Meeting of minds to ‘Keep Cork Meeting’

Meeting of minds to ‘Keep Cork Meeting’

Cork Convention Bureau invites event organisers and businesses to meet with Cork’s tourism, hospitality and events sector to facilitate more conferences, meetings and events in Cork.

“We’re encouraging businesses to think of Cork first for their next corporate event, an industry worth an estimated €14.4 million to the local economy last year,” Evelyn O’Sullivan

Cork Convention Bureau will host its 8th annual business tourism showcase, Keep Cork Meeting, at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Thursday March 30 from 7.30-11.30am. .  The event is ideal for anyone involved in organising events and meetings in Cork.

With over 30 venues, conference, meeting and event companies exhibiting, companies, groups and individuals interested in organising meetings, incentives, conferences and events will be able to see first-hand all the support that is available to them in bringing their event to Cork. 

The event is open to anyone to attend and registration is free. A buffet breakfast will be served and lots of prizes and goodies will be on offer for everyone in attendance. 

Keep Cork Meeting, which is Ireland’s longest running meetings and events expo, will bring together a range of tourism service providers and event management experts to offer practical support and advice to those interested in bringing business tourism to the county. From accommodation to dining options, sight-seeing and venue hire, those attending will have the opportunity to speak with each of the providers about their ideas and requirements. Cork Convention Bureau and Failte Ireland will also be on hand to talk through the supports available to organisers in an effort to improve businesses levels post covid as well as the increased financial supports available for international delegates. .

In 2022, over 40 business events, from symposiums to large international conferences and global summits, brought an estimated 9,000 delegates to Cork, 80% of whom were international visitors. The value was estimated to be worth €14.4 million to the local economy.

Visit Cork, the official tourism body for the Cork region with responsibility for attracting leisure (Pure Cork) and business tourists (Cork Convention Bureau), has a key focus on showcasing the region as a sustainable tourism destination. Cork continues to climb the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDSI), where it is currently ranked 22nd in the world, thanks in part to the county’s Green for Micro programme which includes strict criteria on how Visit Cork operates all of its events sustainably. This key future tourism trend is one that will appeal to organisers of future events. In addition, all business tourism clients who are hosting a conference or event in Cork, will be presented with CSR (corporate social responsibility) options to support Cork social, environmental and economic causes, and a legacy and social impact programme will be put in place for all future events.  

Evelyn O’Sullivan, Manager, Cork Convention Bureau says, “Cork excels at international conferences, in sectors such as Agriculture, STEM, Space and Maritime. We want to grow that further and also expand into other sectors. We would encourage people of all areas and disciplines to come along to talk about their idea to bring an event to Cork. Whether it’s for 30 people or 3000, a range of supports are on offer. Event wise, we cater for all interests, be it an international meeting of a volunteer organisation or special interest group, a sporting event, a business or educational  conference. Over the years we’ve had some fascinating events.”

 

She added, “The business tourist contributes three times more to the local economy than the leisure tourist and many business tourists are now beginning to extend their stay by 2-4 days, giving local tourism around the county a welcome added boost.”

Cork Convention Bureau has brought over 70,000 international delegates to the region, generating over €100m in revenues since 2010. For more information see www.corkconventionbureau.com

 If you wish to know more about organising an event or conference in Cork, then register your place free of charge on clr.ie/133707.

2023 IRISH BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS - ENTRIES NOW OPEN

 press release

2023 IRISH BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS - ENTRIES NOW OPEN

Applications Now Open for This Years Irish Bar of Year Awards

We are thrilled to announce that the 2023 Bar of the Year Awards is now open for entries. With over 25 categories to choose from, give your bar the chance to gain the recognition that it deserves! The deadline date for entries is the 5th of May.

To enter the Irish Bar of the Year Awards, bars must complete an online entry form, and a panel of industry experts will then review and judge the entries. The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony, which will take place in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, on Monday, the 21st of August 2023.

The Irish Bar of the Year Awards is open to all bars in Ireland, whether they are a traditional pub, a modern bar, or a trendy cocktail lounge. The judges will be looking for bars that have a unique personality, offer excellent service, and provide an outstanding customer experience.

For more information on the Irish Bar of The Year Awards please visit https://baroftheyear.ie/ or contact the Events Team on (01) 640-1777 or email events@ashvillemediagroup.com.

