Has anyone ever wondered how a mountain can be made of butter? Here at Butter Mountain, it’s not a literal mountain of dairy, but its story is just as rich. Butter Mountain refers to the massive surplus of butter the European Union accumulated due to agricultural policies starting in the 1970s. This surplus wasn’t located solely in Ireland, but spanned across the EU. The policies were designed to stabilize prices and ensure consistent food supply. However, the system led to overproduction. The EU ended up buying tons of excess butter, creating this metaphorical Butter Mountain. While the surplus drastically decreased by 2017, leading to shortages, the term Butter Mountain remains a reminder of a unique time in European history. In West Germany, surplus butter, called “Christmas butter”, was even sold at discounted prices. This was between 1979 and 1985. It was packaged as being from intervention stockpiles, explicitly aimed at reducing the oversupply. This surplus even extended to other goods, leading to “milk lakes”, “beef mountains” and even “wine lakes”. Butter Mountain illustrates how good intentions can sometimes have surprising results.
Saint John the Evangelist
Whispers of history echo from these stones. This is the site of Saint John the Evangelist. Once a vibrant church