About Ella Young

Ella Young immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1925 at the age of 58, disillusioned by civil war. In America she found a revitalizing natural beauty and a wide circle of friends among the artists and bohemians of the mid-century.

Through her stories, beliefs, and poetry, she restored people’s connection with the sacred in nature. She brought from Ireland a concept, cóir, found in Irish folklore, sometimes translated as “natural balance” or “kinship with the earth.” She taught that the land holds spirits, that you can talk to a mountain, and that humans are part of the planet, and not here to dominate it. This connection of ecological consciousness to daily life was Ella’s wisdom for her time and ours.

The Ella Young Society exists to share information about events, publications, and productions about Ella Young, her life and legacy.