O'Mahony's. Happy Place on The Hill

 O'Mahony's. Happy Place on The Hill

Rhubarb & Custard

O’Mahony’s is one happy place. It begins with big, wide smiles as you walk in from the Watergrasshill street for lunch. Or dinner. Or just a drink. Perhaps one of John Coleman's cocktails (his creations are not "just a drink"). And the smiles continue through the service and also as you make your totally relaxed exit.

A Head of the Pack.
Original 7
Revolution IPA

Happy. And hoppy too. Great to go into a bar and see a little line of local craft beers beckon. Last week, I spotted Eight Degrees, Blacks of Kinsale and Original 7 taps. Happy, hoppy. Hippy too. If hippy retains its original meaning of tolerance, community and unconventional, well, you’ll find that here too.  

Last Thursday, the diners included singles, couples, strapping young men (no less than six together) and a family (nine in all), and an old lad (not me!) sitting at the bar and enjoying his drink and the banter. Quite a mix of generations that, along with the place itself, reminds me of one of my favourite books of recent years, Still Life by Sarah Winman.

I did enjoy my drink, a cool pint of Original 7’s Revolution IPA. No shortage of hops but well controlled and this flavoursome, well-balanced ale goes straight into our expanding list of top Irish beers. See the top ten here. 

Ragu. Another gem from Chef Mark Ahern.

The lunch menu features a list of small plates, positioned somewhere in between the usual lunch plate and a full dinner, though you can of course “reinforce” it with one of their sides or perhaps by starting with a helping of Rossmore Oysters from East Cork. And the support of local producers is another element, a very attractive one, in O’Mahony’s superb menu. 

You’ll see many of them listed on the menu, a menu that beautifully, in relatively simple strokes, evokes the countryside around us, its freshness and its seasons. Perhaps it also evokes the flavours and goodness of the past, before the race to mass produce began and before we damaged the land and the sea, not to mention ourselves and our children, with all those double-edged 'cides (insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides...).

One featured producer is local pig farmer Peter Twomey, from Upper Glanmire, whose name caught my eye as I was tempted by Glenbrook Farm pork ragout, pappardelle, rocket, pangrattato, smoked Gubbeen. Peter’s free-range meat is outstanding and enhanced further with its accompaniments here, and it gets a mighty thumbs up. 

Bacon & Cabbage

Just in case you’re wondering - I was - ragout is French, while the Italians spell it ragu. Bella Napoli in French Church Street serves a couple of excellent dishes (each featuring slow-cooked beef), including a favourite of mine, Ragu Alla Genovese, but Ragu Alla Glanmire is up there with the best! As I write this, I'm looking forward to a 12-hour Lamb and Tomato Ragu in the Harbour Hotel (Schull) tomorrow night.  (Watch this space!)

CL chose the Bacon & Cabbage Croquettes, Tomato & Raisin Chutney, and Cais na Tire, another well-sourced, well-cooked, and well-presented dish that charms for all the right reasons (a bit like O'Mahony's itself). We “supplemented” our dishes with a shared bowl of their Home Cut Fries and a delicious caramelised onion aioli. Other sides here include Kilbrack mixed leaves, citrus and herb dressing, and Cumin roasted carrots with sour cream.

A recent dish. Torched mackerel, yoghurt, stewed rhubarb, broadbean and green peppercorn dressing, lovage oil. O'Mahony's pic.

And there would be a sweet ending. The dessert list is short but definitely worth a look. We agreed on the Rhubarb & Custard, with a delicious almond crumble. Other choices included a Double chocolate brownie with Freezin' Friesan vanilla ice cream and, an Irish cheese plate, accompanied by crackers and Watergrasshill Apiary Honey.

Time then for more smiles (we hadn’t stopped) as we made our way out of the lively and more or less full room, saying goodbye to our hosts Máire O’Mahony and Victor Murphy. A bientot!

Castlebar’s House of Plates - The Corncrake - National Museum & Cafe - Ellison Hotel. Three Days in Mayo #3

Castlebar’s House of Plates - The Corncrake -  National Museum & Cafe - Ellison Hotel

Mayo's west coast is corncrake country.
The secretive bird who visits every year from Africa
is making something of a comeback here.
This eye-catching mural may be seen in Blacksod.

