A Taste of West Cork Food Festival - 2011 Festival Programme

Here you will find details of the Festival Programme. Please bookmark our web site and keep coming back to us for all the latest news and developments.
 

We have our full Festival Programme available for you as an online brochure.

This is interactive, and you can search the programme, zoom in, share, print or download it as a pdf file.

To see the Online Festival Programme, simply click here

Below you will find a listing of the events for each day of the Festival. Keep checking back, though, for new information as it becomes available:

Festival Programme Day by Day

Every Day:  
 

•    Yin Yang promotion tasting

•    Drinagh Spar Co-op in-store tastings and demonstrations

•    Field’s Supervalu tastings of local produce in store and in the restaurant

Friday 9 September

Buffet Supper at Lissard with photographic exhibition
Hot and Cold Grazing Buffet at Liss Ard Country House featuring wonderful West Cork foods.
‘Ark of Taste’ - a tasting of food at ‘risk of extinction’ from all over Ireland inspired by Slow Food International.

Includes Music and Photographic Exhibition.

Venue:        Liss Ard Estate, Castletownshend road,
Time:          7:30pm
Booking:     028 40000
Price:          €30

Saturday 10 September

Farmers' Market
West Cork is home to a unique collection of weekly Farmers’ Markets - held in towns and villages from Schull in the far South-West to Bandon in the East.

Every week, come rain or shine, the local artisan food producers, crafts people, artists, and stallholders bring their wares and set up their stalls to provide a great social and shopping experience for locals and tourists alike.

Over the past few years, Skibbereen’s own Farmers’ Market (www.skibbereenmarket.com) has grown from its roots in the Slow Food movement, so that it now boasts probably the widest selection of any local market - with more than 100 stalls trading each Saturday. The market is run by a committee of local volunteers drawn from the stallholders, and is a non-profit-making organisation, supporting traders of all sizes, from the home-baker with a few scones right up to internationally-recognised local producers.

Because you are dealing directly with the producers, you can avail of their unrivalled depth of knowledge about their products, and, of course, food tastings are always available before you buy.

Why not call to us and see for yourself - we’re in the Fairfield in the centre of Skibbereen from 9:30 to 2pm every Saturday - or, if you’re from elsewhere in West Cork - check out your local Markets at www.westcorkmarkets.com

Venue: Fairfield Car Park

Annie May’s
In association with ‘A Taste of West Cork Food Festival’
Presents: Local Produce Irish Breakfast
On Saturday 10 September from 10 AM – 12 noon for €10

Producers include:
Caherbeg Pork: Rashers and Puddings
Walsh’s Butchers: Sausages
Buckley’s: Eggs
Field's Bakery: Toasting bread
Eithne McCarthy’s: Soda Bread
Glenilen: Yoghurts and Butter
Clona: Milk and Orange Juice and
Angela’s: Homemade Scones and Homemade Jam

Also great music at Annie May’s with Three for the Road on Saturday 10 September and Traditional Irish Music every Wednesday Night - open session for all.

Visit the Islands and Explore the Food
The festival is delighted to be hosting an unusual event this year. The MV Mystic Water captained by Vincent O’Driscoll, will take a group to Heir Island to taste a mixtures of starters on the first leg of your journey. From here Vincent will take the boat to Sherkin Island, where the main course of the evening will be served by Islanders' Rest. Then journey back to Baltimore, where a bus will take you to Casey’s Restaurant for your dessert, tea/coffee and music. All inclusive of travel to and from Skibbereen.

Venue:       Leaving Hegarty’s service station and return to town

Time:         4:30 PM
Booking:    086 3639856
Price:         €50

Thai Food
Bringing an international flavour to our Festival this year, we start with a 2 course Thai special, including house wine.

Venue:      Elephant Island, Bridge St.
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    028 23876
Price:        €50 per couple

A Taste of The Riverside Café
This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to savour an incomparable Fine-dining experience.
 
