A Wild Adventure!
Written by Vicky on Jun 25, 2024 | 0 Comments
It's summertime, and that means family outings, day trips, and fun! In honor of their wedding anniversary and love of wildlife, Ciarán and Jane took their daughters to one of Ireland's best-loved spots, Fota Island Wildlife Park, a few weeks back.
Look at those happy faces!
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick
The History Part.
Unlike the many ancient sites and monuments you will often find in our blogs, Fota Island Wildlife Park is a relatively new addition to the List Of Things You Should See While Visiting Ireland, dating back only as far as 1983.
Originally part of the Smith-Barry family's holdings in east Cork, the land that now comprises the park was sold to University College Cork in 1975. Nothing much happened until 1979, when the Zoological Society of Ireland agreed that Dublin Zoo had reached its limits and that there was justification for considering a new wildlife park. UCC offered their spare land to the ZSI free of charge but suggested a joint project would benefit everyone. And so it was!
There was huge excitement locally at the news. Public subscription funded all of the original works except the perimeter fencing. Bord Fáilte —the Irish tourism development board—decided the project was an excellent plan and provided a grant to cover that final cost. The park was opened in 1983 by the then-President of Ireland, Dr Patrick Hillery, and Fota Island Wildlife Park remains an independently funded Not For Profit charity to this day.
What A Success!
Everyone involved in the Park is justifiably proud of its successes. The Park's website says that over two hundred Cheetah cubs have been born here since 1984. Look at these little fluff balls, and try not to smile—I dare you!
They've had other notable successes too...
A Simitar-horned Oryx born in the Park in 2003 has since been re-introduced into a National Park in Tunisia and is now the dominant bull of a growing group of animals. European Bison calves have also been sent to National Parks in Poland, while a White-tailed Sea Eagle born in Cork has been released near the Golan Heights in the Middle East.
But What About The Day Out?
Well, Ciarán told us on the Friday before that the family was going to meet and feed some of the Park's animals. He was very excited about the giraffes! I think they were quite excited about Ciarán, too, when they knew he had food!
"You brought food? Well, lettuce discuss this further..."
(Sorry, Jane; I know you disapprove of puns, but I feel it's appropriate to stick my neck out in this instance.)
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick
Who knew that giraffes liked head scritches? Mind you, I guess there's not usually a lot of opportunity for that kind of thing when you can grow up to eighteen - 18! - feet tall.
"Just a little bit to the left, please, Miss!
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick
Apparently, this handsome guy had raw chicken wings for lunch. He looks like he's just woken up from a nap, and we all know that sleeping is hungry work, but I suspect he was just a little peeved that they were delivered over the fence and not in person.
"Did you bring the barbeque sauce, lads?"
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick.
Jane says she was very smitten with the rhinos. "...feeling the gummy mouth of a 750kg baby rhino while it snarfles carrots off my hand is an experience I will never forget." It seems hard to argue with the cuteness of such a massive little one!
<snarfling carrot noises>
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick
This remarkable fellow is Walter, the Pelican. Feeding him was a very popular activity during the tour, and the phrase 'bottomless pit' may have been used once or twice!
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick.
And when in doubt, there are always penguins. (Also known as pengwings, depending on who you are!). One of the Fota penguins is half-blind but was still definitely available for feeding time.
If they can't see the fish, they will certainly smell it!
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick
Great Fun For A Great Cause.
Ciarán and Jane were delighted with their trip, and their kids loved it, too. Their guide Leslie was a font of knowledge and it was a real treat to see behind the scenes. The wildlife park is near Cobh, about 20 minutes from Cork City, by car or train. If you'd like to take part in a VIP family Experience or a Behind The Scenes Experience, you can find the details here.
We feel that the conservation work done by Fota Island Wildlife Park and Dublin Zoo is important to support, both for our enjoyment and amazement and for future generations. If you're planning a trip to Ireland, we recommend visiting these incredible resources - the whole family will enjoy it, but remember to bring a raincoat, just in case!
A Fota's Worth A Thousand Words.
(No, really, Jane is actually going to kill me for the awful puns...but, on the other hand, I feel Danny and Ciarán may approve. We'll see...it's a tough crowd.)
Anyway, what I was going to say is that if you've visited Ireland and have been to Fota or Dublin Zoo, we'd love to hear from you. Feel free to share any pictures you might have taken, too! I went to Fota for a school tour when I lived in county Cork and, alas, I don't think there are any photos from that time. But my daughter visited Dublin Zoo with her class when she was about five. (It poured with rain so by the end of the trip, we all squelched our way back to the bus. I was lucky enough to go with them that day as a teacher's help, and aside from being worried about some of the little ones who didn't have waterproofs, it was amazing!) I took both my children to Fota in 2011, and we narrowly avoided pilfering a penguin into a handy rucksack, although it took some willpower!
We know that zoo trips are make fabulous memories, so dust them off and share them. Or better still, make more!
Can you tell I'd made her wear her brother's coat? The small blonde curly one in the front is mine. Dublin Zoo, 2008.
Photo Credit: V. Lowsley
Get In Touch
Have a question or something you're not entirely sure about when browsing our pieces? Please reach out. You can send us a note or give us a call—the Dublin workshop is here to make sure that you have a perfect experience from start to finish with My Irish Jeweler.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, to see what's new and upcoming. Join our Email list for early offers and special features.
Vicky
My Irish Jeweler
My Welsh grandmother introduced me to two of my great loves in life before I was four years of age: she taught me to read and, under careful supervision, permitted me to look through her jewelry box. Stories and shiny things have been my passions ever since!
In the forty years I have lived here, Ireland has changed dramatically in virtually every aspect. Among its constants, though, is a rich tradition of decorative adornment and storytelling in all its forms: from the ancient carvings at Newgrange, the beautiful golden torcs in the National Museum, and the world-famous Book of Kells, to our modern designers, writers, musicians, and craftspeople. Celtic creativity is more powerful today than ever, and that is why it's my honor to share our stories and witness yours.
Comments
Ask Gemma
