The woods and fields of Ireland contain many edible wild plants. Different plants have different edible parts, including the berries, leaves, stems, roots and nuts. Some wild grasses and edible mushrooms also exist.
Berries
Many berries in Ireland are safe to eat raw. Blackberries, bilberries (cranberries), strawberries, autumn olive berries and elderberries grow naturally in Ireland and provide safe food sources.
Leaves
The leaves of several wild plants, such as dandelion and clover, prove edible when raw. According to the Scouting Ireland handbook, the leaves of other edible plants must be cooked, including nettle, pine and burdocks.
Stems and Roots
Wild Irish plants with edible stems include dandelion and thistle. Some wild plants, like burdock, thistle, cat tails and arrowhead, have edible roots.
Grasses
You can grind the seed heads of most wild grasses in Ireland to create a variation of flour.
Nuts
Beech nuts, hazel nuts, pine nuts, and acorns grow wild in Ireland.
Fungi
Many wild mushrooms are safe food sources, but many others are extremely poisonous. Never eat an unidentifiable mushroom. You need knowledge of each specific mushroom before attempting to determine its edibility. For example, the horse mushroom, an edible variety, appears yellow on the outside but not on the inside. If you cut a yellow mushroom and the inside stains yellow, the mushroom is poisonous.