Our chefs will showcase their excellent culinary & creative skills by preparing a sumptuous 8 course Dègustation menu (French for Tasting Menu) receiving its inspiration from wonderful local West Cork ingredients.

Dinner will be accompanied by live classical/Latino Guitar by Simon Crockett.

Venue:    The Riverside North Street
Booking:  028 40090
Price:       €45/person or €65/person including matching wines.

1st sitting @ 6:30 PM
2nd sitting @ 8:30 PM

Sunday 11 September

Getting to Know Your Town
Tim Whooley in partnership with Cork Partnership Council will take walkers on a lively tour of the Skibbereen area. All welcome - bring walking boots, wet gear and drinks. Sorry, no dogs.

Venue:      West Cork Hotel
Time:        1 PM
Booking:    087-9079076

Fairtrade Family Fun Day
Bring all the family, with your picnic, to the O’Donovan Rossa Town Park. There will be music provided by Declan Groarke and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.  Also children’s entertainment including a Teddy Bears’ Picnic (prize for best dressed teddy), a Fairtrade football shoot out and a taste of Fairtrade samples. Look out for Fairtrade tea/coffee in Skibbereen town.

Venue:      O’Donovan Rossa Park (adjacent to the GAA Park)
Time:        3 PM – 6 PM
Booking:    No need
Price:         No charge

Monday 12 September

Apples and Music
The Community Orchard Committee invite you to taste, tend and learn about apples, while enjoying music from local musicians, and the children can join in the treasure hunt.

Venue:      Gortnacloghy, near Hegarty’s service station
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    Marian - 087 9972899
Price:        No charge

Tuesday 13 September

Old Style Afternoon Tea

Ladies and Gentlemen, join us for an……..old style afternoon tea accompanied by music

Venue:       Apple Betty’s, The Square
Time:         3 PM
Booking:    028 51833

Mamiko Cooks Sushi
This event was very popular last year, and Mamiko has offered to show you how sushi is prepared and served. Sushi can also be bought at this event.

Venue:      Annie May’s restaurant, Bridge Street
Time:        6 PM
Booking:   028 22930
Price:        No charge

European Wine Tasting Night
4 course menu with a dish from each country to match the wine

Venue:      Le Voyage, 73 Bridge Street
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    028 23112
Price:        €40 per person - booking essential
    

Seaweed Tasting
The seaweed that grows throughout the marine environment of West Cork is both delicious and extremely good for you. In this cookery and tasting session, Sally McKenna of the Bridgestone Guide and Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking present a free, special seaweed event in the Eldon Bar.
 
There will be a tasting of seaweed, a talk on how to forage for it, and Jim and Sally will show all the different types that are available for picking on our shoreline. A cookery demo on the evening will show a number of sublime seaweed recipes, learning from Japanese techniques as well as adapting Irish recipes and looking at ways in which seaweed was always used in cooking.

There will also be a chance to find out a simple and easy way to extract seaweed oil to make a lovely bath oil or hand salve.

On arrival there will be a complimentary glass of wine from The Eldon Bar for each guest.

Venue:       Eldon Bar
Time:         7 PM
Price:         Free Admission

Wednesday 14 September

Final of Schools Cookery Competition
The aim of the competition is to give students at secondary level, the opportunity to showcase their culinary skills. TV3 Head Chef Winner Harry Marquart is a Durrus man, who qualified in Culinary Studies at Cork IT. He is going to judge the students’ menus with the assistance of Siobhan O’Callaghan and Eithne McCarthy.

Venue:       Mercy Heights Secondary School
Time:         11 AM - 1 PM
Booking:     Clare Gallagher 085 8885293

Pizza and Wine Sampling
Take time out to visit the Oak Fire Pizzeria, where they are holding a sampling night for all.

Venue:      The Oak Fire Pizzeria
Time:        6 PM
Booking:    028 51782
Price:         €10

From Plot to Plate
This is an opportunity to walk around Glebe Gardens Baltimore, with Jean Perry, who will talk on growing vegetables and herbs. These will then be cooked in your three course meal.

