The champion cheese is produced by Tom Burgess of Coolattin Cheddar in Co Carlow. The results were announced at the inaugural Irish Cheese Awards ceremony and dinner, which took place on Wednesday night in The Grainstore, Ballymaloe House, Co Cork.

Burgess has 130 dairy cows and produces the raw milk cheese product from 30% of their milk. The other 70% is supplied to Strathroy Dairies. Burgess has been making Coolattin Cheddar for 10 years and only two years ago he decided to look at possibility of producing another cheese, which became Mount Leinster.

The cloth is designed to hold the cheese in good shape during the maturation process and help the taste. "Mount Leinster, which is a white cheese, contrasts with the strong red colour of the Coolattin cheddar," Burgess said. "We only use the milk that comes from the cows during the summer months. This means they're always eating grass and the flavour is much improved."

Burgess only milks the cows once a day during these months, but still manages to produce a tonne of cheese a week.

Commenting on the award, he said was delighted with the recognition. "We're expanding at the moment as well so it coulnd't have come at a better time."

Some 36 Irish cheesemakers were honoured at the event, the only competition dedicated entirely to Irish cheese. 145 cheeses from 29 companies from all over Ireland were judged in 12 classes by a panel of experts.

Also, for the first time at the Irish Cheese Awards, a lifetime achievement award was presented to cheese maker Veronica Steele from Milleen's Cheese for her outstanding contribution to the farmhouse cheese industry. Veronica and her husband Norman began producing cheese in 1976 in west Cork. She was a pioneer in the farmhouse cheese revolution and found herself mentoring and tutoring other aspiring cheese-makers.

The other big winners on the night were the joint reserve champions. Mount Leinster Clothbound also won the best cow's milk cheese, while Ardsallagh Cranberry by Ardsallagh Goat Products from Cork won best goat¹s milk cheese and Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella by Macroom Buffalo Cheese from Cork won best other milk cheese.

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