Arcadia Ireland

Dublin is a modern, stylish, global European capital. This was easy to see when I accompanied a group of our students on the Dublin Food Trail on a brisk clear afternoon recently. The variety of food in Dublin amazed me. Our cheerful guide taught us about the recent history of food production in Ireland, how tastes and demands of the Irish have changed since 2000 and we even got to sample some of the fresh fantastic foods available. We first stopped into Sheridan's Cheesemonger's just off Grafton Street to try some Irish and continental cheeses and received a brilliant cheese tutorial by an informed and enthusiastic staff member.

As we meandered through central Dublin, we had the chance to explore some hidden neighbourhoods and cultural quarters as well. On Aungier Street we quaffed down local whiskey at the Swan pub and learned how it was used for revolutionary meetings during WWI. The Pepper Pot Cafe in the Powerscourt Town Centre offered tasty smoked salmon on crusty bread and this was followed up by some fine chocolates just outside the George's Street Arcade.

Myself and the students finished the food trail at the Temple Bar Food Market in Meetinghouse Square, where we sat down to some succulent Carlingford Bay oysters and people watched around the well established farmer's market.

This is definitely one of my favourite co-curricular activities offered by Arcadia in Ireland. I hope you enjoy some of the pictures we took on the afternoon!