This Mother’s Day, skip the standard flowers and restaurant bookings, and give the gift of on our our creative, weekend experiences. At Howth Castle Cookery School, we’re offering something truly special—unique, hands-on classes designed for you and your mother to enjoy together in the stunning surrounds of Howth Castle.
Whether her passion lies in florals or food, our carefully curated experiences promise not just a day out, but lasting memories.
Join us on Saturday, 5th April for our Easter Wreath Making Workshop with renowned landscape gardener Mark Grehan—a celebration of spring creativity, perfect for the season.
Or choose our Foraging and Cooking Experience on Sunday, 27th April with Mary from Wild Food, where you'll explore the grounds of the estate, gathering ingredients from nature before turning them into something delicious in our castle kitchen.
Each experience includes:
A freshly baked breakfast served in the Castle
A guided foraging or floral workshop
A hands-on cooking and dining session in one of our elegant rooms
These day-long experiences offer not just skills and inspiration, but quality time shared in a magical setting.
Give the gift of connection, creativity, and joy this Mother’s Day—right here at Howth Castle Cookery School.
Join us at Howth Castle for an unforgettable Sunday of discovery, creativity, and connection with nature during our Foraging and Wild Food Experience with Mary from Wild Food.
Your day begins with a warm welcome: freshly brewed coffee and home-baked pastries served in the historic surrounds of the Castle. From there, we’ll head outdoors for a guided foraging walk through the Castle grounds, where you’ll learn how to safely identify and harvest seasonal Irish plants and herbs, such as wild garlic and nettles.
Mary will share her wealth of knowledge on the culinary uses of wild plants, as well as insights into their medicinal properties, folklore, and the importance of sustainable foraging practices. You’ll learn the essential principles of the Forager’s Code, giving you the confidence to continue foraging responsibly on your own.
After the foraging session, we return to the Castle to put your gathered ingredients to use. Together, we’ll prepare a beautiful, seasonal wild food lunch in the newly refurbished 18th-century Georgian kitchen at Howth Castle Cookery School. This hands-on cooking session will focus on creating fresh, flavourful dishes and homemade preserves—you’ll learn how to make a wild garlic pesto, a herbal oil or vinegar, and more.
At the end of the day, you’ll leave not only with your own handcrafted wild food preserves, but also with a recipe leaflet and a wild plant identification eBook, ensuring you can carry your new skills forward.
This immersive experience is more than a class—it’s an opportunity to reconnect with the land, enjoy delicious food, and acquire a valuable, lifelong skill in a truly magical setting.
Come hungry for knowledge, and leave nourished in every way.
Mark Grehan, renowned florist and proprietor of The Garden Floral Design Studio in Powerscourt Townhouse, returns to Howth Castle for a beautifully curated Spring Wreath Making & Table-scaping Workshop.
Set in the historic surroundings of the Castle and its stunning grounds, this immersive day-long experience blends nature, creativity, and design. It starts at 10am in the Cookery School with fresh coffee and pastries from our ovens, followed by a chat with Mark to set the scene. Then it's off into the gardens to gather seasonal foliage, ferns, flowers — anything that catches your eye.
Back in the school, Mark will dive into table-scaping: think candles, linens, festive accents, and ribbons. After a delicious Cookery School lunch with wine, the wreath-making process begins. After, you will take your stunning wreath home. These wreaths will be stunning on your front door, Easter table, or anywhere you would like to add a seasonal, Easter touch.
Date: Saturday 5 April at 10am ending around 4pm
Posted on 21 Mar 2025.