Facebook: @BarOfTheYearAwards

Twitter: @BarOfTheYear

Linkedin: @BarOfTheYear

Instagram: @baroftheyear_

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina Hits All The Right Notes

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina Hits All The Right Notes

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina (DOCG) Vendemmia 2020, 13.5%ABV

RRP €25.99. Avoca. Neighbourhood Wines. Mitchell & Son. 64 Wine. Sweeney's D3. Power & Co Fine Wines. Blackrock Cellar. Wineonline.ie

You’ll notice that this wine is designated DOCG, the highest in Italy. Rufina is one of the sub zones of Chianti and got its DOC In 1967 and the DOCG followed in 1984. Today the Chianti Rufina appellation, extending over 750 hectares, is the smallest appellation of Chianti.

A small area then but with quite a wine, made from the Sangiovese grape, the key grape in Chianti and the most planted in Italy as a whole. You may well be surprised that it is planted so widely in the country but it comes under a number of aliases including Carmignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti, Torgiano Rosso, Montefalco Rosso, Rosso Di Montalcino, Morellino Di Scansano and Rosso Conero! Confusing for sure.

This vibrant ruby red sees blackberry and cherry feature in the aromas, along with herbal and spicy notes. It is elegant on the palate where it is ripe and juicy (with red fruit flavours) and where its typical refreshing acidity help maintain the superb balance all the way to the charming finish with its floral notes. Elegant and precise and with good length, this Chianti Rufina is Very Highly Recommended, especially if you like the lighter styles.

Rufina may be a sub-zone in Chianti but is a highly regarded.  Its best wines are a match, some say more than a match, for those from Chianti Classico. This producer is one of the best and produces the wine from the area’s famous Sangiovese grape (with a touch of Canaiolo). It is aged for 12 months, some in steel but most in oak casks and barriques.

The usual advice is to buy your Chianti from Chianti Classico, the name given to wines from the original historic boundaries. But Wine Folly writes: Both Chianti Classico and Chianti Rufina are likely to be of higher quality, since they are made in smaller quantities from distinct historical areas. Our Rufina certainly underlines that point.

By the way, if you come across an olive oil from Tuscany with Selvapiana on the label, it is from this same producer and is superb. It is not just a sideline here as in many vineyards. The estate covers 250 hectares, 60 of which are planted under vine (95% being Sangiovese), 36 are olive groves, and the rest is covered by woods.

This Rufina is Very Highly Recommended.

Kinsale Mead Co. wins Guaranteed Irish Food Academy Supplier of the Year and represents Ireland judging the European Mead Competition

Kinsale Mead Co. wins Guaranteed Irish Food Academy Supplier of the Year and represents Ireland judging the European Mead Competition

Kate and Denis Dempsey of Kinsale Mead Co. had an extra skip in their step this St Patrick’s Weekend after winning Food Academy Supplier of the Year from the Guaranteed Irish Business Awards for their range of Irish Meads.  

Kate and Denis are grateful for the support locally and nationally, particularly their long term supporter, Supervalu, who sponsored the award and where you can find some of their award-winning meads on the shelf. They have been honing their mead making craft for 5 years now and continue to gather a loyal and vocal fan base, including some top chefs, foodies and mixologists.  

“We work hard to create the best Irish Meads in our family run meadery in Kinsale,” says Kate Dempsey, who was at the Shelbourne in Dublin to pick up the award. “We are inspired by our Celtic history as well as the amazing honeys and berries we select. And of course, we have to thank the hardworking honeybees too.” 

“This win for Kinsale Mead is a celebration of our Irish heritage and craft,” said Brid O’Connell, CEO of Guaranteed Irish. 

Kate has just returned from Warsaw, where she represented Ireland as a judge in the European Mead Competition. Kate is probably the only qualified Mead judge in Ireland! Mead is a growing drink category in many countries and the range of styles and flavours was evidenced by the 630 meads entered from 36 different countries. Kate was delighted to bring home a medal for their Hazy Summer Mead in a tough competition.  

CorkBillyBeers #16: Craft with Red Ale by Ballykilcavan, 9 White Deer, O'Hara's and Rascals

CorkBillyBeers #16

Craft with Red Ale by Ballykilcavan,  9 White Deer, O'Hara's and Rascals

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Ballykilcavan Brick Yard Red Ale, 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can, 

A fine introduction to red ales and bound to please anyone who is a fan of the style! That’s how Ballykilcavan introduce their Brick Yard Red Ale. And it is indeed a very fair representation.