Three Days in Mayo #3
Eat. See. Stay.

House of Plates looks a bit different. The exterior is one of just a few commercial premises on a mainly residential street. Inside, they describe it fairly accurately as 'rustic industrial’. The well-used seats come, secondhand, from Knock Basilica, but it is Chef Barry Ralph’s creations on those plates that earn the place its halo.

Barry Ralph's Halibut

Sure, there’s plenty to look at here when you come in from the street, especially the work of local artist Sarah O’Neill, a local artist from Castlebar, Co.Mayo. House of Plates is a contemporary restaurant in Castlebar that Sarah has expressed this on her mural.  The work on the walls combines local historical imagery with bold, street-style art. Photos of locals (and staff) mixed in with bold geometric forms, plus an exposed-stone archway between the front and back sections of the restaurant, along with clusters of exposed filament lights, catch the eye.

Goats Cheese starter

But back to the table where the light is in a jam jar, and overhead, another light is half hidden in a rustic timber box. Plenty of light to read the menu, though, and in the two snacks (complimentary), you’ll see immediately that the kitchen practices what it preaches about seasonality, provenance and local.

Start your evening with a little snack of byproduct espuma. They make this by aerating roasted potato skins and other kitchen waste and serve it with a little cloud of seaweed smoke. The breads come with Cuinneog Butter, Achill Sea Salt, roast garlic and rosemary oil, along with an elderflower and blackberry balsamic.

The Raleigh bike features prominently at the National Museum.
No sign of the Honda 50 though!

After that, from starter to the Rum Baba dessert, the sky’s the limit. Aided by Albarino and Gruner Veltliner, we enjoyed a Goats’ Cheese dish and a Ham Hock Tartlet for starters, before a magnificent Halibut dish (with smoked haddock arancini, warm tartare sauce, and crispy leek) and a splendid Marinated Chicken Supreme with new-season asparagus.

The day had started with an average breakfast in the Ellison. Glad to say, though, that everything else here was top-notch, including a lovely bar, great staff in every section, a superb car park (with direct access to the hotel’s lift), and a very convenient location for us.

Long before air fryers, you had the kitchen crane, bellows, and bastible.

For quite a few years now, we have held back from visiting the National Museum of Ireland at nearby Turlough Park, keeping it for a rainy day. This was the day! The Museum is home to Ireland’s Folklife Collection, which covers subjects such as Hearth and Home, Cycling, Straw, Hay, and Rushes, Clothing and Textiles, and the Natural Environment. It is spread over four floors. You enter - there is no charge on floor A, and then go down (yes) to the others. On the bottom floor, there is currently a special feature on bees.

There is, of course, a shop here and a café. Here we enjoyed a midday snack. The café is Synge & Byrne, and they offer breakfast and lunch (soups, sandwiches, wraps) in a bright and airy space and serve outdoors on fine days. They also do bakes, lots of drinks (hot and cold, and iced) and cater for kids (who’ll also be on the lookout for their pink ice cream cart).

The Ellison, very comfortable base in Castlebar.

After our outstanding meal at House of Plates, it was back to the hotel bar, Siar, and our friendly server (from the night before) who had my Dingle Single Malt ready before I ordered it! Surprised him then, though, by making my final nightcap a smooth and mellow Green Spot.

The impressive Mayo Peace Park -
just across the road from the Ellison

Tory Island is often called Ireland’s “corncrake capital” but the shy, secretive bird also enjoys visiting the west coast of Mayo. It makes its way here, annually, from Africa. Conservation measures are in force to protect this endangered species. You’ll see quite a bit about the bird in the areas’ visiting centres such as the one at Ballycroy.

Three Days in Mayo #1

Three Days in Mayo #2 

Three Days in Mayo #3

Kelly’s Butchers Make Gold Impression in Frankfurt. Eight Medal Total

Kelly’s Make a Gold Impression in Frankfurt. 

Eight Medal Total! 

