Tea in Ireland

Pirates - Smugglers - Collaborators

Tea probably arrived in Ireland shortly after arriving in England in 1658 albeit to a privleged few owing to its cost. The leaf wasn't imported in any sizable quantity before the mid 19th century and then by English merchants and didn't become a staple in Irish kitchens until the early 20th century. It has since steadily increased in popularity until Ireland today boasts it is the number one consumer of tea in the world, about 6 cups per person per day! But getting there was a rough ride that included smuggling, piracy and Irish neutrality during WWII.

The tea tax imposed on American colonies was also levied at a much higher rate throughout the British Empire. Whereas the levy in America had the effect of producing a coffee drinking nation, in Ireland, so close to several tea exporting nations, it had the opposite effect. Large and very small operations could easily and very profitably smuggle tea in and out of Ireland. At smuggler's prices it was within reach of countless numbers of Irishmen, a simple luxury in an impoverished land. Each cup provided a welcomed retreat from the harsh realities of their daily lives and a daily snub at the English occupiers.
By the turn of the 20th century, Ireland was a land of shameless hardened habitual tea drinkers, more than any other nation on earth. Most of the tea, unfortunately was imported from England or via English ships. So that, during WWII, when Ireland declared itself neutral, England punished her by dramatically reducing her tea rations. Tea rations were set throughout the Empire based on pre-war consumption. Ireland's ration was far below the standard. Ireland, without a standing navy or merchant marine force to speak of, was tealess throughout the war's duration.

At war's end this situation was immediately addressed with laws requiring all tea imported into Ireland to be directly imported from producing nations and not England. An Irish Tea Company soon after was established as a monopoly to secure direct importation and distribution of the precious national drink, co-owned by over 50 individual tea importers and maintained until Ireland's 1973 entrance into the European Union.

Irish Breakfast Tea

Thanks to Christophe Meneboeuf for the Image above through Wikipedia