If you ask us, no summer picnic feels complete without these seasonal bucket list items. We share with you tips for packing the ultimate summer picnic and the best places in Ireland to enjoy it. 

The Irish are known for loving the humble spud. Solanum tuberosum, to give it the Latin name, has been buried deep in the psyche of the Irish for centuries. The potato was first introduced here in the 16th Century. It was enjoyed by all classes, and soon became the staple diet of poorer households in rural areas. In the early 1800s, the average man on a small country homestead, working long hours on the land, could consume up to 16lbs of potatoes a day, eaten with butter, buttermilk and a little salt. The men were strong and virile and fathered many children on this simple but healthy diet. So, it’s easy to see why such devastation was caused when the blight struck potato crops during the Great Famine of 1845-1850.