The Jungle: 20 years of grit and growth...‘We were dangerously close to losing the farm to the bank, but I refused to quit'

The Jungle in Magherafelt was born on my family’s farm, which has been in our hands for seven generations.

I grew up there with my three sisters, but around the time I was in P6, my parents separated, and we moved to Belfast with my mum. I went to Belfast Royal Academy, but I spent nearly every weekend back on the farm – I was especially close with my grandparents, who were running it at the time.

Back then, the farm was thriving. But when I dropped out of university in early 2004 and came home, things had taken a turn. The farm was struggling, and we were dangerously close to losing the farm to the bank, but I refused to quit.

I knew I didn’t want to be a traditional farmer, but I couldn’t let the place go under. So I started looking at ways to turn things around – diversifying, refinancing, anything to bring it back to life. One of my first ideas was to build high-welfare broiler houses to raise chickens for Moy Park, specifically geared toward the Waitrose supply chain. I submitted the planning application in 2004, but it didn’t get approved until 2007.

In the meantime, I’d taken charge of the situation. I was dealing with banks, mortgage companies – trying everything I could to keep us afloat. That’s when a new opportunity appeared.

In 2005, firearms legislation in Northern Ireland changed. Paintball guns were still classified as firearms, but now sites could operate as ‘combat games facilities’ without users needing their own firearms certificate. I saw the gap and jumped on the opportunity. I applied for a licence and opened Northern Ireland’s first paintball site in the summer of 2005.

It started out incredibly basic. We only opened on weekends. I had a portable phone in my boiler suit and scribbled bookings into a notepad while still working on the farm. It was just me and a few friends in the early days, but there was a huge demand. At our peak around 2010–2012, we’d have up to 450 paintballers on a single summer Saturday.

From the beginning, I knew innovation would be key. I’ve never been one to copy others – I was always looking out for something new. And sure enough, other paintball sites started appearing, so I pivoted.

In 2007, we added activities like archery, clay pigeon shooting, and team-building games. Then, in 2008, came one of our first big leaps: downhill zorbing – the giant inflatable ball that rolls down a hill. The original model was from New Zealand and cost $250,000 plus royalties, which was insane. Luckily, a few European companies started making their own, and we jumped on it – again, becoming the first in Ireland to offer zorbing.

The pattern continued: Tree Top Adventure Courses, introduced shortly after, weren’t like the basic pole setups already in Ireland. Ours was a full forest-based self-led course, which was totally new in Ireland.

By 2009, we dipped our toes into glamping. At the time, hardly anyone even knew what glamping was. It took off quickly, especially since there weren’t many options beyond hotels for overnight stays. Early on, it attracted party groups, which brought challenges for us living onsite. That was the turning point where we began moving towards more family-friendly experiences.

In 2011, we introduced llama trekking, becoming the first in Ireland to offer that too.

Then came our seasonal events – starting with Fright Night. Honestly, I never pictured myself running seasonal events, but it helped us extend our season and keep staff on year-round. Christmas Wonderland followed, offering a scale of festive experience that just didn’t exist in Northern Ireland before.

Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

One of my first challenges was simply convincing people – my own dad included. He thought it was all too risky. There were even whispers from neighbours laughing at the idea of people paying to shoot each other with paintballs. But I always had self-belief. I knew it was going to work, even before our first customer showed up.

There have been financial stresses and insurance issues over the years, some of which still limit what I’d love to do. And of course, Northern Ireland’s small population adds a layer of challenge. Our entire target audience is within a 50-mile radius.

Compare that to competitors in London or Birmingham, where 10 million people live in that same area.

But there have been incredible highs too.

In 2006, I won the Magherafelt Business Award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year, just a year after launching The Jungle. In 2012, our very first Fright Night won the Outdoor NI Best Innovation Award. And in 2016, we took home the Tourism NI Outstanding Visitor Experience award. More recently, in 2024, my second venture – Splash Outdoor Waterpark – won the Mid-Ulster Business Excellence Award for tourism.

So clearly, we’re doing something right.

As for the future? I’m not a big planner, beyond improving our existing activities and events, which might surprise a few people. I’ve always flown by the seat of my pants – and it’s worked so far. I even found the site for Splash Outdoor Waterpark while flying my paramotor over an old quarry.

Right now, we’re just finishing upgrades on our glamping pods. After 20 years of growth and change, I think we’re ready for a little consolidation. But then again, I can’t make any promises...