The Spirit of Learning: Educating the Next Generation of Hospitality Leaders

Just before Christmas, led by the Irish Gin Working Group chaired by David Boyd-Armstrong, Irish producers began what we hope will be a tradition of educating the next generation of Hospitality workers in Ireland. What we hope will build into an interest and a love for our four most important categories – Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream, Irish Poitín and Irish Gin – our pilot scheme began in TUD Grangegorman in North-West inner-city Dublin.

The cooperation was coordinated by Judith Boyle, a lecturer in beverages in TUD’s School of Culinary Arts. Judith specialises in beer, wine, spirits, mixed drinks, and fermentation. Each talk took place in TUD’s specially built bar-cum-lecture theatre: 

• The first lecture was given by Michael Clancy from Lough Ree Distillery, talking about the virtues of Irish Gin and how each reflects the location it was produced through the botanicals used.
• The second lecture was given on Irish Whiskey by Terry McCartan of Hinch Distillery, with Johnny Harte extolling the virtues of Irish Cream.
• The final lecture was on Irish Poitín, given by Dave Mulligan from Bar 1661 & Echlinville Distillery. Huge curiosity in this most ancient of Irish spirits and a great way to finish off the series.

The next series of lectures will take place in South Eastern Technological University in Waterford, from February 2025.