We’ve been cooped up indoors for far too long and if you are excited to get out of the house and planning some day trips, July is the perfect time. It’s National Picnic Month according to the Days of the Year Calendar. It’s an ideal time to gather your friends and family together at a nearby place. Bring your favorite finger foods so you can dine under the summer sky and enjoy each other’s company.

In North America, the U.S. Department of Agriculture encourages you to visit one of their national forests or grasslands so you can enjoy the outdoors as well as the beautiful forests and parks. They’ve even provided a webpage that allows you to search for locations by state.

In Ireland, there isn’t a large “eat out culture” due to the rain, however there are “Lay-By’s” that scatter the countryside giving you the opportunity to pull over and enjoy the scenery. They are very similar to the ‘scenic overlooks’ that you’ll see scattered across America. When you are in Ireland and the weather cooperates, you can certainly set up a picnic at one of these Lay-By’s and take in the views. Remember, there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing, so you should be prepared for all types of conditions. If you happen to be traveling around Ireland, be sure to visit my old stomping grounds in Co. Tipperary. It’s located about an hour and a half away from Dublin and Galway, one hour from Cork and only about “tirty” minutes away from Limerick (where I went to University) and Waterford. In fact, Tipperary Tourism has put together a nice little piece outlining the top 10 spots to picnic in and around Tipperary to help you choose from a variety of interesting places to visit.

Inch Field, which is #4 on their list, is just up the road from my boyhood home and sits beside Cahir Castle. That’s me below during my last visit to the castle. I wanted you all to see the grand scale of the fireplace. It’s big enough to cook a whole feast but for a picnic, don’t pack more than you want to carry!

You can take in the tour of the castle and work up an appetite so you’ll be good and hungry when you settle down on your picnic blanket. If you happen to visit Tipperary, be sure to take a picture and tag #BiddyMurphy and #MyTipperaryTips so they’ll know you heard about this picnic adventure from the team at Biddy Murphy!

Wherever your picnic plans take you, we have three simple steps for the perfect picnic: 1) Find the ideal location - bring along a quality Irish wool blanket for the base. 2) Prepare the spread - think about finger foods on an authentic Irish charcuterie board. 3) Plan an activity - perhaps a nature walk with your trusty Irish blackthorn walking stick. 

Drop us a comment and tell us about your favorite picnic spot. Is it somewhere in the states or a dream location back in Ireland? Wherever it is, we’d love to hear from you!

Slán go fóill - Bye for now

Ward