Ireland’s newest mead to debut at Mayo island festival
Wild Atlantic Mead and Ireland’s first dedicated mead-making experience set for Taste of Inishturk launch next month
A new chapter in Ireland’s ancient food and drink heritage is set to begin on Inishturk Island next month with the public launch of Wild Atlantic Mead, Ireland’s newest mead.
The official debut will take place during the Taste of Inishturk Festival on Saturday, July 11, when visitors will have the opportunity to sample the traditional honey-based drink for the first time.
Produced by the O’Connor family through Wild Atlantic Honey & Mead, the new product is crafted using a blend of Irish heather and wildflower honey, drawing inspiration from a beverage that predates both whiskey and beer in Ireland.
The launch is being described as more than the introduction of a new drink, with organisers aiming to revive one of Ireland’s oldest food and drink traditions. Mead, made from honey, water and yeast, is widely regarded as Ireland’s oldest alcoholic beverage and features prominently in Irish folklore, mythology and ancient history.
Wild Atlantic Mead combines the rich character of Irish heather honey with the floral sweetness of wildflower honey, creating what producers say is a modern interpretation of a historic drink while showcasing the quality of Irish honey and beekeeping.
The festival will also host what is being billed as Ireland’s first Mead-Making Experience, a hands-on workshop led by beekeeper and entrepreneur Sean O’Connor, founder of Wild Atlantic Honey & Mead and the Inishturk Native Irish Honey Bee Sanctuary.
Participants will learn about the history of mead in Ireland, explore the role of honey bees in biodiversity and food production, sample a range of Irish honeys and create their own batch of mead to take home.
The workshop has been limited to just 10 participants aged 18 and over to ensure an interactive experience, although festival-goers attending Taste of Inishturk will also have the chance to sample Wild Atlantic Mead throughout the day.
Dr. Sean O’Connor said the project is focused on reconnecting people with an important part of Ireland’s heritage.
“Our ambition is to help bring back one of Ireland’s great heritage drinks and introduce it to a new generation,” he said.
“For thousands of years mead was part of Irish life, yet today many people have never tasted it,” he added. “Through Wild Atlantic Mead, our beekeeping projects and experiences such as this, we hope to reconnect people with that heritage and show that Ireland’s oldest drink can be reimagined for today.”
The O’Connor family operates honey bee projects and apiaries in Killadoon, Co. Mayo, Inishturk Island and Co. Wicklow, and recently established the Inishturk Native Irish Honey Bee Sanctuary to support the conservation of Ireland’s native honey bee while promoting biodiversity, education and sustainable rural tourism.
The launch of Wild Atlantic Mead is expected to be one of the highlights of this year’s Taste of Inishturk Festival, bringing together heritage, food, tourism and local enterprise on one of Mayo’s most unique island communities.