The experienced teachers at yoga darśana have trained under senior teachers in the tradition of modern yoga, which stems from a common guru, T. Krishnamāchārya (1888-1989). BKS Iyengar, who was his student, and Sharath Jois, via his grandfather, developed their particular schools of Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga from this lineage. All the teachers instructing classes at yoga darśana have completed a minimum of 200-hours training. Many have continued with further training over the years and have taught classes to students with a range of abilities and experience.
Photo of BKS Iyengar and T. Krishnamāchārya from
Light on Yoga HarperThorsons edition 2015
Sara Falvey
Iyengar Yoga (All-Levels, Beginners, Gentle)
Sara started to practice yoga in 2000 and became a certified Iyengar teacher in 2007. She trained in Dublin with the Iyengar Yoga Association UK, under Grainne Gilleece. Since then, she has taught yoga in various locations in Galway. Sara has attended many intensive retreats, workshops and trainings with Senior Teachers, in particular Rajiv and Swati Chanchani in India.
Sara’s teaching style is clear and informed. Her weekly classes are always varied and blend a strong and steady alignment based practice with slower restorative poses. She ensures everyone’s needs are met in a safe and comfortable environment. Sara uses props to help students deepen their practice, to offer support during rest or to help students get into poses that otherwise might not be possible.
Sara is also a Yoga for Kids teacher - trained with YTTC, 2011. Her Kids Yoga classes at yoga darśana introduce children to yoga in a simple, structured and uniquely effective way that help children calm themselves and feel happy. Children learn the basic postures and concepts of yoga in a fun and supportive environment. Sara also runs Kids Yoga and Art Summer Camps.
Fiona Brown
Flow
Fiona’s love of yoga began in her late teens and it's been a daily part of her life ever since. She has been practicing yoga now for 20 years and teaching for 12. Fiona is passionate about movement and inspiring other people of all ages to move more. A self-described anatomy geek, she relishes learning anything related to the fascial network. Fiona loves to create new sequences and finding fun ways to transition in and out of poses. She believes the practice really begins off the mat and the work we do on the mat is just preparation for creating a balanced lifestyle full of connection and purpose.
Fiona’s teaching style is fun, creative and non competitive. She aims to support students on the path to discover a practice that is sustainable and maintainable, sharing the tools and techniques she found so beneficial and healing in her own life. Fiona invites her students to move with her on a journey of self discovery, observing the natural rhythm of breath, moving intuitively & intelligently to create strength, grace and ease of movement.
Saibh Egan
Vinyasa Flow
After a life altering spinal injury in her mid 20s, Saibh started her journey of healing through yoga and movement. When all else failed in terms of treatment, it was up to her to take hold of her own body health. Yoga gave her the opportunity to connect with her body and learn the meaning of patience and gratitude. She holds space for bodies in her classes, enabling everyone to access yoga.
She qualified as a yoga teacher under Aisling Reidy, Optimum, and has also trained with Melanie McLoughlin and Manasi Sridhar. She received her Mat Pilates certification from Suzi Dodd and credits Sinead McKiernan as her inspiration and long term teacher.
Saibh teaches a non-dogmatic, non-judgmental and non-competitive Yoga and tries to connect with each student as they navigate their way through Yoga. She believes every single Yoga journey is different, just like our bodies and tries to honour this in her teaching and practice, creating a safe space to learn and grow. Saibh strives to help beginners feel comfortable in their practice, learn essential postures, and ensure a safe practice for everyone.
Embodying the yoga philosophy, Saibh has been a local volunteer since the age of twelve. Having worked with charities and organisations, she works to improve the lives of families in Galway.
Macha O’Maoildhia
Yin & Restorative
Macha is a qualified and experienced RYT 500 Yoga Teacher in her final year of a two-year C-IAYT Yoga Therapy
programme with the Vancouver School of Healing Arts.