Venue:      Glebe Gardens, Baltimore
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    028 20232
Price:         €30

Sri Lankan Night
Celebrate the tastes of Sri Lanka, with the chefs of Mary Ann’s Restaurant.

Venue:      Mary Ann’s Restaurant, Castletownshend.
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    028 36146
Price:        €25

Celtic Cook Off  
As new event in the A Taste of West Cork Festival, the West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen will be organising and hosting the inaugural Celtic Cook Off.

The Cook Off will involve having a Chef Entry from each of the Celtic Territories - Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Isle of Man, Cornwall and Brittany.  These Chefs will come together and “Cook Off,” Ready Steady Cook style, with a bag of West Cork Produce that they will choose from a list of approved West Cork Producers, within an agreed Budget.  They may also choose a “Wild Card” ingredient (not included in the Budget) from their own territory.

The Event will be compeered by John McKenna. John will conduct the event and talk to the Chefs regarding cooking methods etc and will keep it light-hearted and interact with Chefs and audience.

The Celtic Chefs will have Commis Chefs available who will be passionate young aspiring Chefs (Who have experience!) from the West Cork Region.  There will be 3 Tables of 2 people who will be set-up in front of 3 Cooking Stations. (6 People total, tasting from 2 Chefs Each)

The 6 Chefs will be split to cook 3 at a time (30 minutes maximum) with a break in-between.  The competition will be decided by a combination of Audience Participation (Based on Visual and Descriptive by Chefs) and the guests on the tables tasting the food – all coordinated by John McKenna.

These dining tables will be made up of some local competition winners and maybe some well known faces from the locality and some further afield. There will be 6 waiters (One Waiter per Chef) who will serve the tables and a Wine Sponsor will suggest a wine with each Cook Off dish. 

Venue:      West Cork Hotel
Time:        6:30 PM
Booking:    Neil Grant, General Manager, 028 21277 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Price:         €10

Also - this night will see the Inaugural A Taste Of West Cork Food Awards, sponsored by Glen Dimplex.

Thursday 15 September

Japanese Café Style Lunch
Enjoy a taste of Japan prepared and cooked by Mamiko. Three courses of Japanese food.

Venue:      Apple Betty’s, The Square
Time:        1 PM
Booking:    028 51833
Price:         €16

After Work Barbecue at the Station Fish Shop
Due to the huge increase in demand for fish in the area, Padraig O’Donovan will launch a boat to collect his fish from Baltimore pier. The journey begins from there up the Ilen River, to be collected on the Kennedy Bridge and brought for cooking at the Station Fish shop, on the Marsh Road. There will be music and a barbecue of all types of food available. This event is weather dependent.

Venue:      The Fish Shop, Station house, Marsh road.
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    086 2446593
Price:         €15

Down Under Night
Down Under Night at the Síbín, where chefs Max and Matt will be cooking 10 sample plates of New Zealand & Australian food. You will explore the taste of the Southern Hemisphere cuisine, including a complimentary glass of wine.

Samples include: Kumara soup with chorizo, NZ green lipped mussels, Kangaroo and a few surprises!

Venue:      The Síbín
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    028 20383
Price:         €22.50 pp

Friday 16 September

Country Market
The weekly country market held in Abbeystrewry Hall, next to the Fairfield car park and Abbeystrewry Church, Skibbereen.

Guest Chef Chris Hedges in Fields, Supervalu

Fields invite you to partake in food tastings of local artisan produce all day. Come in and enjoy!

Venue:      Fields Supervalu
Time:        All day
Bookings:  Not essential
Price:        Free

Italian Night
The Paragon welcomes you to share in the atmosphere of Italy, with foods, wine and music to experience.

