The historic, four-star Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney, Co. Kerry (Ireland) will host a very interesting package called ‘Forage and Feast’ from the 12th to the 14th of June (priced from €375 per person sharing). This very unusual and hands on foraging experience will be hosted by Darach Ó Murchú, an environmental educator specialising in wild food foraging with particular expertise in the nutritional health and benefits of seaweed.
Darach will take the guests on a guided foraging tour of the grounds at Cahernane House Hotel. The guests will be lead through the mature gardens and grounds by Darach who will point out various edible herbs and plants growing wild on the estate. He will also provide the guests with the information they need to identify various plants and will discuss habitat, plant properties, and practicalities of foraging, top tips, and more.
The two-day ‘Forage and Feast’ package begins with the guests checking in on Sunday, 12th of June where they will enjoy a welcome tea or coffee and scones and have the opportunity to meet Darach for the first time. That night, guests can enjoy dinner in the Cellar Bar (not included in the package) in the hotel before retiring to their room where complimentary Voya seaweed bath amenities will await them.
The following day begins with a hearty breakfast before the morning hands-on foraging experience begins at 10.00am. There is a break for lunch which is included in the package before the guests begin the afternoon seaweed workshop. Darach will teach the guests how to identify seaweed, while also offering practical foraging tips and best ways to prepare and use seaweed. A keen believer in the nutritional and health benefits of seaweed he will also demonstrate how to cook seaweed and prepare it to eat. That night guests will enjoy a delectable meal, prepared by the skilled chefs in the 2 AA Rosette, Herbert Restaurant.
Darach O Murchú is a wild-food foraging guide, specialising in both land plants and seaweeds. He has been delivering formal workshops since 2012. He lives what he teaches, using foraged food almost every day for his home-cooked meals and he is constantly processing and preserving what he finds on the land around where he lives. Darach co-presented a 6-part television series on foraging in Ireland entitled Dul i bhFiáin. He has also appeared on other programs including Garraí Glas and more recently Faoi Bhláth on RTÉ 1 sharing his knowledge on plant uses.
Speaking in advance of the Forage and Feast event, Darach said, “I visited Cahernane House Hotel a few weeks ago and I had a good look around and found that there are lots of interesting edible plants and herbs growing wild all around the grounds. I expect we will be foraging hedge garlic, elderflower, daisies and a variety of other herbs and flowers.”
Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney, Co. Kerry is the perfect place to get away from it all. Removed from the main throughfare of Killarney and set on its own private grounds on the edge of Killarney National Park, the house presents plenty of opportunities for guests to enjoy a relaxing and creative getaway. The Muckross Road, where Cahernane House is located is often referred to as ‘The gateway to the Ring of Kerry’, renowned for its spectacular scenery and ancient history.
Built in 1877, Cahernane House Hotel has been extensively renovated by the owners, PREM Group who have spent over €7.8 million on an ambitious renewal programme. There are 12 grand bedrooms in the original Manor House, 28 in the Garden Wing and the Coach House, once home to the horses and carriages of the Herbert family who built the house is now the setting for 8 new luxurious bedrooms. The Coach House Bedrooms have all been decorated in vibrant colours and the soft furnishings and wallpapers have been inspired by the flora of Kerry and its famous wildflowers.
Cahernane House Hotel is well known for its fantastic food which is created by the Executive Chef Eric Kavanagh and his team. The Cellar Bar serves casual food daily while fine dining is offered in the Herbert Restaurant.
For more information on Cahernane House Hotel or to book the Forage and Feast Package see www.cahernane.com or call +353 (0) 64 663 1895.
