Glasnevin Botanic Gardens: Respite in the city
First established on the banks of the Tolka River in 1795, today the Glasnevin Botanic Gardens are a haven for horticulturalists, amateur gardeners, and North Dublin locals in need of a green escape. Over its 215 year history, the gardens have played a surprisingly wide role in the history of Ireland before and after its 1916 revolution.
It was in 1845, under botanist David Moore's curation that the initial strains of a deadly fungus were discovered among the Garden's potato plants. Moore famously noted the implications of the fungus' impact on Irish potato crops, essentially revealing the cause of what became An Gorta Mor, the great hunger or potato famine. While a remedy was not found for the potato blight, in the years following the discovery, the Gardens thrived as a center for horticultural and botanical discovery and display.
Relics from the Garden's Victorian and Edwardian glory days are still enjoyed today in the form of ethereal glass atriums, housing delicate tropical plants, desert cacti and rare plant species from all over the world. While conservation and discovery and still key to the Botanic Gardens present and future, the park is also a favorite family destination on sunny Irish days.
Like all state attractions, admission to the Botanic Gardens is free, although donations are accepted, needed and much appreciated. Free tours, summer events and the accessible nature of the gardens make this an ideal place to laze in the sun, wander through exhibits, enjoy a cup of tea in the restaurant or a picnic along the river. Picnickers beware though, overly friendly squirrels, over-expectant water fowl and the usual garden suspects of ants and bees may force their way into any outdoor dining.
Posted by Bridget Reilly