Venue:      The Paragon Bar, Main St.
Time:        6:30 PM
Booking:    028 21772
Price:        €10
       

Asian Night
A night of specialised tastings of Asian food in the surroundings of Mary Ann’s restaurant. Let your taste buds try new flavours!

Venue:        Mary Ann’s Restaurant, Castletownshend
Time:         7 PM
Booking:     028 36146
Price:         A la Carte

Fire and Ice

Le Voyage chefs want to amaze you with their surprise night. All details will be explained when you get there!

Venue:       Le Voyage, 73 Bridge Street
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    028 23112
Price:         5 course menu €50 per person - booking essential

Pre Concert Supper
The Restaurants in the town are offering you a fantastic pre concert supper for just €10!

Venues: Kalbos, The Church, Annie May’s, West Cork Hotel and The Riverside
Time:    6:30 PM onwards

Music in Abbeystrewry Church

Evening concert with The Three Tenors Ireland

Skibbereen is delighted to welcome, for the first time, the Three Tenors Ireland. The concert will be an intimate journey of music with the tenors, Declan Kelly, David Martin and John Scott, in the surroundings of Abbeystrewry Church of Ireland. They hardly need an introduction. Ireland’s very own and hugely successful Three Tenors continue to be a major attraction.

The trio has a unique rapport with their audience and the show consistently achieves full houses in all leading venues including an annual concert at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, Ireland’s largest auditorium. They will be singing Sinatra, Pavarotti, Lloyd Webber and their famous Elvis Medley; there will also be a collection of Irish and international classics.  Early booking is advised

Venue:       Abbeystrewry Church
Time:         7 PM
Booking:    Tickets from Thornhills Electrical 028 22557
                 - West Cork Hotel 028 21277
                 - and Clare on 085 8885293    
Price:         €25

Saturday 17 September

Farmers’ Market
Probably the widest selection of any local market - with more than 100 stalls trading each Saturday.

Make Your Own Pizza
Children can enjoy making their own food and eating it on site.

Venue:      The Oak Fire Pizzeria
Time:        3 PM
Booking:    028 51782
Price:

Ten Island Tour of Carbery’s 100 Isles Including a Stop at Cape Clear
Guests are taken on a tour of Roaring Water Bay and Carbery’s 100 Isles on board MV Mystic Water.

Venue:      Departs Baltimore pier
Time:        2 PM
Booking:   028 20218 or 087 2638470

Wild and Organic
Spend the evening in Kalbos, experiencing the wild foods that can be found in our local area, cooked in intimate surroundings. 3 Courses including a glass of wine.

Venue:       Kalbos restaurant
Time:         7 PM
Booking:    028 21515
Price:         €35

The Church Banquet
You are cordially invited to our banquet. A Red Carpet wine reception followed by a delicious evening meal and live music by “Manu and the Rumba Casino,” a great Latino act. Let your hair down to the culinary delights and sounds of A Taste of West Cork.

Venue:      The Church Restaurant
Time:        7 PM
Booking:    028 23625
Price:         €30

Unveiling Baltimore Bay Seafood Chowder

Come down to Baltimore Square and enjoy Baltimore Bay Seafood Chowder, with local mussels and oyster tasting. Sponsored by Fields Supervalu Skibbereen.

Venue:      The Square Baltimore
Time:        4-7 PM
Contact:    Fields 028 21400

Sunday 18 September

Explore Our Town
Walk with Tim Whooley for the second week. Meet at the West Cork Hotel and travel to Lisselan.

Family Funday
For this day, the Fairfield is taken over by stalls of local producers with food sampling and sales. Music to be provided by The Calvinists, St Fachtna’s Silver Swing Band, and Ceomhaltas Ceolteoiri Eireann. There is a children’s area, with bouncy castles, dance coaching and make and do, Science Workshops, baking displays, face painting, wonky vegetable competition and much more.

All musicians are invited to bring their instruments for a major traditional Irish music session at 4 PM

Venue:      Fairfield
Time:        12 noon
Price:        €5 per adult, children free.