Ireland is our anchor and however far we stray, it tells all how far we’ve come...
Cider has always held a place in the history of drinks manufacture in Ireland and has been a popular drink since the 16th century. It was produced all over the country and the standard was extremely high. At a competition in Dublin in the 18th century a cider maker had to prove that he hadn’t used any fine white wine in his recipe before he was presented with an award, such was the quality of the drink.
- Three Irish spirit products hold special protection under a geographical indication or GI: Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Irish Poitín. The same special status as Champagne in France.
- There are now 50 operational Irish Whiskey distilleries, over 40 Irish gin producers, 8 facilities in Ireland producing Irish Cream and 15 Poitín producers across the country.
- Irish Whiskey has celebrated 700-year anniversary of the first known written account of distillation in Ireland. The reference is contained in the ancient vellum manuscript the Red Book of Ossory produced in Kilkenny in Latin and Old French in 1324. The Red Book also contains the first written mention of aqua vitae, which became uisce beatha in Irish, and when anglicised, became whiskey. Irish Whiskey is one of the oldest spirit drinks in Europe.
- The Heineken brewery in Cork operates on the site of the Lady’s Well brewery founded by James J Murphy in 1856, continuing a proud history of brewing in Cork City.
- The harp, which serves as the emblem of GUINNESS®, is based on a famous 14th century Irish harp known as the "O'Neill" or "Brian Boru" - you will notice the sane emblem on coinage in the Republic of Ireland but in reverse... Guinness had trademarked the harp symbol in 1876 and the Irish Free State Government of 1922.