We are heading back to Ireland in 2025 and this time, you’re invited!

Culinary Retreat to Ireland with Pie Bird Farm

September 1st - 7th 2025

In 1999, a year spent in Ireland changed the course of my life.  Sharing this special country, its customs and its deep culinary traditions is a dream come true.

This has been three years in the making and I am so excited to bring you to my favorite spots and adventures in West Cork.  My vision is to create a very personal and engaging experience where we bring our guests to this magical land and engage them in a culinary and cultural adventure - cultured butter making from local dairy, milling local flour and then learning the art of making pies, the perfect communal food.  Foraging, dinners from the sea + on the beach, excursions to some of our favorite spots for night kayaking, cold ocean dips and sauna at the beach, special musical guests and adventures and so much more.  All excursions and classes will be optional, sometimes you need to do your own thing! We will offer opportunities for folks to find their own path, hiking, seaweed soaks, boat trips and more. Magical meals and accommodations by the sea. 

Location

Escape to the wild Ancient Irish Oakwood Rainforest

Dromgarriff Rainforest is to showcase the splendor of the relationship between land and sea in this unique part of Europe. We hope that after a short walk into the rainforest, you will become part of our movement to preserve and nurture one of the last remaining temperate rainforests in Ireland, where trees, insects, and birds are in perfect harmony with nature and ourselves.

The property of 96 acres of woodland and meadows has many thousands of trees and around two kilometers of coastal shoreline on Glengarriff Harbour. The lush beauty of the Dromgarriff Rainforest exists because of the benign effect of the Gulf Stream and the mild climate that allows sub-tropical tree ferns, scarlet fuchsia, magical moss, and tender lichen to flourish side by side with the ancient oaks and gigantic conifers, trees which were planted over a century ago. Get immersed in this gorgeous, healing & grounding place of preservation and growth.

Explore & Experience

Your time in West Cork will be filled with opportunities for learning, relaxing, exploring and discovering. Now, since this is a Pie Bird trip, you know we are going to center some of our time together on the most communal of all food, PIE.

Learn the art of cultured butter making from local dairy, milling local flour and then we make pies together, the perfect communal food.

Enjoy magical meals both at the Estate and in and around West Cork, foraging by the sea and in the forest.

Hill hikes and exploration of the famous nearby Garish Island https://harbourqueenferry.com/garnish-island/

Excursions to some of our favorite spots for night kayaking, cold ocean dips, sauna and seaweed baths, special musical guests (!) and adventures and so much more.

All excursions and classes will be optional, sometimes you need to do your own thing! We will offer opportunities for folks to find their own path, hiking, seaweed soaks, boat trips and more.

Prefer staying at the estate?

There is lovely hiking around Dromgarriff Rainforest - There are multiple trails around the property that you can discover at your leisure. The most spectacular is the waterfall hike, where you enter into the rainforest and hear the rush of the water well before you see the cascading river and mossy rocks. There are five waterfalls in total with the most spectacular being approximately thirty foot high. The other woodland hikes are around the property to be discovered and equally lovely with a huge variety of trees and plants to admire.

Swimming at Dromgarriff There are two magical swimming spots on the property. If you wander along the mysterious rhododendron path, on the peninsula between Silver Birch and Linden you will find some gorgeous lichen covered rocks. There you will find a spot to swim with the seals only at high tide with a ladder to help you back up. By Linden there is the boat jetty, built in the 1800’s which allows you to step into the bay opposite and swim out to Otter Rock.

What’s Included

Everything! Well, everything except for your big ride across the ocean to Cork Airport. But once you arrive, we got you!

  • Transfers to and from Dromgarriff Rainforest from the Cork airport.

  • Workshops and all materials associated  

  • Recipes galore!

  • All meals, unless you go rogue (which you are welcome to do! Remember, this is your time!)

  • All wine and beverages, unless you wanna have your own after hours party (I see you!)

  • Private coach transportation while on retreat

  • All scheduled outings and events during our week

  • Estate lodging, naturally

Your Hosts

The husband and wife team, Jennifer Brodsky and Eric Theesfeld will be your hosts for this culinary adventure! Farmers, bakers and travelers, Jen and Eric are delighted to bring you to Ireland and share with you the magic that brought Jen to live here over 20 years ago, and spurs their yearly pilgrimage back to West Cork.

Getting There

TRAVEL

We will arrange for transportation from the Cork Airport to Dromgarriff Estate, Glengarriff, Co. Cork  P75 AH90 Ireland. Costs of airfare to the Cork Airport are not included in the cost of your reservation. Please let us know if we can offer any moral support or guidance with your travel plans - we’re happy to help!

AIRPLANE AND/OR TRAIN

Guests will need to arrange for transport to Cork Airport. From there, we will arrange for a car service to pick you up and bring you directly to the Dromgariff Estate. Pickup time will be on TBD at Shannon airport. Please plan your travel accordingly. If you want to arrive in the area the night before, we’d be happy to help with hotel and restaurant recommendations!

CAR

If you’re the seasoned-traveler type and you’d enjoy having your own transportation, then please - rent a car in Cork, Shannon or Dublin! Please let us know if this is your plan so we can help you get to us. 

TRAVEL RESERVATION

If you would like guidance with booking your travel to the Cork airport or directly to the Estate, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We know the ropes and would be happy to help you find your best way to us.

FAQ

  • We will arrange for transportation from the Cork Airport to Dromgarriff Estate, Glengarriff, Co. Cork  P75 AH90 Ireland.

    Please see the Getting There section for additional information and alternative options.

  • Everything! Well, just about everything. Travel to and from Ireland is not included, but we’ll come and pick you up from the nearest airport which is Cork City (see the GETTING THERE section).  Any extras, such as outside food, gifts, that extra bottle of wine for the table at our lunch or dinners out, and any other shopping you choose to do. We will take care of your meals, drinks, and any planned experiences for the week.  During some day trips, you’ll have the option of a packed lunch or eating where we are visiting on your own.

  • If you’re like us, you might think that coming all the way to Ireland for just one week simply isn’t enough!  Please reach out to us for suggestions or help planning your travel.

  • We will follow whatever guidelines are in place for Covid in the region in 2025. If any retreat ends up being canceled because of borders closing due to COVID or other national COVID regulations, you will be issued a full refund or credit towards a future retreat. This does not include individual cases of COVID that prevent travelers from coming. We recommend purchasing travel insurance to ensure coverage in the case of any last-minute hiccups on the traveler’s end.

  • Cancellations 180+ days out from the start date will receive a full refund minus a $300 service fee. Cancellations within 180 days from the start date will receive a refund 50% of the full cost. Cancellations within 60 days from the start date will not receive a refund. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to cover any reimbursement for cancellations due to illness (including testing positive for COVID-19) or other family matters as we cannot guarantee a refund in these cases. 

    If any retreat does not reach the necessary number of attendees, we reserve the right to cancel a retreat - in this case, a full refund will be issued to any who have reserved.