Unique whiskey crafted in Newry to mark Wicklow’s ‘Granite Village’
Newry-based Two Stacks Irish Whiskey blenders and bottlers has created a unique whiskey in collaboration with the people of an historic village near Dublin.
The Quarrymen – Poem Edition whiskey honours the people of Ballyknockan, Co Wicklow, often known as ‘The Granite Village’, which provided stone from its quarries to underpin Dublin’s backbone O’Connell Street and quays nearby.
Shane McCarthy, managing director and joint founder of Irish Craft Distillers, the parent company of Two Stacks, explains: “The Quarrymen project has been quietly forming since early 2025, and it has quickly become one of our most heartfelt collaborations. Ballyknockan is a place defined by its stories, its people, and by the legacy etched into its stone.
“For generations, the quarrymen of Ballyknockan shaped the granite that built Dublin, earning the village its proud title: “the place that built the city.”
Their craft, their graft, their humour, and their music all feed into the wider cultural rhythm of Ireland. It’s a spirit that feels carved into the very granite beneath the feet of Dubliners,” adds Shane. That contribution is also marked in a special poem.
The unique whiskey was launched at an event that is described as “one of those truly memorable days at Two Stacks, made even more meaningful by standing alongside the incredibly talented Ger Devine as he presented The Quarryman poem.
“Listening to her speak about the village, its pride and hardship, its camaraderie and heritage, you could stay all day.
His poem captures that world with remarkable clarity: a tribute not just to a quarry, but to a community whose work shaped far more than stone.
Shane adds: “We’re honoured to play even a small part in celebrating that culture through this release, a whiskey we sincerely hope does the story justice, and a whiskey that vanished far too quickly after launch last week!”.
Commercial granite quarrying began at Ballyknockan in 1824 and ceased in the 1960s. Granite blocks were used in many Dublin buildings including Dublin City Council’s offices and the Central Bank