The history of CBD in Ireland.

CBD has recently grown in popularity due to the word of mouth of the growing positive benefits it can produce, without having any of the negative properties that are usually associated with hemp products. However, it is not a new revelation. 

Sir William Brooke O’Shaughnessy.

Although hemp had been used for thousands of years prior, it first became notable in Ireland in the 1800s by Sir William Brooke O’Shaughnessy of Limerick. After studying medicine at Trinity in Dublin, he then studied at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland from where he graduated in 1829. He went on to do the most extensive trials using cannabis at that time. After publishing the book “The Bengal Pharmacopoeia” in 1844 where the section on cannabis extended to 25 pages, it was described as “the most comprehensive assessment of the properties of cannabis” undertaken at the time.

Professor Michael Donovan.

O’Shaughnessy’s research was subsequently republished in British and European medical journals which lead to an increase in cannabis research. After learning of O’Shaughnessy’s research Michael Donovan of County Clare, Professor of Pharmacy, Chemistry and Materia Medica at the Apothecaries Hall in Dublin began cannabis experiments of his own. In 1845 he published an article entitled ‘On the physical and medicinal qualities of Indian hemp’ in the Dublin Journal of Science.

CBD licencing in Ireland.

Soon others across Europe and the globe were undertaking research into the plant and producing their own findings and products.
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In 1993 the first license to grow hemp was acquired in Ireland, and by 2004 the first CBD oil company was born. in the last several decades more than two dozen companies have began to source and sell CBD oil in Ireland, with only a handful of companies growing and producing 100% Irish grown and produced CBD oil.