magic and initiation cycles.

A move to Co. Roscommon (the magical and spiritual heartland of Ireland) opened up a whole new branch of native Irish learning and practice, as well as the start of her journalism career, and her first book was published in 2005 - 'Irish Witchcraft from an Irish Witch' (Career Press, USA, ISBN 978-1564147592).

Lora then began her Irish heritage and native spirituality work in a professional capacity, first guiding tourists in County Roscommon, and moving on in 2007 to manage the Rathcroghan Heritage and Visitor Centre business; which gave her a fascinating insight and first-hand experience with Irish archaeology, geology, and anthropology, as well as the mythology, but effectively put a stop to her writing.

In 2011 she began to study Psychology, and the following year (Dec 2012) published her second book - 'A Practical Guide to Irish Spirituality' (Wolfpack Publishers, Ireland, ISBN 978-0957499409).

By 2014 she had ‘quit her day job’ to write and teach full time, incl. in USA and Italy, and of course, in Ireland. Talks began with American publisher Llewellyn for her next book, and contracts were signed for "A Practical Guide to Irish Magic" at the end of 2015.
Get the Full Story in her own words here:
Finding My Path - Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.