Last week, I found myself in lovely Leitrim for an upcoming cover story. The interview was scheduled for early morning, so I travelled the night before. I had booked into a B&B in Carrick-on-Shannon and had not really thought about where I was going to eat that evening.

As I had left the office later than expected, I had more or less resigned myself to the fact that my dinner was going to be a petrol station sandwich and a packet of crisps.

But driving down the M4, I suddenly remembered an altogether more enticing option: Honestly Farm Kitchen. Let me explain.

Back in 2018, we featured Liam and Justina Gavin of Drumanilra Farm Kitchen, who had left their home in the UK to move to a 40ac mixed farm in Co Roscommon with their three young children.

Their ambition was to produce a premium product – and crucially – develop their own market for it, starting out with a food trailer selling Dexter burgers and organic hot dogs and, later, opening a farm café and shop in Boyle.

In December 2021, however, they opened Honestly Farm Kitchen in what was formerly a KFC joint in Carrick-on-Shannon.

While there is a sit-down restaurant and farm shop, I made it to the drive-through by the skin of my teeth just before closing time to order their Dexter classic meal deal (chargrilled organic 5oz Dexter beef burger from their own pedigree herd, with mayo, Ballymaloe relish, mixed organic leaves, onion and tomato) with a side of organic fries and a drink.

It was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had; anyone who saw me scoffing it in the carpark could attest to that.

At €12.45, the meal deal was priced higher obviously than the multi-national chains, but there was simply no comparison in terms of taste, or satisfaction. Fast, fresh, local food direct from the farm: just imagine if we had these sorts of drive-throughs all over Ireland?

With plans to open another Honestly in Strandhill this summer, followed by the complete redevelopment of the former café in Boyle in 2023-24, the Gavins are nowhere near finished yet.

They show what can be achieved in Irish food and farming by thinking outside the box and I’m really excited to follow their journey.

Inspiring stories

This issue of Irish Country Living is packed with stories of many journeys; all different and yet inspiring. For example, our cover star, Katherine Dolphin Griffin, has overcome more obstacles than many, but is now on a mission to use her story to raise €100,000 for charity.

And then there are literal journeys, with Liam Clancy whisking us all off to Rome in his travel feature.

Ciara’s childcare series continues, we have pension advice and all your favourites as well.

Enjoy the read.