Pictured outside the Kelly’s of Newport production area with Kelly’s Butchers huge haul of gold medals, trophy and certificates were (l-r):

Ethan Kelly, Paul Long, Virginijus Palacionis, Claire Smith, Joanne Mc Hugh, Darren Moran, Terri Clarke, Sean Kelly, Kevin McGreevy, Sean Kelly, Shauna Kelly, Seamus Kelly, Cormac Kelly, Aaron Chambers, Gerald Chambers, Donatas Urbutis, Ciara Coyne, Luke Long, Phil Smith, John Carney, Neil Kirby, Patrick Cannon,

Photographer: Ed Reid

 

Kelly’s Butchers, the Newport, Co. Mayo based family business, have carried away top international honours from the giant IFFA trade fair in Frankfurt winning five gold medals, two silver and one bronze. This was the highest number achieved by any Irish butcher.

 

The Gold medals were awarded for Kelly’s Black Pudding, Kelly’s Smoked White Pudding, Kelly’s White Pudding with Cranberry, Kelly’s White Pudding with Seaweed and Kelly’s Smoked Dry Cured Rashers. The two Silver medals were for Kelly’s Hazlett and Kelly’s White Pudding. Kelly’s High Protein Vegetarian Pudding completed the honours list with a bronze medal. The high total of gold medals (five) earned Kelly’s Butchers a special trophy from the German Butchers’ Association in honour of their achievement.

 

IFFA Frankfurt (International Trade Fair for the Meat and Protein Industry) is a huge event, it is the leading international trade fair for the meat industry and only takes place every three years. It showcases meat-related products, machinery and ingredients as well as the includes the German Master Butcher Federation's World Craft Butcher competitions. Nearly 65,000 visitors for 144 countries attended.

 

“We are honestly thrilled at winning the five gold medals”, said Seán Kelly of Kelly’s Butchers, “We have an incredible team here in Newport and it’s thanks to them that we can compete at the highest international level, judged by an international expert jury and come out on top. I’m proud of everyone in the business and what we have achieved.”

 

This proves beyond doubt that Irish food is in the very top tier internationally – and that secret family recipes going back generations can bring home the bacon!

 

Castlebar's Bar One Gastropub - Belmullet - Blacksod Lighthouse - Ballycroy (National Park). Three Days in Mayo #2.

Castlebar's Bar One - Belmullet - Blacksod Lighthouse - Ballycroy (National Park). 

Three Days in Mayo #2

 Eat. See. Stay.

Marvellous Bacon Chop at Bar One, Castlebar.

The friendly guide at Blacksod Lighthouse, with a twinkle in his eye, recounted a tale from his days as a fresh-faced naval recruit. The then-rookie Mayoman, eager for duty, found himself on the dock in Cobh bound for the naval base. He innocently asked which ferry he should take, only to be met with a stern command: ‘Sit down in the shed and behave yourself!’ The men in charge, you see, had mistaken him for a prisoner on temporary release from the Spike Island jail (served from the same dock). It wasn’t long before the navy came looking for their missing man, leading to a wonderfully red-faced apology for our much relieved Mayoman.

Blacksod Lighthouse

We had arrived at Blacksod, on our second day in Mayo, having driven west from Ballina in the direction of Belmullet, opting to bypass the usual Achill Island drive and instead take the peninsula route to Blacksod.

On the way to Belmullet, the windfarm at Oweninny, close to Bellacorick, caught our eye. And no wonder. Some sixty giant pylons march across the skyline, producing clean electricity—quite a sight. Stopped to take a few pics and, less than an hour after leaving Ballina, we arrived in Belmullet, a busy and impressive town, the gateway to some lovely scenery.

Oweninny windfarm

Our next halt was at the Blue Flag beach of Trá Oilí (right), a waypoint on the Wild Atlantic Way. A bit too windy for a swim, for sure! However, we did manage to get out and stretch our legs and clear our heads on a sunny day. We worked our way south to our destination, the Blacksod lighthouse. Here, you can visit the working lighthouse and hear the fascinating stories of maritime history, Irish culture, and local folklore. And here is where we met the guide.