Colour is an attractive mid red, bright, with a light off-white head that doesn't linger too long. Not too much in the aromas; aside from the malt influence, you may note perhaps a hint of mint and honey. The body is medium sweet, the rich malt doing the business. The hops, Fuggle and Golding, aren’t exactly there just for the ride and they, with their woody and grassy contributions, come on more towards the dry lip-licking finalé. The finish itself has a moderate bitterness (IBU number is 25)

This traditional Irish red ale is brewed by Ballykilcavan using malts and water from their own farm in County Laois.

Ballykilcavan is a 440 hectare block of beautifully landscaped farmland and forestry in the heart of Ireland. We are very fortunate that our ancestors loved the look of the farm and left in almost all the landscape features, particularly the hedgerows and trees in the fields. We also still have our original 18th century stone farmyard, 19th century stable yard, walled garden and gardener's tunnel as well as the champion black walnut tree of Ireland.

Its barley is renowned: “We have won a Boortmalt barley grower award, and won the first ever Best Barley Cup for Waterford Distillery growers. With the opening of a brewery at Ballykilcavan, we are now able to use our award-winning barley to produce our own beers.”

Highly Recommended

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9 White Deer Stag Rua 4.2% ABV, 500ml bottle

“Easy going malt focussed beer, using a mix of ale, crystal ad chocolate malts resulting in a deep ruby red colour.” 

A very deep ruby with an off white head. Indeed at first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a glass of stout was on the way to you.

Darker but with the same ABV as the Ballykilcavan. Chocolate and crystal malts have been used liberally here and there is quite a presence of chocolate, caramel and toffee on the palate (though some fruit notes reveal themselves too). But nothing drastic, nothing too extreme, the balance is good. The beer is a good one with a fine finish.

Stag Rua is a beer with big malt flavours and it’s our impression of a perfect Irish Red Ale. Can’t argue too much with that.

Very Highly Recommended.

Is Red Ale an Irish style? In the 1970s, beer writer Michael Jackson is credited with giving the tag to Smithwicks. According to World Atlas of Beer, American beer competitions started awarding prizes for the category and smaller Irish breweries started to “launch highly-hopped higher strength or even barrel aged versions”

The recent Brew Dog books mention only the American Red, in fact they barely mention the Irish scene at all. Sláinte (2014) acknowledges that there is some “dissent” about Red being an Irish style but say some local breweries have “evolved the style”.

Looks like the style is still evolving.

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O’Hara’s Nitro Irish Red 4.3% ABV, 440ml can CraftCentral

Smooth and creamy says the label and that is accurate, after a good pour by yours truly. 

Colour is one of the deepest ruby reds you are likely to see and the head is white and steady. Aromas come from the malt including a hint of biscuit. The late addition of Mt. Hood hops is credited with adding an “unmistakable fruity and almost herbal quality” to the aromas. And the flavours come mostly from the same source as the aromas, the malt bringing its sweet caramel and that biscuit again. Really smooth in the mouth on the way to a comforting finish.

Not too much experience of Nitro but I’m thinking it adds more to a red ale than to a stout. 

Highly Recommended.

The brewers note: The wonderful malty caramel notes and flavours found in our Irish Red come from a healthy addition of caramalt to the mashing process.The sweetness generated is balanced with dryness of the crystal malts. Visually the Red colour is intensified by the finest roast barley, while subtle hop additions in the kettle give just the right bitterness and aroma to craft this distinctive Irish Red Ale. The nitrogenation process subtly mellows the flavours together and compliments with a smooth creamy texture.

Pairs well with baked and roasted main courses from the oven such as beef hotpot. Also excellent with winter soups. Delicious accompaniment to mature cheddar or soft goats cheeses.

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Rascals Big Hop Red, 5% ABV, 330 ml can CraftCentral

Lively. Piney. Zesty.Malty.

That’s how Rascals introduce this big hop red, an American Amber Ale, so an outlier in this quartet.

Colour is as much amber as red and the white head is gone as I start this sentence. Big Hop Red has been dry hopped to give it an extra kick of zesty hop flavour and piney aroma. 

Aromas are indeed piney and zesty from the hops and a whiff of sweetness from the malts. So pine and resin in the aromas and they continue their engagement with the malt in the mouth. It is an lively arena with the hops also offering citrus flavours, less of the exotic than might be expected (suits me fine!), and quite a balancing act being performed by the caramel and biscuit notes from the malts.

