The International Museum Of Wine

The International Museum of Wine, Desmond Castle, Kinsale, Co. Cork

The International Museum of Wine charts the fortunes of Irishmen who went to France, Spain, Australia and California and became wine producers. The 'Order of the Winegeese' was created whose members of Irish ancestry keep in touch and visit Kinsale.

(c) Office of Public Works

The International Museum of Wine, Desmond Castle, Kinsale, Co. Cork
(c) Office of Public Works

The International Museum of Wine, Desmond Castle, Kinsale, Co. Cork

The International Museum of Wine charts the fortunes of Irishmen who went to France, Spain, Australia and California and became wine producers. The 'Order of the Winegeese' was created whose members of Irish ancestry keep in touch and visit Kinsale.

(c) Office of Public Works

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Following the Treaty of Limerick in 1691 that brought an end to the Williamite Wars, Irish soldiers fled Ireland for the continent and became known as the 'Wild Geese.' Irishmen continued to be recruited into foreign armies until 1745 when it was made illegal by the British. By that time Irish families had become established in France and Spain and other wine growing countries and many made made their living exporting wine to Ireland.

Sixteen Irish ports were licenced for wine imports in Ireland and the most important was Kinsale which is still known for fine food and wines. In the late 1990s local historians and restauranteurs got together joining forces with the Irish government and opened the International Museum of Wine at Kinsale's former custom house, Desmond Castle.

The museum charts the fortunes of Irishmen who went to France, Spain, Australia and California and became wine producers. The 'Order of the Winegeese' was created whose members of Irish ancestry keep in touch and visit Kinsale.

Website: www.winegeese.ie

Address:

Desmond Castle,

Kinsale,

Co. Cork

Telephone: +353 (0) 21 4774855

email: desmondcastle@opw.ie