Welcome to our latest stop in our Around the World with CarbonCure tour! This month we are visiting beautiful County Meath in Ireland, home to Kilsaran, the country’s largest independent manufacturer of concrete products and CarbonCure’s first partner in the Emerald Isle!

Founded in 1964 in the village of Kilsaran in County Louth, this family-owned business has grown to include a network of ready mix plants, over 100 ready mix trucks, and over 900 employees across the country. Kilsaran extracts raw materials from its own quarries and manufactures an array of construction products in its facilities, including road surfacing materials, paving and walling, and a full suite of dry mortar products.

The company prides itself on its product innovation, superior customer service and passion for quality. Its commitment to innovation has led to Kilsaran becoming CarbonCure’s first producer partner in Ireland and the UK. The company is phasing in the use of CarbonCure, starting first with a trial period in two of its ready mix plants in Dublin. 

“The introduction of CarbonCure will enable us to offer our customers concrete that is not only better for the environment with a reduced carbon footprint but with increased long-term durability,” said Keith Goodwin, Group Technical Manager with Kilsaran.

“Kilsaran has long been a leader in environmental best practice, and the introduction of CarbonCure is another step in our sustainability journey. In an industry which accounts for a significant percentage of global emissions, such innovation is essential if we are to achieve our global carbon reduction targets,” Keith added.

This partnership with CarbonCure builds on Kilsaran’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. For example, one of the company’s North Dublin plants was upgraded to include a concrete recycling facility to reduce waste, as well as taking steps to reduce energy use and harvest rainwater. The company also believes that its role in extracting raw materials shouldn’t hurt future generations. It employs a team of environmental specialists to undertake ecological monitoring, protect and enhance biodiversity, and plan for quarry restoration. 

Now let’s head to beautiful County Meath, home to Kilsaran’s headquarters and company showroom. Full of archaeological and historic sites, and close to Dublin, there is no shortage of things to explore!

1. Step back in time

The Hill of Tara is an ancient hilltop ceremonial and burial site that’s been in use for more than 5,000 years. It’s full of passages, tombs and monuments — such as the Mound of the Hostages, a 5,000-year-old passage tomb that housed human remains. Make sure to check out the visitor center — inside a nineteenth-century church — to watch a short audio-visual presentation for an overview of the site’s history. Guided tours are also available. 

2. Go for a thrill ride 

Come back to the modern day with a ride on Europe’s largest wooden roller-coaster, the Cú Chulainn, at the theme park Tayto Park. If roller-coasters aren’t your speed, you can enjoy one of the park’s other thrilling experiences, such as the extreme climbing wall, a circus show or the 5D cinema. 

Tayto Park also has a zoo, home to a diverse collection of animals such as the largest of the big cats, the Amur tiger, and the endangered Sulawesi crested macaque. With mammals of all sizes, colorful birds and farmyard friends, it’s sure to be a fun family experience.

3. Visit a Hollywood castle

No visit to Ireland is complete without one to a castle, and Trim Castle, located alongside a river in the historic town of Trim, won’t disappoint. Construction on this largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland began around 1176 and took 30 years to build. The huge 20-sided tower is in the shape of a cruciform and was once protected by a ditch, curtain wall and water-filled moat. And you might recognize it from the big screen — the movie Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, was filmed here!

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