Porth Oir Orchards and the Cider of the Isles
By the late 19th century, the Porth Oir Orchards had grown into a busy operation. Barrel-makers, farmhands, and orchard keepers worked year-round — pruning, pressing, fermenting, and bottling.
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Porth Oir Orchards and the Cider of the Isles
Tucked into the sun-warmed valleys surrounding Porth Oir, the island’s famed cider orchards stretch across gentle slopes that once held only grain. The first trees were planted in the early 1800s by the 2nd Earl of Rathmor, an enterprising landowner who sought to turn Sorcha’s rich southern soils into something more profitable — and more pleasurable. Inspired by cider farms he had seen in Devon and Normandy, he imported apple grafts, built a small stone press house, and began what would become one of the islands’ proudest and longest-standing industries.
Porth Oir Orchards
By the late 19th century, the Porth Oir Orchards had grown into a busy operation. Barrel-makers, farmhands, and orchard keepers worked year-round — pruning, pressing, fermenting, and bottling. When the railway reached Porth Oir in 1885, the cider trade leapt from local to international scale. Barrels of golden cider rolled from the loading docks straight onto trains bound for the ports, and from there to taverns across Rathmor, Glynoch, and mainland Europe. The crisp, tangy taste of island cider soon became known as the “Sunshine of Sorcha.”
The flagship product, “Sunset Cider,” remains the pride of the orchards. It’s a rich, amber blend of three native apple varieties, with a smooth, slightly honeyed finish and a scent of wildflowers from the coastal breeze. Alongside it are the sharper “Highland Dry,” the sweet and mellow “Harvest Gold,” and the sparkling “Sorcha Light.” Each carries the unique character of the island’s soil and sea air.
Every autumn, when the apples are ripe and the air carries the scent of crushed fruit, Porth Oir hosts its annual Cider Festival. For three days, the town fills with music, dancing, and laughter. Locals raise their glasses to the year’s harvest while visiting musicians and storytellers entertain late into the night. Lanterns hang from the apple trees, children roll barrels in friendly races, and the first pint of “Sunset Cider” is always poured in honour of the Earl who started it all.
Even today, visitors can tour the orchards, sample the blends, and feel the rhythm of a tradition that has ripened with the island itself — golden, effervescent, and proudly Rathmorian.
Porth Oir Cider Co
Apple pressing at Porth Oir
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Island Hydropower and Reservoirs
Located in the highlands of Central Glynoch, and Central & Western Rathmor
