THE INUA COLLECTION AND IMNDA PARTNER TO LAUNCH SHORT BREAKS INITIATIVE FOR FAMILY CARERS AND THOSE LIVING WITH MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE, THANKS TO CLIMB WITH CHARLIE

 THE INUA COLLECTION AND IMNDA PARTNER TO LAUNCH SHORT BREAKS INITIATIVE FOR FAMILY CARERS AND THOSE LIVING WITH MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE, THANKS TO CLIMB WITH CHARLIE

L-R_ Jonathan Healy, Chairman, Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, Brenda Murphy, The iNUA Collection, Charlie Bird, Naomi Fitzgibbons, Head of Nursing at Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association 

The iNUA Collection and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) are delighted to announce their new partnership aimed at providing short breaks to individuals and families affected by Motor Neurone Disease (MND), with thanks to funds from the Charlie Bird Development Fund. The fund was set up from monies raised from the phenomenal Climb with Charlie initiative, and this is one project of many that the fund hopes to assist – by providing people living with MND and their loved ones effortless support and additional care.

As part of this partnership, The iNUA Collection and IMNDA will provide complimentary hotel break experiences to those living with MND and their families, assisting them to make cherished memories together as well as providing relief breaks for family carers of those with MND, giving them the opportunity to take time out from what can often be a stressful journey. 

The iNUA Collection are providing accommodation in their twelve hotels across Ireland, including the Radisson Blu Hotels in Cork, Athlone, Limerick and Sligo, Tullamore Court Hotel, Fairways Hotel Louth, Hillgrove Hotel & Spa and five-star Muckross Park Hotel & Spa. Each location will offer guestrooms with fully accessible services, accessible dining venues and public relaxation areas, along with tailored experiences based on guests' needs.

IMNDA will provide a grant for a hotel stay away from home for those living with MND and/or their families, to take a well-deserved break in a comfortable and convenient location, through the Charlie Bird Development Fund. This incredible fund was created following a national consultation process with the MND community, thanks to Charlie and Claire Bird, and everyone who climbed and donated towards Climb with Charlie in April 2022. The overarching objective of the fund is to provide the necessary supports to help those with MND live as independent a life as possible in their own home and within their own community. More access to IMNDA nurses, access to voice banking, support with travel and transport, support for carers and access to respite care were also top of the list for those living with MND. 

“We're excited to partner with IMNDA to provide memory-making breaks and carer breaks to those living with Motor Neurone Disease and their families,” said Brenda Murphy, Group Director of Revenue, PR & Marketing at The iNUA Collection, “We believe that everyone deserves a break from their everyday challenges and struggles, and we're honoured to be able to help in providing some respite and relief, and to assist in creating lasting memories.”

The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association echoed the sentiment, expressing their gratitude for the support of The iNUA Collection. “Part of what we do at IMNDA is not only to support those living with MND, but also those closest to them who are impacted by the diagnosis. We are immensely grateful to Charlie Bird for his tireless fundraising efforts, and to The iNUA Collection, who have been tremendously supportive throughout our engagement to date,” said Jonathan Healy, IMNDA Chair. 

“I am so happy that part of the funds from Climb with Charlie are being used for this purpose,” said Charlie Bird. “I am very thankful to The iNUA Collection for joining up with IMNDA to provide this short break initiative. Motor Neurone is a dreadful disease for people living with it and indeed for their carers as well, so anything that can give people a short break is a lovely idea. I always wanted the funds raised from Climb with Charlie to directly benefit those who are suffering from this terminal illness and also those who are caring for them, so — well done, I love this initiative and please, please, I would encourage anyone experiencing MND to go for this lovely short break. I know what people with MND are going through as well as those who are caring for us, and I believe even a short break would be welcomed and of benefit.”  

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching the muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. MND strikes people of all ages and currently there is no cure, however symptoms can be managed to help the person achieve the best possible quality of life. On average one person per week is diagnosed with MND in Ireland.

