Daniel O’Rourke Pea is considered an Irish heirloom from the 1800s by Irish Seed Savers Association. They found this long lost variety preserved since 1921 at the Vavilov Institute for Plant Industry in Russia, and brought it back into cultivation and circulation in Ireland. It was named after a winning British thoroughbred racehorse, perhaps because it was known as the earliest pea cultivar at the time. The horse was named after a character in an Irish folktale who was carried to the moon by an eagle. Some report that this is the same pea as horticulturalist, breeder, and seedsman John Sangster’s “Sangster’s No. 1 Pea”, a very popular variety in the mid- and late-1800s on both sides of the Atlantic. It is used as a fresh shelling pea, and also as a dry pea for soups. This was the last green pod in our row as we finished the dry seed harvest - the perfect round green peas were delicious. Thanks to Irish Seed Savers for this seed, and to artist Christine Mackey for her research on this pea’s history. #danielorourkepeas #irishheirloom #irishseedsavers