Series 2, Episode 5
The Phoenix Park café has been winning award after award in recent years, and they source all of their veg from the walled garden which is maintained by gardeners Brian and Meeda. Scottt, the head chef of the cafe, calls in to Brian to pick some veg for a new recipe he’s concocting.
There are tens of thousands of trees in the Phoenix Park and they are maintained by the Tree Surgeon, Tony. Unfortunately for Tony, there is a dead tree by a path which is posing a hazard to park users and it must be felled in the interest of safety. It’s not all doom and gloom for the tree however as it goes to a workshop to be turned into commemorative benches, designed by award-winning furniture designers, Tim Daly and Neil Fox. We will also follow Tony as he surveys and clears the damage caused by Storm Ophelia, which was one of the strongest storms to hit this island in recorded history.
We witness the heart breaking Missing Persons Day, an annual commemoration which takes place in Farmleigh each year. It’s a chance for families whose loved ones are missing to meet up, share stories, and find some comfort in their mutual trauma.
One of the best ways to experience the Phoenix Park is by bike. Conal Keaney, an ex-Dublin GAA star, runs a bike hire at the entrance to the park. He takes groups of tourists on cycling tours to see the sites, soak in the atmosphere, and stretch the legs.