Valid for IMNDA Members only and terms and conditions apply. Members are advised to speak with their IMNDA Nurse or the IMNDA Services Team to avail of this initiative.

Museum of Literature Ireland wins the prestigious Europa Nostra Award

press release

Museum of Literature Ireland wins the prestigious Europa Nostra Award

Pic by Dónal Murphy

The Museum of Literature Ireland has won a prestigious cultural heritage award from the European Commission.  The museum is a partnership between University College Dublin and the National Library of Ireland and was singled out by the Europa Nostra jury for its work as a heritage project fostering social cohesion, inclusion, multicultural dialogue and nurturing a sense of place and belonging. The Europa Nostra Awards are the European Commission’s most important cultural heritage awards, and every year identify best practices in the conservation and enhancement of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Speaking on receipt of the news, MoLI Director Simon O’Connor said: “The founding patrons and partners in UCD and the National Library of Ireland had the ambition and vision to create a major literary institution in the University’s original home that would open reading and writing to all audiences. We have never taken achieving that ambition for granted, and welcoming visitors from every imaginable walk of life to this spectacular facility has been at the centre of our work. From toddlers to teenagers, academics to pensioners learning to read for the first time, sharing the empowering and democratic value of the written and spoken word is what motivates us every day. To receive this award is a welcome acknowledgement of that work, and due recognition for the vision of our partners and patrons. It is an award for them, and the community of visitors who inspire us.”

President of University College Dublin, Professor Orla Feely said:

“This award recognises the great contributions that MoLI has made to the cultural heritage of Dublin, Ireland and Europe in the few short years since it opened its doors to the public.”

“It is clear proof of what can be achieved when two national institutions with an exciting, shared vision and ambition – in this case, the National Library of Ireland and University College Dublin - join forces towards a common goal.”

“Through its exhibitions, events and outreach activities, and the harnessing of digital technologies, the museum successfully engages wider and more varied audiences in Ireland’s rich and diverse literary heritage.”

“We are deeply proud that MoLI is based at UCD’s most significant historic property, Newman House on Stephen’s Green, Dublin, where James Joyce, arguably the university’s best-known graduate, studied for his degree.”

MoLI will be presented with their award alongside other winners in a ceremony in Venice in September this year.

CorkBillyBeers #29. Craft Lager, a superb quartet from Wicklow Wolf, Kinnegar, Mescan and Lineman

CorkBillyBeers #29

Craft Lager, a superb quartet from Wicklow Wolf, Kinnegar, Mescan and Lineman

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Wicklow Wolf Running With Wolves India Pale Lager, 5.6%, 440ml can

Just like Kinnegar below, Wicklow Wolf are claiming this is a “modern style” lager. It  is brewed in collaboration with Bristol brewery Lost and Grounded and this India Pale Lager is dry hopped with Idaho 7 and Huell Melon to create “a savagely refreshing modern style lager”.

Wicklow tells us, that for the collaboration with their friends Lost and Grounded Brewers, “we took inspiration from their delicious Running with Sceptres, we brewed a single decoction India Pale Lager.”

Yeast used in this hybrid is an interesting one. It is the Hoppin Pils lager yeast that is targeted towards IPL styles and/or dry hopped lagers (as here) and  is commonly used for the brewing of Bock, German lagers, Kolsch, lagers and pilsners

Colour is a light gold (not quite one hundred per cent clear) and there are aromas of biscuity malt, apricot and a citrus sweetness. On the palate, no shortage of flavour as the malts and hops get together to make it a balanced experience right through to the satisfactory finalé.

This single decoction India Pale Lager is Very Highly Recommended..

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Kinnegar #30 Unfiltered Hoppy Lager 4.6%, 440ml can Bradleys

Colour of this unfiltered hoppy lager from the Kinnegar Brewers at Play series is a "foggy" gold. The first impression on the palate is one of refreshment, just like a lager should be. But, reinforced by “a contemporary hop profile”, this has a bit more going for it and should be welcome as the temperatures stay high in the days ahead.

