Pearse Lyons Distillery

Visit the only distillery in Ireland, or the world, built into an 800-year-old church and surrounded by a graveyard. Religion and whiskey have always had a connection, with distillers of the past supporting the maintenance and construction of churches. Here, Pearse and Deirdre Lyons’ passion project makes that connection more palatable. Starting with a derelict church, they added a beautiful glass spire, and upgraded the inside while installing Kentucky-built pot and hybrid stills.

The tour starts with a tasting while the late founder introduces himself on a video and the video’s narrator tells the history of the church. Next, the group gathers in the graveyard to hear stories of some of its inhabitants, including Pearse Lyons’s own grandfather. Once inside the church, you will learn what it takes to preserve a historic building like this. As your guide walks you through the whiskey-making process, they will describe how the beautiful stained-glass windows relate to that process.

As seen in "Experiencing Irish Whiskey."