The winners of the Good Food Ireland Awards were announced on Monday at The K Club in Kildare, where two Kilkenny businesses were included on the overall list of winners – Bawnlusk Dairy Farm and O’Shea Farms.
The awards look to recognise producers for their premium produce and commitment to Irish provenance and acknowledge those with a focus on environmental sustainability, preservation and collaboration with the local community.
Cork took home the most awards of Monday’s ceremony with Ballymaloe House Hotel named Culinary Haven of the Year while also taking the Excellence in Food Tourism award for its Cookery School Organic Farm & Gardens. Five Farms Irish Cream was named Drinks Producer of the Year and The Lifeboat Inn won the public-voted Food Lovers Choice Award for the Wild Atlantic Way region.
Former chef, manager and hotel owner, Declan Ryan, who earned Ireland’s first Michelin star in 1974 alongside his wife Patsy at Arbutus Lodge, was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his lifelong achievement across both the tourism hospitality sector and the food production sector. Kerry’s Europe Hotel & Resort the received Supreme Award of The Year.
The Apple Farm in Tipperary was named the overall Producer of the Year whilst Eamon Sheehan from Bawnlusk Dairy Farm in Kilkenny was recognised for Outstanding Contribution to Food Production.
Mystery inspections
Award winners were selected through mystery inspections and assessments of those businesses approved by Good Food Ireland and shortlisted by an independent panel of Irish and international leaders including founder and managing director of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares, journalists John Wilson and Amii McKeever, IFAC consultant Stephanie Walsh and executive chairman and owner of Odyssey International, Kevin Shannon. Members of the public also cast their votes online for their favourite places across the island of Ireland in the Food Lovers Choice Awards.
This week’s event marked the return of the awards for the first time since pre-Covid, made possible with sponsorship from Kerrygold, the Irish Farmers Association, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland and National Dairy Council.
On the awarding of Outanding Contribution to Food Production award to Bawnlusk Dairy Farm’s Eamon Sheehan, it was noted that “farming is the backbone of Ireland’s Agri-food business, boosting our tourism industry and supporting the economy of our rural environments. This honorary award is in recognition and celebration of the thousands of farmers, for their steadfast contribution to food production on our island and the measures being put in place to farm more sustainably. It highlights the importance of farming not just economically, but its generational legacy and cultural contribution to Irish tourism and the wider community.”
O’Shea Farms collected the Sustainability award for food production, again the awards noting “Through the Good Food Ireland philosophy every approved business contributes to economic sustainability, benefitting local communities and safeguarding the future livelihoods of local people. This Award goes even further, recognising businesses for their environmental or social sustainability, businesses that have developed and implemented clean production initiatives and sustainable practices, demonstrating how they are helping to protect Ireland’s environment and greater wellbeing for the long-term benefit of all.”
The 2023 Good Food Ireland Awards winners list
- Hotel of the Year: The Europe Hotel & Resort, Kerry
- Culinary Haven of the Year: Ballymaloe House Hotel, Cork
- Culinary Haven of the Year Special Award: Killeavy Castle Estate, Armagh
- Restaurant of the Year: Woodroof, Dublin
- Café of the Year: Farmhouse Café & Bakery, Dublin
- Pub of the Year: Mikey Ryan’s Bar & Kitchen, Tipperary
- Shop of the Year: Firecastle, Kildare
- Food Truck of the Year: Seabiscuit at The Strand Cahore, Wexford
- Sustainability Award – Tourism Hospitality: Brooklodge & Macreddin Village, Wicklow
- Sustainability Award – Food Production: O’Shea Farms, Kilkenny
- Meat Producer of the Year: Market House Ennistymon, Clare
- Fruit & Vegetable Producer of the Year: The Apple Farm, Tipperary
- Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year: Realt na Mara Shellfish, Kerry
- Drinks Producer of the Year: Five Farms Irish Cream, Cork
- Dairy Producer of the Year: Killowen Farm, Wexford
- Jams & Savoury Producer of the Year: Wild Irish Foragers & Preservers, Offaly
- Bakery & Chocolate Producer of the Year: Jinny’s Bakery & Tea Rooms, Leitrim
- Producer of the Year: The Apple Farm, Tipperary
- Excellence in Food Tourism: Ballymaloe Cookery School Organic Farm & Gardens, Cork
- Food Lovers Choice – Wild Atlantic Way: The Lifeboat Inn, Cork
- Food Lovers Choice – Ireland’s Ancient East: Brogan’s Butchers, Meath
- Food Lovers Choice – Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands: Wilde Irish Chocolates, Clare
- Food Lovers Choice – Dublin: Keogh’s Farm Crisps, Dublin
- Food Lovers Choice – Northern Ireland: Bushmills Inn, Antrim
- Outstanding Contribution to Food Production: Eamon Sheehan, Bawnlusk Dairy Farm, Kilkenny
- Outstanding Contribution to Irish food and drink internationally: Anna Haugh, London (UK)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Declan Ryan, Cork
- Supreme Award of the Year: The Europe Hotel & Resort, Kerry
View more details and check out all the winners photos here.