Indeed, the brewers say they made it “to herald the arrival of a warmer beer-drinking season”. I notice they don’t mention summer!

The Brewers at Play series is designed to keep Kinnegar brewers on their toes and their customers on tenterhooks. It is No. 30 in the series which has come up with some gems. This is another one, a superb lager with excellent flavour and that high refreshment factor.

Lagers, they say, are among the most challenging - “and are amongst our favourite beers to brew”. I reckon it was well worth the effort on this occasion.

Very Highly Recommended.

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Mescan Seven Virtues Lager 4.8%, 330 ml bottle

Last Spring (April) in the Mescan brewery, on a farm in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, we started a tasting with brewery co-founder Cillian Ó Móráin with a shared bottle of this lager. After a long enough drive from Cork, it proved remarkably refreshing and made me wonder why so few lagers reach this level of quality.

This may be the answer. At that tasting, Cillian explained that his beers take a minimum of 4 months with the heavy ones getting 6-8 months whereas your normal craft beer takes just a few weeks from start to counter (can vary from brewer to brewer). While the extra time makes the Mescan more expensive, Cillian reckons it is very important for the quality of the beer. And it is indeed a premium product as that little tasting and this more recent full bottle illustrated.

It has the nice golden lager colour and billions of bubbles rising to the soft white head. A bit of citrus and grass (not that grass!) in the aromas. On the palate, it is a bit more than your usual lager - it is after all dry-hopped. But it is crisp and refreshing, easy-drinking. Well worth a try!

They say: Virtues lager was the first in a series of one-off brews. Crisp and slightly dry hopped, a nod in the direction of both tradition and innovation.  Serving Temp 2 - 4 °C. 

Note that serving temperature, somewhat lower than usual.

Mescan always pay attention to matching their beers with food and even invented the Mescan Food-Pairing Wheel, designed to take the angst out of matching beer and food. It’s an easy way to pair each Mescan craft beer with the foods that complement it. It’s available on the website and is easily printable in a pdf format. It was a useful resource for all the home chefs who explored new options in their kitchens during the pandemic.

Check  here to see what goes with this lager. 

Very Highly Recommended

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Lineman Undertone Dark Lager, 4.5% ABV, 440ml can Bradleys

Came across this dark gem first at the Franciscan Well Easter Festival on the North Mall and was immediately smitten, so obviously that the kind lady at the Lineman stand generously topped me up, with a smile. It was a sunny day. No sun as I write but I’m still smiling with my dark Czech lager.

Dark ruby is the colour of this one with a soft tan colour head on top. Chocolate and caramel feature in the aromas. And the flavours give it away - it is a malty lager, underneath the toast-bready, caramel-y camouflage.

A smooth Bohemian style dark lager that delivers delicious toast, chocolate and caramel notes. Unpasteurised, unfiltered, serve chilled. Drink fresh. Suitable for vegans.  All that info on the label.

And quite a refreshing lager. The smooth flavours develop as a result of the use of Munich malts and extended cold fermentation and conditioning. And also a more expressive lager yeast strain that adds its own character.

They say: This unfiltered lager is given plenty of time to condition over the 8 weeks in tank prior to packaging. It's one of our absolute favourites. It's a labour of love.

Yes, Lineman (and me) are fans of Czech darks and dunkels. “Rounder and less roasty than a schwarzbier. Toasty, bread crust, and caramel. Freshly packaged UNDERTONE is making a return with a new look, but still a delicious 4.5% beer to enjoy. We've given the label a makeover and we've tweaked the recipe just a tad. This unfiltered lager is given plenty of time to condition over the 8 weeks in tank prior to packaging."

Used to be 4.2% but the new 4.5% keeps it in the sessional category.

Very Highly Recommended. 

Cork City’s most delicious week returns this August for a feast of fun!

