The characteristic sound of a six-cylinder turbo engine (911 Turbo: consumo carburante combinato (WLTP) 12,3 – 12,0 l/100 km, emissioni CO₂ combinato (WLTP) 279 – 271 g/km) alongside notes of Irish folk music? That comparison would be a little too far-fetched. And yet: just a few bars are enough to make you feel at home. Like last night at the pub. Just moments after arrival, travellers feel immersed. And today the sound of the boxer engine in the rear accompanies the journey to the west.
In Ireland, the famous saying “it's not the destination, it's the journey” couldn't be more true – especially on the way to the Dingle Peninsula in south-west Ireland. Endless plateaus dotted with ancient monuments. At every turn, the fascination of Ireland takes on a new dimension. The Slea Head Drive – part of the Wild Atlantic Way – is considered the most beautiful scenic drive in the country. The roads are empty. The sky almost cloudless – not your typical Irish weather. Salty Atlantic air comes in through the open sunroof. Stunning views alternate with forts, rock formations and beehive huts. Herds of sheep are everywhere. They aren’t impressed by passing cars, they only have eyes for the lush grass. Left-hand traffic? You quickly get used to it in Dublin. And out here it's usually not an issue: many country roads only have one lane anyway. Oncoming traffic is rare. And if you do meet another vehicle on the way, you relax and give way to each other.
Past and present merge
In the Irish capital, past and present merge into a harmonious whole. Here long Georgian-style streets and modern architecture combine to create the unique flair of Dublin.
Balancing act: The Nancy Hands effortlessly manages to unite the old and traditional with the present. Dominic, the owner of one of the Irish capital's best-known pubs, combines old wood, raw brick and antiques with contemporary art. The food: delicious. It doesn't matter whether it's fish and chips, mussels or an Irish stew topped with a pie. Traditional pub food here surprises with creative twists.
Dom is the soul of the Nancy Hands: energetic, talkative and friendly – the quintessential Irish host.
Just a stone's throw from the Guinness brewery, Dom loves it when the aroma of hops permeates the streets. You'd be hard-pressed to find a fresher Guinness. In contrast, the best whiskeys in the country are a firm favourite in Dom's bar after years of ageing in oak barrels.“I started working in my cousin's pub when Iwas 15. My mother and Ilied about my age,” says Dom, laughing. “I worked there for two years. I loved what I was doing. After my studies and time abroad in France and Monaco, I came back to Dublin and finally took over the Nancy Hands.” That was 18 years ago. “Istill had hair back then,” Dom jokes. “But as they say in Ireland, ‘grass doesn't grow on a busy road’.”
Even if he runs one of the most traditional Irish pubs, time doesn’t stand still for Dom. “I don't like it being boring. I like new things,” he explains. That's why he sometimes allows a group of guests to use his pub for a whole evening. “We call it ‘Nancy in your hands’ – the guests can serve their own beer, play darts, throw rings, dance. The pub's in their hands and Iget a break. Every group is different and brings a breath of fresh air here. Ilove it,” says Dom enthusiastically.
Ireland's sweet side
On the way to the Wild Atlantic Way, the Porsche Travel Experience also stops at an unusual factory. Here one might have expected butter, wool or whiskey ... but chocolate? In the middle of the Burrens, a bizarre limestone landscape, John and his wife Kasha run the Hazel Mountain Chocolate company, the only bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the country. At first glance, this has nothing to do with tradition. But take another look.
“My family has farmed this land for many generations. Nine years ago we finally dared to turn our idea into reality,” says John about the Irish chocolate paradise. John tends to be the strategist, overseeing the business and – most importantly – being the first to taste his wife's new treats. She is the master confectioner and chocolatier. “That's why it made sense for us to create our own creations from the best cocoa beans in the world and traditional Irish ingredients.” Refined with sea salt, hazelnuts, milk, herbs and even algae, the chocolates or pralines have their very own individual taste. Traditional yes, but with surprising influences from elsewhere – that could be the motto here. “Each bean has its own aroma,” John explains and lets his visitors smell cocoa beans from Venezuela, Mexico, Madagascar and Cuba. “We are supplied with whole beans and with a lot of passion and care, we process them into the finished bar or praline.” Reason enough for the Porsche Travel Experience to stop off at the adjoining café.
Woven with tradition – designed with rough edges
Guinness, whiskey and lush greenery are just as much a part of Ireland as the herds of sheep that you encounter everywhere. Their high-quality wool is used to create textiles that are renowned worldwide for their quality standards. Irish tweed in particular has a long tradition. Two fashion designers from Galway bring a very modern interpretation to this traditional textile as showcased in their edgy collections.
Triona and Aoibheann founded The Tweed Project in 2014. “We saw a niche in the market for contemporary fashion made from Irish fabrics,” explains Triona, who actually designs costumes for film and television. “Our designs draw inspiration from the raw Irish nature, particularly the west of the country,” adds Aoibheann, who runs a restaurant alongside her work as a fashion designer.
You can feel the balance between Irish tradition and modernity in their designs. “Every collection is distinct. We only do what we feel like doing,” explains Triona with regard to her slow fashion philosophy. All fabrics are hand-selected, each piece is made to order and meant to last a lifetime. “And we respond to the wishes and ideas of our customers. So every piece we create is unique.”
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Text first published in the Porsche magazine STORIES.
Author: Elisa Weber
Photos: Mathieu Bonnevie
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