Medbh Boyle

I am an ordained Interfaith Minister and legal solemniser of marriage in Ireland, I am very honoured to be an Irish woman trained and recognised to hold ceremony for people of all faiths and none. Interfaith ministers are non-denominational and offer a range of celebrant and support services, although we use the titles 'minister' and 'reverend', we’re a very different kind of minister from traditional religious ministers. We minister wherever we’re asked to go, in a way that’s fitting for the people we’re supporting.

I am a registered member of the OneSpirit professional minister body ROSIM and adhere to their code of ethics.

The sacred in the everyday

A smile, a flower opening, a cup of tea, a song, a breath, a tear, a bird flying high, a cry for help, a word on a page, a belly laugh…these are beautiful things. These are everyday things and these are sacred things. They are the most normal and the most special of moments. They are the stuff of life, and the stuff of everyday spirituality. For me, the times that we are living in call for recognition of the spirituality that is inherently present in the day to day of our lives - in our simple actions, our connections with each other, with life around us and within us.

My ministry is to pay attention to these things, to remember them and to honour them - and to support others to do so, where I can. My offering is to help create and hold ceremonies that mark the beauty of life’s sacred moments in ways that are heartfelt, inspiring and authentic for people. I also hold space for people to explore what it is that heals, inspires and nourishes their own soul - through workshops, meditation and spiritual counselling.

Occasionally I refer to myself as a Priestess out of mischief, as it brings a sparkle to people’s eye and fires the imagination- where girls (and boys and non-binary little ones) can dream of being priestesses as well as princesses. I hold a heartfelt invitation to be bold, to say YES - with love and respect, we can do whatever we choose with our ceremony, our life, our spirituality!

Photograph by Dave Keegan

My Path

I have had a lifelong interest and need for spiritual exploration - educated in 1980’s in one of Ireland’s first multi-denominational schools (Bray School Project) I was fascinated by different religions and cultures, and horrified by the prejudices and inequalities I perceived in Ireland and the world. Driven by a sense of loss and longing in my teens, I began to learn Buddhist meditation and nature based shamanic practices and have since travelled many other paths - including my OneSpirit interfaith training. Initially trained in drama and theatre studies, I have over 15 years of experience facilitating arts and well-being work for groups and individuals. 

I currently nourish my own soul through connection with nature, regular meditation, dancing my prayers and delving into the sacred sites of this land and her mythologies. My wild dancing prayer today is for Ireland to continue to evolve and thrive as a home where all beings (including animals and our environment) are welcomed, protected and celebrated - where we reclaim old and create new ways of expressing the inherent, vibrant passion of ourselves as soulful peoples - honouring each other and this Land of Eire  

Qualifications

• Spiritual Minister and Counsellor: One Spirit Foundation, 2018

• BA Hons. Community & Youth Work: Maynooth University, 2015 

• Dip. Life Coaching: Kingston College, 2010 

• Dip. Drama and Theatre: Maynooth University, 2001