Cork City’s most delicious week returns this August for a feast of fun!

Aishling Moore, chef and partner at Goldie restaurant, and Brian Murray, chef and owner of The Glass Curtain join Caoimhe (7) and Naoise (5) O’Leary-Kinnerk (from Castlemore) to launch the programme of events for the upcoming Cork on a Fork Festival. Pics: Joleen Cronin.

Cork on a Fork Fest launches 5-day programme for 2023,
with almost 100 tasty events and experiences to saviour

Cork City will be transformed into one big food festival for 5 days of feasting and fun this August 16^th-20^th for Cork on a Fork Fest. I really enjoyed this last year and very much looking forward to a bigger and even better festival this time.

Mouths will water at the flavour-packed festival programme just launched, which includes almost 100 food events and unique experiences.

Whether you want to taste your way through the city on a food trail, take part in unique culinary experiences at a pop-up event, learn a new skill at a talk or workshop, enjoy live entertainment at a street event, or feast on the finest local food, there will be plenty to see, do and devour.

The festival was established in 2022 by Cork City Council as a celebration of dining and nightlife in Cork City and the incredible produce found in the Cork region.

The full programme can be found on www.corkonaforkfest.ie, with new events being added throughout the summer, but for now here’s a taster to whet your appetite:

• The festival will kick off with 2 hours of talks at a conference on Feeding Cork the sustainable and healthy way, in partnership with Cork Food Policy Council.
• A series of talks will take place at the Festival Stage in the Crawford Art Gallery Theatre all day on Friday 18th and Saturday 19^th August. These will include panel discussion with leading names in Cork food, an Ethiopian bread making demo, a discussion with food writers on Cork Food, a meet the makers gin talk on Bertha’s Gin, talks from the UCC School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, and more.   All free to attend.
• A 100-seater Cooking Demo Festival Marquee will be erected on Emmet Place (outside Cork Opera House) on Saturday 19th August, featuring demos and talks by leading names in Cork food, including Michelin Chef Takashi Miyazaki from Ichigo Ichie, Michelin-rated chef Aishling Moore from Gold, Clare Condon from Good Day Deli, Brian Murray from The Glass Curtain, Darren Kennedy from Sage, William Murray from Currabinny, and more.  All events are free to attend, supported by Failte Ireland, Ireland’s Ancient East and the Wild Atlantic Way.
• A Festival Market will take place on Emmet Place with over 20 local producers and businesses on the same day with live music and face-painting,
• SoulCanvas, A Night of Yoga, Art, Music & Food, will take place at Crawford Art Gallery with The Yoga Tree and The Green Room Cafe.
• L’Atitude 51 is partnering with NeighbourFood, the online farmer’s market, to host a Cork produce showcase, via Cork NeighbourFood producers in the form of a Paella (+ more) at a makeshift kitchen on the boardwalk of Union Quay.
• Unique picnics will also pop up.  Influencer Shauna Doyle will host a 'Corkchella' festival picnic at the stunning gardens of Gabriel House, St Lukes, whilst The Montenotte will host an exclusive Summer Champagne Afternoon Picnic in their Victorian sunken gardens.
• A Feast of Fashion Brunch will take place at Sketch in The Imperial on Sunday, in partnership with Opera Lane and local boutiques.
• Explore Cork harbour on a Sailing, Shucking and Shanties cruise with entertainment from Cobh Molgoggers and oyster shucking by Pat O’Connell.
• Numerous talks and tastings will take place, including Black Gold – Cork’s Blood Pudding Culture with Kate from Flavour.ie at the Farmgate Restaurant/
• There will be plenty of workshops too from Food Photography to Sourdough and Wine Harvest, tutored beer tasting, and coffee cupping., 
• An International Tea Ceremony will take place in partnership with Good Day Deli and Cork Migrant Centre at Nano Nagle Place.
• There will also be daily food trails throughout the city with different themes from Cork history, to a wine trail, vegan food, and a fish trail, all with a local and sustainable focus.
• Renowned Cork Chef Orla McAndrew will also be popping up for cooking demos using fresh market produce outside the English Market over the week.
• And Zero-Waste Chef Conor Spacey will officially launch his book ‘Wasted’ as part of Cork on a Fork in L’Atitude on Sunday August 20th with a plant-based tasting menu using recipes from the book paired with natural wines by L’Atitude.  
  
