Howth Foraging

17/02/2026

Howth Harbour Gets €4m Dredging Boost in €27m Plan

Howth Harbour secures €4m for dredging as Ministers unveil €27m investment in fishery harbours and marine works.

16/02/2026

Velvet shanks

Aka - wild enoki - Flammulina velutipes

Tasty, wild mushrooms, I've found so many this year, and they are definitely one of the tastiest winter mushrooms.

The cap is light to dark orange, darker toward the center The stem fades to a darker color near the base, even dark brown.The flesh of the cap is yellow, while that of the stem is brown. The odour and flavour are pleasant, light sweet mushroom scent. The spore print is white - scroll through the photos.

We used these in a mixed mushroom & vegetable Asian Stirfry.

Why eat them?

Well they are free, highly nutritious, and these fungi provide significant health benefits, including immune system modulation, blood pressure regulation, and antioxidant properties.

Look alikes the sulphur tuft can look similar and will make you sick, it also grows on tree stumps. Sulphur tuft are brighter in colour. They are a dull yellow with gills that turn green to grey. Please see the last two photos of sulphur tufts mushrooms. The sulphur tuft are usually out earlier in the winter, than the velvet shanks.

Why not come foraging to learn more, still have places for this Saturday's tour the 21st

14/02/2026

Loving my Spring nails 💅

Crocus Abbey St Howth, Co.Dublin

They have the best team & always such a lovey welcome. 💚💛💜

Thanks guys xo

14/02/2026

What happens here will set a precedant for future developments, if we ignore this and let these large corporations win then it will erode nightlife in Ireland.  

14/02/2026

Brad Pitt out foraging in Howth.

He's certainly enjoying Dublin

13/02/2026

Betty Boo headlines All Shucked Up at the Howth Guinness oyster & Music Festival on 28 February. We asked her the BIG questions . . .

13/02/2026

14—17 March 2026

St. Patrick’s Festival Dublin
St. Patrick’s Festival Foraging & Folklore Tour Howth
Nicole Howth Foraging
-Family Friendly, Outdoors, -Ticketed
-Health & Wellness, -Sustainability, Trails

Saturday 14th, Sunday 15th March
Join Nicole from Howth Foraging on a captivating St. Patrick’s foraging and folklore tour, where we’ll uncover the secrets of Ireland’s wild plants. Discover the real shamrock and explore Howth’s unique microclimate while learning about ancient remedies passed down through generations. Traditional Nettle, bramble & heather tea will be served with brown soda-bread scones, topped with crab apple & blackberry jelly. Perfect for nature lovers and foodies alike, this immersive experience will bring you back to your roots while deepening your connection with Ireland’s rich natural heritage.

Nicole Dunne grew up in Howth and began foraging as a child with her mother and grandparents, gathering wild garlic, berries, and nettles. The founder and lead guide of Howth Foraging, based in the picturesque coastal village of Howth, Co. Dublin. Nicole’s a qualified chef, has studied diet & nutrition, horticulture and herbalism. Using her extensive background in nutrition and food production she leads fun-filled, educational tours focused on the culinary and medicinal uses of Ireland’s native plants and fungi. Nicoles passion for Nature is so infectious that, you’ll want to come back for more.

St. Patrick's Festival Foraging & Folklore Tour Howth - St. Patrick’s Festival https://share.google/Tn9yTiN2K6nAAFuhA

Additional Info:

Special price of €55 per person and family rates available for St. Patrick’s celebrations, please bring a bottle of water and dress for the weather, waterproof footwear recommended.

Meeting Point : Opposite Howth Dart station, in front of the Dog House Tea Rooms

12/02/2026

April 4th - Family fun - It's back foraging with your kids. We only run this course on school holidays! This event covers, wild edible plants, natural plant bandages and natural remedies. A section of the tour focuses on our native pollinators, wild bees, butterflies, ladybirds and moths. Learn how to identify fox poo 💩 where hedgehogs 🦔 live and how to identity different birds 🐦and their song! You can book in the link below 🦚🦚🪽🌿🌿🏵🏵

Working towards a green future for our children. Kids foraging encourages our children to promote a sustainable future. Wakening their senses to the importance of our early pollinators, bird song and identification. Through immersing our little ones in nature, we can awaken their senses and create a...

12/02/2026

Community Garden;

Sounds of the Community Garden

The birds are singing their little hearts out, the flirt is on. Daffodils and crocus, opening their pretty heads. Hawthorn unfurl their green spring leaves, while the odd snowdrop reveals. The wild garlic scent lingering in the breeze.

The children had a day off, joyful sounds of play ring through.

12/02/2026

https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2026/0211/1558029-hemlock-water-dropwort/

12/02/2026

The roots of the deadly poisonous Hemlock have been found on a beach on Bettystown beach by local man Max Cody. There has been a lot of erosion after recent strong seas and storms. The huge waves have uprooted a lot of coastal plants including Hemlock. We found several plant roots on our coastal & Woodlands foraging tour last weekend.

It's extremely important that you don't confuse the Hemlock roots with root vegetables like parsnips.
Ingesting hemlock causes a severe, life-threatening poisoning that can lead to respiratory failure, muscle paralysis, and death, often within a few hours. There is no antidote, and immediate medical attention is essential. Not one you want to forage by mistake!

Its known to have been used throughout history as a potent poison for executions, assassinations, claimed as a favourite by witches in the past! It is most famous for killing the Greek philosopher Socrates in 399 B.C

"Local man Max Cody said he spotted the plant while out walking on Bettystown beach on Tuesday.

He runs an outdoor adventure business and also works in a forest school teaching children about plants.

The public has been warned not to touch anything that looks like a parsnip shaped root on the beach, to keep children and pets away, and to contact Meath County Council"

Credit

Well done Max for identifying it and creating awareness

Note photos are mostly mine from spotting hemlock Water Dropwort- roots & flower credit Cumbria County Council.