Unlike the weather, one part of the Irish summer we can depend on is that a trip to an trá will always lift the spirits. In between sandcastle building, crab fishing and bracing swims san fharraige on your next day out to the coast, why not dip your toe into the world of foraging and sample some Irish seaweeds?
As a beginner forager, níl aít níos fearr le tosú ná an trá, as wild coastal plants and flowers tend to be easier to identify, safer and tastier to eat than many of those found in other habitats like woodlands, or freshwater areas.
So whether you're headed to Acaill, Baile an Bhuinneánaigh or Currach Cló, read on below for the ABCs of beginner seaweed foraging in Éirinn.
All foragers should stick to the following do's and dont’s when it comes to feamainn. In terms of equipment, do bring a scissors or a knife, and something to store your seaweed in. Traditionally a willow cliabh or ciseán would be used for this purpose, as the gaps between the woven stems would allow water to drain through. Ach mura bhfuil a leithéid agat, any container will do.
Now for the all-important dont’s…ar an gcéad dul síos, never eat any seaweed that is disconnected from the rock.
While that strip of duileasc floating in the shallows might look appetising, eating it could make you very unwell. Once separated from the rock, seaweed can float for days on end - picking up nasty bacteria along the way. Mar sin, fág ar snámh é, and head for the rocks instead.
Ar na carraigeacha, you'll find seaweed connected to the rock by holdfasts similar to suction cups. Never remove the plant itself from the rock.
Seaweed harvesting should be no more than a bearradh gruaige for the plant, using your siosúr to snip off the fresh, juicy ends and leaving the rest to grow back.
Be sure too, to only take seaweed from areas where it is abundant, to only take as much as you will actually use, and not to take take more than a third of what you find.
Bí cinnte súil a choinneáil ar an taoide freisin. While it’s easy to get lost in the joys of foraging, don’t lose track of time, or tide! Rock pools can be cut off quickly from the shore once the tide turns and no seaweed is worth getting stranded for, is cuma cé chomh blasta is atá sé. With these moltaí in mind, the rest is easy and you’ll be reaping the rewards of our wild Irish algae in no time.
Take míoránach, mar shampla, serrated wrack (fucus serratus), which is one of Ireland's most abundant seaweeds and therefore easy to find. The tips of these fronds make a tasty snack, raw or pickled, but this slippery plant is mostly sought after for its beauty and health benefits. Tá an míoránach tar éis a bheith á úsaid leis na céadta bliain for the oh-so-relaxing, oh-so-decadent experience that is a seaweed bath.
Once submered in uisce te, the wrack releases its oils and nutrients, creating a miracle treatment that leaves skin and hair super soft. It has long been heralded for its health benefits too, treating skin issues like eczema and easing the aches of arthritis. These treatments can cost between €30 and €60 in spas and wellness centres, but you can enjoy the same treatment sa bhaile, saor in aisce, by harvesting your own!
If the idea of a steamy seaweed bath doesn't appeal to you, maybe a delicious crop of fataí will. Farmers ar na hOileáin Árann have long been famed for producing some of Ireland’s tastiest potatoes and once again, it’s all down to feamainn. Seaweed is full of trace elements and nutrients which act like a multivitamin for soil. It boosts the plants’ immune system, improves earth quality agus an rud is fearr ar fad, it adds a distinctively salty taste to the crop which will leave you reaching for more.
Another easy beginner seaweed to look out for is ríseach (himanthalia elongata), nó 'sea spaghetti', mar a thugtar uirthi freisin. This versatile plant is easy to find ar chósta na hÉireann at low tide and easy to identify by its long spaghetti-like fronds that grow in large masses. Is féidir an fheamainn bhlasta seo a ithe amh, nó í a chocáireáil, depending on your taste. It has a nutty flavour and a satifying crunch and can be used as a pasta substitute, or added to stir frys and other dishes as a vegetable.
Níl anseo ach blaiseadh beag den bhféasta feamainne ar an gcósta, with approximately 500 species of seaweed found on Irish shores. Go mbainimis triail agus taitneamh astu!
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Más spéis leat tuilleadh a fhoghlaim faoi chúrsaí feamainne, why not book a guided seaweed
foraging tour with some of Ireland’s experts?
Turais as Gaeilge:
● Éimhín Ní Chonchúir - Sólas na Mara, An Rinn, Co. Phort Láirge - www.solasnamara.ie (058 46052)
● Darach Ó Murchú - Corca Dhuibhne, Co. Chiarraí - darach@inmyelement.ie (087 2153758)
Tours in English:
● Marie Louise Heffernan - Aster Environmental Consultants Ltd, Letterfrack, Connemara, Co. Galway - aster4info@gmail.com (086 8278031)
● Samyel and Jen Doran - Goleen Harbour Farm, Goleen, Co. Cork - info@goleenharbour.ie (028 63 133)
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