  
  

Not only that but there will be special offers and early bird menus at venues throughout the city including The Glass Curtain, Hayfield Manor, Electric and more, and gorgeous brunches at Greenwich, Sophies at the Dean and The Met.  The streets will also come alive with jazz and opera music while you dine, and numerous street events will take place.

This year’s festival programme will also cater to families with ticketed and free events in the programme, including a bread and butter making demo at Cork Butter Museum, pizza making workshops, sensory cooking classes with the Cool Food School at St Peters for various ages, a healthy eating puppet show, and pop-up play streets at markets with Let’s Play Cork.

Cork on a Fork Fest is putting a key focus on sustainability, promoting local food and talent, and it features a range of talks and events focused on sustainability.  The event will feature a zero waste dinner and there will even be a library barrel cookbook exchange.

Cork city is packed with talented chefs, great places to eat, Michelin rated restaurants, fun pubs, a vibrant outdoor dining scene, and of course the famous English Market. It has a treasure trove of unique dining spaces from historic buildings to rooftop gardens, waterfront venues, converted churches, old forts and jails.  It’s also a compact city that’s easy to get around and the Cork region boasts a significant amount of Ireland’s artisan producers, so you see why it’s hailed as Ireland’s food capital.

The full virtual programme is available on corkonaforkfest.ie and events will continue to be added throughout the summer.

Commenting at the programme launch Fearghal Reidy, Director of Services, Strategic Planning & Development at Cork City Council said, “Cork on a Fork Fest is a celebration of authentic food experiences in Cork City and the incredible produce in our region.  The festival will see Cork City transformed into one big food festival for five days, filled with authentic and unique experiences. We wanted the festival to be accessible to all, so it’s a real melting pot of ticketed and free events, with a family friendly and fringe programme.  We are also mindful of the important of sustainability and reducing food waste, which you will see within the programme content.”

Cork on a Fork Festival is a Cork City Council Festival, supported by local hospitality businesses, Failte Ireland and Ireland’s Ancient East, Pure Cork, Fáilte Ireland, Cork Business Association, Cork Airport and media partners the Irish Examiner.  It was established to celebrate Cork food and Cork city’s ever evolving dining and nightlife scene in 2022. 

For the full festival programme see www.corkonaforkfest.ie or for live updates follow @corkonaforkfest.

press release

An Outstanding Tempranillo From Toledo. The Pinuaga Colección.

An Outstanding Tempranillo From Toledo

Pinuaga Colección Tempranillo Vino de la Terra de Castillo 2018, 13.5% ABV, 

€21.00 Stockists: Mary Pawle.

In 1960, the first generation of Pinuaga winemakers established the winery in the village of Corral de Almaguer, province of Toledo.  They planted special old clones of Tempranillo called Cencibel with smaller grains, silky skin and longer ripening cycles. 

It had been a favourite ever since with the winery. “It is the first that we make after the construction of the new winery and the one that many know as ‘El Pinuaga de toda la vida’ (translated by Google as El Pinuaga is the wine of a lifetime). "This is a very special wine for us as it is the first wine we made at Pinuaga and hence why we call it Colección.” 

Mid ruby is the colour of this deep and intense organic wine. Aromas, dark red fruits (cherry) to the fore, are a little (just) on the shy side. It comes into its own on the palate, full of rich red fruit flavours, a touch of spice, smooth and rounded, and tannins well integrated. Rich concentrated and elegant, it is certainly rather special and is Very Highly Recommended.

