Emma Restall Orr

Emma Restall Orr (born 1965) is a British neo-druid, animist, priest, poet and author . She worked for the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids in the early 1990s, becoming an Ovate tutor. In 1993 she became joint chief of the British Druid Order (BDO) staying until 2002. Together with the Order founder Philip Shallcrass, she developed the BDO into one of the largest and most influential of its time. Feeling the system of Orders too limiting, in 2002 she created The Druid Network, which was officially launched at Imbolc 2003.

Since the late 1990s she has organised the largest annual gatherings of Druids and those interested in Druidry, first at The Awen Camp with Philip Shallcrass, then since 2001 The Druid Camp with Mark Graham. In 2004 she founded Honouring the Ancient Dead.

Over the course of her life in Druidry she has been on numerous television and radio programmes in Britain and around the world, featured and quoted in the print media and on the internet.

The closing ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics included text from a 1997 Gorsedd ritual written by Emma Restall Orr and Philip Shallcrass.

She is daughter of Robin Restall, renowned ornithologist, writer and artist. Her brother is Matthew Restall, history professor and writer.