Potatoes were only introduced to Ireland in the late 1500s after being discovered by Spanish Conquistadors in Peru

Amazing and weird fact about potatoes in Ireland.

Potatoes were only introduced to Ireland in the late 1500s after being discovered by Spanish Conquistadors in Peru.

In 1536 Spanish Conquistadors conquered Peru, discovered the flavors of the potato, and carried them to Europe.  Before the end of the sixteenth century, families of Basque sailors began to cultivate potatoes along the Biscay coast of northern Spain.  Sir Walter Raleigh introduced potatoes to Ireland in 1589 on the 40,000 acres of land near Cork. It took nearly four decades for the potato to spread to the rest of Europe.