Today, the second and third generation of the Pinuaga family, Valentin and Esther, maintain the old vines with much care and pride, following a minimal intervention philosophy, using natural and artisanal winemaking processes and recovering indigenous clones. The quality of the wines is driven by the characteristic of the soils, age of vines, grape variety and organic farming practices; all of these parameters are present in every wine, making them singular and unique.

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Check out the Good Value Wine List here

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Altitude is a key factor here, as it is in much of Spain. According to the World Atlas of Wine, “a good 90% of all Spanish vineyards lie at altitudes higher than any major French wine region” and this, especially in Castilla y Leon, helps maintain acidity enough to keep the wines relatively fresh. The altitude benefit means “growers can depend on cool nights to ‘fix’ colour and flavour in the grapes ripened during the torrid summer days”.  

The Pinuaga vineyard area is also really windy. The winemakers appreciate its benefits: “The vineyards are well aerated so it's a very healthy terroir. There is a lot of changes between the day and night temperatures too, which are very good for the ripening of the fruits.”

Pinuaga is situated close to the city of Toledo in central Spain, this is a huge wine-making region with more land under vine than the whole of Australia. The wines are now being imported to Ireland by Mary Pawle and, as is consistently the case with Mary, are keenly priced.

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Check out our Top 2023 Wines here.

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A new chapter for the historic Imperial Hotel as Louis Fitzgerald Family expands portfolio into the Cork market

 A new chapter for the historic Imperial Hotel

Louis Fitzgerald Family expands portfolio into the Cork market with the acquisition of the luxurious Imperial Hotel

The Louis Fitzgerald Group, one of the largest family-run hospitality groups in the country, has announced that its acquisition of the iconic 4-star Imperial Hotel in Cork City is now complete.

The family business, headed by Louis Fitzgerald and now in its 54^th year, has a longstanding track record of acquiring landmark properties, so the timeless 200-year-old Imperial Hotel is the perfect addition to their impressive portfolio.  The Group includes the Arlington Hotel, Louis Fitzgerald Hotel and Joels Restaurant, An Poitin Stil, The Stag’s Head, Kehoes Pub, The Quays Bar Galway and most recently, Murphy’s Bar in Galway.

Staff and locals alike welcome that the Grande Dame, as it’s fondly known, will move from one Irish owned family business to another, bucking the trend of international investments, and that the family places great emphasis on ensuring the legacy, history and character of their hotels, pubs and bars are carried forward for future generations to enjoy.

Commenting on the purchase, Louis Fitzgerald said, ‘We have been an admirer of the Imperial Hotel for some time. The Hotel has an incredible history and has built a fantastic reputation as one of the country’s most luxurious and boutique city hotels to stay in. This is a credit to the team in place there, and we look forward to working with them to continue to innovate.

We have been looking for the right opportunity to expand into the Cork market for a number of years and The Imperial, with its rich history and association with Michael Collins, is a great fit for what we stand for. Cork City is steeped in great culture and creativity and future developments in the pipeline are very exciting. We look forward to being a part of it. On a personal note, the Flynn family have been a pleasure to deal with throughout the process. It is very satisfying to see the Imperial move from one Irish family to another and to carry on its great heritage, particularly in a time when we see so many Irish hotels being bought by international investment funds.”

After successfully navigating the organisation through the pandemic, the Fitzgerald family are positively looking forward to continued growth and development over the coming years.

The Imperial boasts a rich history and has welcomed high-profile names over the past 200 years including actress Grace Kelly, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Michael Collins, and many others. With 131 guest rooms, multiple dining options, and conference facilities, the hotel is a popular choice for both leisure and business travellers.

The acquisition comes on the back of major investment, renovations, a new food offering, a new strategic direction and a myriad of awards over the past three years. 

 

The new ownership has assured employees that their jobs are safe and they are committed to investing in the continued development of staff skills and expertise.  The Louis Fitzgerald Group has also assured guests that all vouchers will continue to be honoured. 

press release