Stories galore from this lighthouse on the edge of Europe, including how it came to be that a weather forecast from here was a significant factor in General Eisenhower deciding to head to the Normandy beaches on June 6th 1944.

There is a small looped route from Blacksod that rejoins the main road. And on a windswept hill, Fál Mór, you will see what you suspect to be an old stone circle, especially as the area has been a sacred place since the 6th century, associated with Saint Deirbhle.

 The stones are certainly old, but the structure is relatively new and was created by the artist Michael Boffin. The circle, named Deirbhle’s Twist, was made by raising the existing granite boulders on site and placing them in an ascending spiral. Boffin said the stone was already here. “I have just, in a sense, rearranged it.” It is the final part of a sculpture trail spanning North Mayo to commemorate Mayo 5000, and the site serves as another waypoint on the Wild Atlantic Way.

 Deirbhle’s Twist at Fál Mór

Back then, to the “mainland” and a short trip via Bangor Erris to the visitor centre of the National Park at Ballycroy, not so much to visit the park as we were there less than two years ago, but to have a spot of lunch at the lovely Ginger & Wild Cafe. The menu offers soups, paninis, salads, quiches, and cakes, with views out over the park. Look out for the lovely plum cake! That, plus a cup of tea, revitalised us and we were ready to do one of the walks here.

This doesn’t start at the visitor centre itself, but a few miles down the road towards Mulranny. We were to be disappointed, though, as the entrance was barricaded and the beautiful boardwalk was severely damaged, by wildfires (not storms). Nothing for it but to carry on to our new base, the Ellison Hotel in Castlebar.

Lamb starter at Bar One

Dinner that evening was in Bar One, one of the best gastropubs in the country. I started with their Carolan’s Spicy Lamb Skewers With Tzatziki Yoghurt and a side salad. Sufficiently spicy to enliven it and very tasty overall, especially with a full glass of Mescan Blonde in my hand. They also offer beer from Reel Deal, another local brewer.

We had hoped to walk the easy Claggan Mountain coastal trail as we did 2 years ago
but wildfire (not storms) has destroyed the boardwalk.

An excellent start and the high quality continued throughout the mains. CL picked one from the specials board: Pan-Fried Atlantic Cod with confit tomatoes, parsley, baby potatoes, steamed greens, lemon, and dill sauce. That was given a big thumbs up.

Visitor centre in Ballycroy

And I also hit the jackpot with my special: the honey and mustard-glazed ham sirloin chop, served with buttered green cabbage, honey-glazed carrots, champ potatoes, and MacIvor’s Cider Sauce. There was quite a lot for the chef to handle, but he did a superb job of it. I thought the bacon may have come from the local Andarl, but was told that it was from a small producer in County Cavan.

Dessert didn’t get a look-in on the night, and we walked back to Ellison and its welcoming and comfortable Siar Bar. No craft beer, but a drop of Dingle Whiskey served as an admirable and above-average nightcap. As the very helpful barman said, “Hard to go wrong with a single malt.”

Check out Mayo Day #1 and #3 

Gold for Orla McAndrew as Ireland’s catering industry awards announced!

2025 Gold Medal Catering Awards Winners Announced!!

Gold medal for Orla McAndrew

Gold Medal Catering Awards Crowns Ireland’s Finest Caterers at Inaugural Awards Gala!

Ireland’s catering industry reached a new milestone last night as the Gold Medal Catering Awards celebrated its inaugural winners at a glittering black-tie gala. Hosted in front of a full house of Ireland’s most respected chefs, catering managers, contract caterers, and foodservice professionals, the evening marked a defining moment for a sector that continues to evolve, innovate, and lead. 

The Gold Medal Catering Awards was created to shine a spotlight on the exceptional standards being set across the Irish catering landscape, from large-scale contract providers and healthcare caterers to niche event specialists and rising individual stars. The awards programme received over 150 entries in its first year, a testament to the vibrant and competitive spirit within the industry.

