About us
26+ Years in operation
1,000+ Students trained
Founded in 2000, Core College trains practitioners in herbal medicine, plant-based nutrition, organic medicinal herb growing and other subjects of interest to those who love nature and healing.
At Core College, students are introduced to a tradition rooted in vitalism, which recognises health as the body's natural state and disease as a departure from that inherent balance.
The College's approach is founded on a deep understanding of plants, people and the natural world, with equal emphasis on knowledge, practical application and lifelong learning.
Students are taught to work with the body’s own powerful healing ability.
The college is located in the former Presentation Convent and gardens, on Kilkenny Street, Castlecomer. The building provides the perfect character, history and space for teaching herbal subjects.
Carefully restored, the campus is now home to certified organic medicinal herb gardens, a public herbal medicine clinic, a herbal dispensary, and a dedicated herb-processing facility where plants grown on site are prepared for use.
Located just 15 minutes from Kilkenny City, the college is also within walking distance of Castlecomer Discovery Park, hotels and local restaurants.
The College
Recognition and accreditation
Herbal Medicine
In today's evolving landscape of natural healthcare, high educational and professional standards are essential to ensure safe, effective, and evidence-informed practice. Clinical training is at the heart of herbal medicine education, enabling students to develop the practical skills, professional judgement, and confidence required to work with patients.
The European Herbal and Traditional Practitioners Association (EHTPA) recommends a minimum of 500 hours of supervised clinical training for professional herbal medicine programmes. At Core College, we exceed this benchmark by providing 600 hours of supervised clinical training, ensuring our graduates are exceptionally well prepared for clinical practice.
Graduates of our Herbal Medicine Programme are eligible to join the Irish Association of Master Medical Herbalists (IAMMH) in Ireland and the Association of Master Herbalists (AMH) in the UK. Graduates avail of professional indemnity.
Living Food Instructor, Medicinal Herb Growing Course, and selected workshops
30 to 40 percent funded by the Nationally Organised Training Scheme (NOTS) for eligible applicants (employed and resident in the Republic of Ireland).
Vitalist Nutrition and Reflexology Diploma
Accredited by the Irish Institute of Reflexologists (IIR). Graduates can join the IIR on qualification and practice as reflexologists in Ireland. The programme is also 65 percent funded by Image Skillnet for eligible applicants (employed and resident in the Republic of Ireland).
“Having a working medicinal garden and being able to actually connect with the plants is something I had not found in other schools. You cannot teach that connection. You have to live it.”
— Antonella, Herbal Medicine student
Book a Discovery Call
A 20-minute Discovery Call gives you the opportunity to ask questions, understand how the course works in practice, and get a clear sense of whether it is the right step for you.
You can book using the calendar provided or simply phone the college during office hours to arrange this. The phone number is +353 56 4440254.