When Irish Orchids are Smiling

The Irish Orchid Society (IOS) tells us that Ireland has 30 native species. One of which, the Western Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza occidentalis), is unique to the island.

Some Irish orchids are readily identifiable such as the delightful Bee, Butterfly, Pyramidal and Common Spotted orchids while others are more challenging, and a few are inconspicuous and only of botanical interest.

The emblem of the Irish Orchid Society is the tropical orchid Neomoorea irrorata. It was chosen because the genus was named in honor of Sir Frederick Moore, who first gained an international reputation in orchid cultivation for Ireland. 

For a small country, Ireland has made a respectable historical contribution to the development of our understanding of the orchid. Some of the most distinguished figures and their achievements include:

• Robert David Fitzgerald (1830 - 1892) – migrated to become Australia’s first orchidologist, and published “Australia’s Orchids”, an immense seven volume lithograph.
• David Moore (1808 - 1879) - curator of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin accredited as the first person to have raised flowering orchids from seed.
• Frederick William Burbridge (1847 - 1905) - curator of the Trinity College Botanic Gardens, Dublin he was a legendary intrepid collector of tropical orchids and pitcher-plants who worked for the Victorian orchid distributor James Veitch and Sons.
• John Charles Lyons (1792 - 1874) - An orchid grower from Mullingar in County West Meath in the Irish midlands attributed with producing the first manual on orchid cultivation “Remarks in the Management of Orchidaceous Plants”.
• Arthur Francis George Kerr (1877 - 1942) - the Medical Officer to the King of Siam,he specialized in collecting orchids from south-east Asia and went on to donate his collection to the Trinity College Botanical Gardens in Dublin.