Britain's Prince Charles visited the National Botanic Gardens at Kilmacurragh in Co Wicklow this morning for the start of the second day of his visit to the Republic.
He was taken on a tour of the visitor attraction to see the important work in plant conservation and to learn about plans to restore Kilmacurragh House.
He was greeted by Minister for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief Kevin 'Boxer' Moran and Seamus O'Brien, Head Gardener at Kilmacurragh, who showed the prince around.
Kilmacurragh is renowned for its remarkable gardens and plant collection established by the Acton family.
The present collection of mature exotics is largely based on material collected by some of the great plant-hunters of the 19th century.
Prince Charles began his visit by walking through a wild meadow with the Wicklow hills as a stunning backdrop, and followed a path which took him to Kilmacurragh House.
The ruined shell of a building is a rare example of the Queen Anne style of architecture in Ireland and was in 1697.
The house, designed by Sir William Robinson and commissioned by Thomas Acton, was built in 1697 and was known as Westaston Estate from 1750 to 1850.
The vision for the property, whose upper floors are supported by metal girders, is to preserve the building as one of the earliest unfortified country houses in Ireland.
The house and gardens remained in the hands of the Acton family from their inception at the start of the 18th century until 1944 when they were sold.
The prince concluded his visit with a tour of the lake and monastic site at Glendalough.
He met with staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and members of the local mountain rescue service, but gave most of his time to Sixth class pupils from nearby Scoil Chaoimhín Naofa who showed him the education and nature programmes that they had been taking part in.
Pupil Oscar Stakem said he was not going to wash his hand after shaking Princes Charles' hand and said that he felt his knees shake and thought he was going to faint while he was talking to him.
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The royal security detail also went slightly weak at the knees when the prince decided to go on an impromptu walk-about to shake hands with locals and a number of tourists, some from the UK and the US.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cornwall has visited the weaving mill in Avoca Village, Co Wicklow.
Camilla took part in a guided tour of Ireland's oldest working mill, and enjoyed demonstrations by master weavers and was presented with a gift of two Avoca weaved blankets.
One had the duchess's title embroidered on its label, to which she said: "It has my name on it, now no one can steal it."
A second embroidered blanket is to be gifted to baby Archie, son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The Prince of Wales meeting local school children at the upper lake in Glendalough @rtenews pic.twitter.com/heuRz8YbGN
— Samantha Libreri (@SamanthaLibreri) May 21, 2019
This morning's engagements bring to an end the couple's two-day visit to Ireland, their fifth in the past five years.
Additional reporting Samantha Libreri
