With the day beginning with a bright and early Bartons pick up from the Omni Shopping Centre, the team were on the road at 7:30am. Making their way South towards Wicklow, they gathered a few wayward strays. Once Caoimhe, Lauren and Lynn were safely onboard they continued to their first stop of the day, Powerscourt Gardens.
Upon arrival, the team had the opportunity to enter through the private East Gate where they met Alex Slazenger, the Head Gardener. Alex is also the cousin of Sarah Slazenger who runs the entire Estate on behalf of the Slazenger family who have owned Powerscourt since 1961. Alex took the team on a tour of the Gardens explaining the history of both the Palladian style great house and the 47 acres of spectacular gardens.
Sustainability is such an important aspect of all that Excursions Ireland do and this visit had sustainability at its heart. Alex emphasised the importance of adapting practices and methods due to climate change. He explained that there are so many things growing in the estate that in future years may not flourish, therefore future proofing and modifying processes and plans is essential to maintain the beauty and benefits of these wonderful gardens. Alex also detailed how Powerscourt are working with other facilities across Ireland to combine efforts to increase tree population and ensure that the country has the right plants in Ireland for years to come.
In addition to the wonderful insights and educational tour provided by Alex, the team were also treated to a presentation provided by Jade, a passionate TY student. This presentation took place under the Castanea Sativa/Sweet Chestnut Tree and Jade told the team all about the age and importance of this tree. Following this the team had the opportunity to collect sweet chestnuts from under the tree identifying which were suitable for propagation and these would be used by Alex in the estate where possible.
Next stop on the itinerary, was the delightful Wicklow Heather in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. The lovely Dolores and the entire team at the Wicklow Heather welcomed the group with refreshing drinks and absolutely delicious food – from tender Wicklow lamb to hearty turkey and ham and juicy fillet of salmon, every appetite was sated. Tearing themselves away from the cosy atmosphere of the Wicklow Heather, the team rejoined Sherman on the coach and began the journey to Dublin City, leaving the beauty of Wicklow behind.
Once in the city the team were joined by their Perfect Pint tour guide and continued out to Glasnevin Cemetery where they enjoyed a 5-minute introduction to the history of the cemetery before hopping across the road to the Gravediggers pub. The Gravediggers is widely known by Dubliners as the home of the “best pint of Guinness in the World” – deliciously creamy with the keg no more than a few feet away so the black stuff doesn’t need to travel far. This is key! The team had the privilege of sitting in the private Snug – an important part of any good Irish Pub.
Returning to the city , the team continued onto the Oval Bar where they enjoyed the opportunity to pour their own pint of Guinness. Once all pints were poured, an expert local propping up the bar was given the important job of judging who poured best. The contentious results put Kerrie and Ben as winners in their respective groups.
This evening, soaking up the true atmosphere of authentic Irish pubs showed the team that the perfect pint is not just about pouring it but about the story behind the role of pubs in Ireland, and of course the legendary Guinness Family. Sláinte!