Burren Food Festival

Food festival season is coming into its own. From now until the end of summer, you’ll be spoilt for choice with events happening just about every weekend. As it’s the nature of these things, some come and go. However, one that has real longevity and respect is the Burren Food Festival.

Running since 2005, one of its redeeming qualities is the attention to detail and the choice of vendors that fit in with the ethos of the festival. Don’t expect to see the chip van that is on the move across the country every weekend of the summer. Some of Ireland’s finest food and drinks producers are in attendance over the weekend, with tastings and demonstrations of seaweed-based produce such as Bláth na Mara Seaweed Pesto, An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin and Wild Irish Sea Veg from the local Talty Family in Co Clare.

Burren Slow Food Festival

In fact, seaweed is the theme of this year’s festival which takes place from 10-12 May. Birgitta Hedin-Curtin who many know from the Burren Smokehouse is founding member of Slow Food Clare and chair of the Burren Slow Food Festival. She says the seaweed theme came to her in the depths of winter at the launch of Bláth na Mara, the seaweed pesto that is made on Inis Mór by Jenny Ó’Conceanainn and her New Zealand husband David.

“I thought the product was such a clever idea, to include seaweed in our daily diet in a really easy and accessible way, plus it is delicious. I’ve always had such an interest in seaweed and thought the festival was a great platform to communicate to the public about its health benefits and how to include it more in cooking.

This is one of the real benefits of the festivals, to really put small producers from the area on the map

“So we’ll have fascinating talks exploring all aspects of seaweed, including using it in creative culinary ways. Speakers include Jack Crotty from Neighbourhood Foods, Darren O’Connor from Magic Mayan Chocolate and Evan Talty who will host a seaweed foraging walk on the Saturday morning.”

Birgitta says she also hopes it will bring more attention to the likes of Bláth na Mara and other seaweed products.

“This is one of the real benefits of the festivals, to really put small producers from the area on the map. For example, the festival has helped publicise the work of Oonagh O’Dwyer and her unique foraging as well by Brian O’Briain, and his coffee Anam Coffee – and that’s just naming two.”

Seafood, and not just seaweed, will get lots of attention this year. On Friday evening the festival begins with a scenic trip to the smallest of the Aran Islands, Inis Oírr, for a seafood buffet in Tigh Ned’s pub prepared by the Ó Conghaile family, the island’s local lobster and crab fishermen.

Then on Saturday evening chef Danni Barry cooks in The Storehouse in Lisdoonvarna, showcasing a selection of local Burren produce from land and sea in her three-course menu.

This will be her final showcase before taking the reins at a brand new space at Balloo House in Co Down.

Then the final dinner of the weekend will take place on Sunday afternoon with Euro-Toques commissioner general Gareth Mullins and friends, cooking a late lunch in The Storehouse with tickets priced at €35 per adult and €20 per child.

Burren Slow Food Festival 2019 will also feature Takashi Miyazaki from Michelin-starred Ichigo Ichie in Cork, Oonagh Dwyer from Wild Kitchen and chef Brian Donnelly from Belfast’s Bia Rebel, who is in west Clare all weekend creating and serving a brand new Burren ramen, directly inspired and using the best local ingredients.

www.burren.ie.

www.eventbrite.ie

Sheridan Cheese Festival

From the west to the east, another food festival – but this time the focus is on cheese.

Kevin and Seamus Sheridan of Sheridan Cheesemongers.

And how couldn’t it be when the event is taking place in Sheridans Cheesemongers HQ on the Virginia Road in Co Meath? Another long-running festival, it kicked off in 2009 and celebrates its 10th birthday on Sunday 26 May. The ethos of the festival is simple: only Irish food on the tables and only producers behind the tables. By doing this and keeping the cost of the stalls to a minimum, the Sheridan Cheese Festival continuously attracts small genuine Irish food producers who you wouldn’t normally see at markets and fairs around the country.

It’s not just cheese. With over 100 food stalls, we’re talking home-baked desserts, wild food preserves, locally milled flour, meat curers, bee keepers, and cider-makers.

You can get everything from breakfast, lunch and dinner on site with hot and prepared food offerings including rare breed pork sausages, curries, barbecue grill and crêpes. The Boyne Valley Food Series has done a great job in the last few years highlighting the produce of the area and they will have their own marquee where the local food producers will get together for their showcase.

On top of that, Slow Food Ireland will also be in attendance, no doubt after a busy weekend in the Burren the week before. For kids, it’s not just the usual face painting and puppet shows. Food producer and author Olivia Goodwillie will be running three Children’s Workshops with themes focusing on wheat, dairy and vegetables. The lessons will be based on her books, teaching children about where their food comes from and how it’s made. And they can also get their hands dirty by making bread, butter, and working with vegetables throughout her tutorials.

All in all, this is a festival that has the vibe of an old country fair. Tickets are €5 per adult and kids go free.

sheridans.ie/sheridans-annual-irish-food-festival/