Join The Garden Convivium on the last Sunday of July for Fraughan Sunday for the traditional gathering of the wild bilberries.  The shrubs can be found all over the Irish hillsides, especially where ferns and heather grow.  They can be eaten raw or cooked, made into jams, syrups, pies, add flavouring to liqueur and sorbets, dried like currants.  The traditional use on Fraughan Sunday was for the young maidens to add them to a sponge cake to present to their loved one.  As the wild bilberries are the first of the berries to ripen they were seen as an indication of how well the rest of the crops would fare in their harvests later in the year.

This event is FREE but please register with Eventbrite so we know who’s coming.

Wear suitable outdoor clothing – the best way to pick the wild bilberries is to sit on the floor as the shrubs are very low growing.  Dampen a face cloth with water and bring it in a water-tight container to clean your hands as they will probably turn pinkish/blue from the juice of the wild bilberries.  We prefer you not to bring any wet wipes (or similar) due to their containing plastic.

DIRECTIONS:  Meet at the JB Malone Car Park (its on Google Maps).  From Dublin, Travel on the R755 towards Roundwood.  After Djouce Golf Club (on the left), turn right onto the R759, stay on that road until you reach the JB Malone car park – it’s where the coaches stop to let the tourists off to take photos of Lough Tay!  The Slow Food Snail will be in front of my car.

IMPORTANT:  THIS EVENT WILL BE CANCELLED IF RAINING ON SUNDAY MORNING