Spanning 20 award categories, the competition reflected the full spectrum of Irish catering: contract, healthcare, education, public sector, events, sustainability, customer service, and individual achievement. Entrants underwent a rigorous multi-stage judging process, including in-depth site assessments, mystery dining, and interviews, conducted by an independent panel of experts drawn from across the foodservice and hospitality world.

The calibre of entries in this first year was nothing short of incredible. We launched this programme with the intention of recognising true excellence in Irish catering, and I think we’ve already exceeded expectations. These winners haven’t just met the standard, they’ve set it.”

Trish Murphy, Head of Sales and Sponsorships at Ashville Media

The night itself was a celebration of professionalism and pride. Attendees enjoyed a sparkling prosecco reception, a gourmet three-course dinner, and an atmosphere filled with excitement, camaraderie, and well-deserved recognition. From established companies to passionate individuals, the winners represented the very best of what Irish catering has to offer.

"We’ve seen creative, sustainable, and customer-focused work happening in kitchens, canteens, hospitals, and event venues across the country. It’s clear that Irish caterers are not only responding to the evolving needs of clients, they’re anticipating them.”---Member of the judging panel

As the newest addition to the long-standing Gold Medal Awards family, the Gold Medal Catering Awards is poised to become the leading annual celebration for Ireland’s catering sector. With growing demand for foodservice excellence, nutrition-forward thinking, and innovation in sustainability and sourcing, the Gold Medal Catering Awards will continue to raise the profile of those delivering world-class catering in every corner of the country.

Our Categories:

Barista Of The Year Sodexo Ireland - Gabor Master

Business & Industry Contract Caterer Of The Year - 1- 250 Employees On Site Gold: Compass Group Ireland at AerCap, Dublin Silver: Sodexo Ireland at AerCap, Shannon

Business & Industry Contract Caterer Of The Year - Over 250 Employees On Site Sponsored by Excel Recruitment Compass Group Ireland at Google

Catering Company Of The Year Sponsored by Hotel & Catering Review The Q Café Company Ltd.

Catering Manager Of The Year Gold:  Johnnie Finn - IMI - CCSL  Silver: Pat Long - Pat Long Catering

Chef Manager of The Year Gold: Craig Thunder - Dublin Bus - CCSL   Silver: Maciej Hildebrand - Compass Group Ireland

Club Or Society Franchised Catering Of The Year Sponsored by BaxterStorey Truffle Honey

Club Or Society In-House Catering Of The Year Sponsored by BaxterStorey Malahide Golf Club

Education Contract Caterer Of The Year Gold: The Lunch Bag Silver: Pat Long Catering Bronze: Martina's Homemade Foods

Foodservice Chef Of The Year Sponsored by BWG Gold: Lee Boatman - BaxterStorey Ireland Silver: Shane Heffernan - Compass Group Ireland Bronze: Rory Nolan - FoodSpace – Abbott Kilkenny

Health & Nutrition Menu Of The Year Gold: The Lunch Bag Silver: Sodexo Ireland at ESB Bronze: Aramark - Peamount Healthcare

Healthcare Caterer Of The Year Gold: National Maternity Hospital Silver: Bon Secours Galway Catering Team

Ireland's Event Caterer - 100 Guests Or More Sponsored by Hotel & Catering Review Gold: Orla McAndrew Food Silver: Berman & Wallace

Ireland's Event Caterer - 100 Guests Or Less Gold: 3Cooks  Silver: Fresh & Yummy Gourmet Catering Ltd.

Menu Provenance Of The Year Gold: Críoch Catering Silver: Muskerry Golf club

Outstanding Customer Service Of The Year Gold: The Q Cafe Company at Blackrock and Wicklow Hospice Silver: Muskerry Golf Club Bronze: Haynes and Colhoun

Public Sector Food Of The Year The Q Cafe Company at Teagasc

Rising Star Sponsored by Excel Recruitment Gold: Amy Fuller - BaxterStorey Ireland Silver:  Carolina Moraes - Sodexo Ireland- Bord Bia

Sustainability Site Of The Year Gold: KC Peaches Silver: FoodSpace - Abbott Clonmel Bronze: ISS Catering X HPE Galway

Special Recognition Anita Oman Wrynn - The Q Cafe Company