Raised on Inis Mór, her practice is deeply influenced by Celtic earth-based practices, energetics, psychology,
psychosomatics, and the power of self-compassion.
Eva Du- studio manager
Gentle, Men’s, Restorative
yoga darśana studio manager, Eva attended her very first yoga class when she was 15 here in Galway. It wasn't until she went to Pune, India that her passion for yoga was truly ignited. There she started to practice with local Iyengar teachers twice daily, alongside completing her Law degree. In 2014 she went to Mysore to train, knowing nothing about Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She soon fell in love with the practice and completed her first 200-hr TTC (teacher training certification) with Vijay Kumar in Mysore.
From 2019-2020 Eva completed 500hrs more of RYT (registered yoga training) in Hyderabad India. She has worked and taught in India, China, Dublin, UK and Portugal.
She has a master's degree in Holistic Science from Schumacher College and holds Bachelor of Law. Eva is first and foremost a student life and lover of nature. She adores teaching and sharing the practice of yoga-and gets the upmost joy out of celebrating life with all those that she meets!
Laurence McEllin
Meditative Yoga
Laurence’s first guides were his mother, father, maternal grandmother, Delia, and the bogs of Mayo. He took up a formal yoga practice (Sivananda-Ashtanga) and meditation technique (mantra) in his late teens (1990). After many years travelling and working in the late 1990s in the Americas, especially Honduras and Colombia, and trying various oddball techniques he connected with Tai Chi, which he played with for many years. On moving to Galway in the mid-2000s he returned formally to ashtanga yoga and to silent meditations. This led to trips in Japan, the U.S., and India where in 2016 he qualified as a yoga instructor.
Laurence’s classes are directed by the principles of care, kindness, peace and humour. The class offered at yoga darśana is Meditative Yoga, a style that combines hopefully the best of various techniques and ideas he has learnt over the years.
Currently, he is doing a yoga-academic apprenticeship with YogicStudies.com, and in the future intends to offer introductory talks and classes on the histories, and philosophies of yoga.
Fiona Hynes
Ashtanga Mysore
Fiona started yoga here in Galway while her children were young and active, and it soon became her favourite night of the week. Once she was introduced to ashtanga yoga it became a daily practice. She met her teacher Luke Jordan in 2011 and continues to practice as a student with him.
She has studied with Sharath Jois in Mysore, India and has attended several of his workshops around the world. She has been teaching ashtanga yoga for 14 years. Fiona also enjoys walking, sea swimming and being in nature....and loves cooking.
Fiona’s classes can be booked directly here https://www.ashtangayogagalway.ie
Tara Duffy
Co-Founder
Tara has been practicing yoga for 22 years, and teaching since 2010. She is grateful to have come across Iyengar yoga at her second yoga class, and continued with this alignment-based method as she noticed increased strength, stamina and flexibility with her practice. She credits yoga to bringing her greater calmness and an ability to handles life’s changes.
While working as a journalist in London, she began her teacher training in 2003. A move to Beijing for work and having a child set back her training, but ended up becoming an opportunity to complete her initial training years later with Faeq Biria. Since then, she continued her yoga studies with Faeq, Corine Biria, and Jordi Marti, all direct students of BKS Iyengar. She holds the Level 3 certification in the Iyengar method.
Tara’s teaching is detailed, precise, and tailored to students’ abilities. Her experience comes from over 12 years of teaching in London, Beijing, Galway, Hong Kong and Taipei. As co-founder of yoga darśana, her goal is to make yoga accessible for all, regardless of financial, social, physical, or other constraints.
Yoga is a vast subject, and Tara is grateful for the opportunities she has had to deepen her understanding of its many facets, in particular with the guidance of all her teachers. She feels blessed to have also had the chance to study with Geeta in 2002, BKS Iyengar in China in 2011, and the Iyengar family in Pune, India. She holds a master’s degree in East Asian studies from Harvard University. Outside of yoga, she enjoys climbing mountains and Chinese calligraphy.