Hoppy and malty they say. Hoppy and malty, I agree. I admit I thought this might be a lightweight bit of fun. But it is more than than, quite enjoyable and something new in the red ale style.

Highly Recommended.

GEEKS!

Style: American Amber Ale
Malts: Pale, Munich, Caramalt, Crystal
Hops: Cascade, Citra, Ekuanot, Magnum, Chinook (all USA except for the German Magnum).
Bitterness: Low – medium
ABV: 5%

Available: All Year Round

Corrin Hill Loop + Detour to Cross

Corrin Hill Loop + Detour to Cross

11.03.2023 (showery, cloudy)

Corrin Hill is between Rathcormac and Fermoy, just off the R639, to your left. Once you pass the large Cork Marts complex roundabout, watch out for signs for the golf club and Coillte. Free to enter and there is a carpark. Once you make the signed detour to the summit, you have a 360 degree view (short video at end) of the surrounding countryside, including the town of Fermoy. Allow about 80 minutes to do the loop and the detour.

Muddy way

Path to summit

Station 2

Path through furze

Fermoy, above and below

Cairn, cross at summit

Bare slope near summit

Coming Soon - Online Organic Languedoc Wine Tasting by O'Briens Wine.

Coming Soon Online - Organic Languedoc Wine Tasting by O'Briens 

Featuring the wines of Château de Caraguilhes.

I spotted this tasting a few weeks back and put in my order for the four bottle set. I'm ready now for the online tasting on Thursday March 30th. Our hosts will be Étienne Besancenot, Winemaker, Château de Caraguilhes and Lynne Coyle Master of Wine, O'Briens Wine Director.

Étienne Besancenot studied winemaking in Montpellier after which he made a documentary film called "Les Voix du Terroir" to explain the French notion of Terroir. Filming for this documentary took Étienne to wine regions in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and France. He also worked grape harvests in Alsace, Spain, and France, and in 2007 Étienne arrived in Caraguilhes with owner Pierre Gabison. Their goal was to renovate Château de Caraguilhes’ vineyards and cellar and pursue their dream of turning the property first organic and then biodynamic.

Lynne Coyle Master of Winesources and selects their wine and Champagne range. One of only 415 Masters of Wine worldwide, she has dedicated her career to the food and drinks industry. Lynne also writes, judges at international wine competitions, is a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Certified Educator and makes her own wines in Spain.

Not too sure if you can still order the wines for the tasting, check here, but they are also part of the company's ongoing French Wine Sale. Details here. I have already sampled two of the wines. The others are the Solus Corbieres Boutinac (AOP) 2020 and Prestige Corbieres (AOP) 2020.

Château de Caraguilhes La Font Blanche Corbières (AOP) 2021, 13.5% ABV.

O’Briens Wine RRP: €18.45 (reduced to 14.76, 10th Mar - 10th Apr)

A dry refreshing white, this Corbieres is a blend of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Pair with scallops and citrus, also grilled goats cheese with fennel.

This blend is a light straw colour, clean and bright. Floral notes and white fruit (peaches, apricots) and citrus plus a drift of almonds feature in the aromatics. And you meet the same crew (with citrus now prominent) on the palate, silky and rounded and subtle. Some herbal notes also, after all we are in garrigue country. Beautifully smooth though and this dry refreshing white finishes very well indeed. 

Pairings recommended are with scallops (and citrus), also grilled goats cheese with fennel.

Very Highly Recommended.

Château de Caraguilhes Les Jardins Corbières (AOP) 2021, 14% ABV.

O’Briens RRP €18.95 (reduced to €14.21, 10th Mar - 10th Apr).

Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, have been blended to make Les Jardins, a smooth supple red. Match, it is suggested, with duck breast and Comte Cheese (or why not the local Hegarty’s Templegeal), serving between 16 to 18 degrees.

Exclusive to O'Briens, Les Jardins sends out aromas of ripe blackberry and blackcurrant. The complex palate is silky and fresh with fleshy fruity notes, the smoothness is enhanced by ripe tannins. Very well balanced. Quite a dark coloured wine. Lightweight also but with a 14% ABV.

The term tannin comes from the an ancient word for tanner, and refers to the use of tree bark to tan hides. You’ll also find them in grapes (of course!), tea leaves, pomegranates, spices like Cinnamon and Clove and nuts such as Almonds and Walnuts, Barley, even Rhubarb. It is an naturally occurring polyphenol and is more likely good for you. More on tannins from the University of Kansas study here . 

Highly Recommended.