Bumper year for 12^th Annual West Waterford Festival of Food 2019 as 30,000 descend upon Dungarvan on final day

 In its 12^th year, the West Waterford Festival of Food saw over 30,000 people descend upon Dungarvan on the final day for the festival highlight, the open-air market in Grattan Square. Now one of Ireland’s most important food festivals, and with ticket sales increased by 39% on 2018, this year’s line-up tied together the best of indigenous produce from the region which was showcased through a series of historic venues, tasty trails and delicious demos.

A stellar line-up of household name chefs also helped entice food lovers from across Ireland to the scenic seaside town for the bi-lingual Gaeilge – English programme of events. In addition to the sell-out series of dining events, festival goers savoured the wide offering of food demonstrations, talks, tours, guided walks, food markets and children’s events.

The festival was kick-started in fine fashion as the historic Lismore Castle opened its doors for the first year ever to discerning diners who sought a taste of the past. Guests took a step back in time as 800 years of history were bundled into delicious delicacies under the masterful watch of Michelin-starred chefs Ross Lewis (Chapter One) and Danni Barry (Balloo House) and multi-award-winning pastry chef Paula Stakelum (Ashford Castle).

Over the course of the weekend, Ireland’s leading forager Andrew Malcolm guided visitors on a Crude Food Trail whilst the Sea Gardener Marie Power led a seaside trip and shared her knowledge of the bounty available on the coast.  Supper theatre in Dungarvan Mart returned for the second year with renowned actor Aidan Dooley who delivered a stellar performance based on the travels and tales of intrepid Antarctic Explorer Tom Crean. This was followed by a sumptuous Ship’s Supper served by Louise Clark in what was one of the festival's most unusual venues.

Interactive Theatre International’s Irish festival premiere of Only Fools and Horses the Dining Experience was a stand-out gig with a full house in An Seanachaí Pub and Kitchen. The audience became diners in the Nag’s Head and were served a three-course meal by Del Boy, Rodney and the gang – along with side helpings of laughter and mayhem. Diners became immersed in conversation with Del Boy, Rodney, Uncle Albert, Boycie, Marlene, Cassandra and Trigger as well as taking part in a table quiz.

Another festival highlight and first saw Jim and Sally Thompson of the historic Woodhouse Estate in Stradbally open their home to A Great House Dinner. Three of Ireland’s rising female chefs - Holly Dalton, head chef at Gertrude and 3fe, two-time Euro-Toques young chef of the year Maeve Walsh and Rose Green (formerly In de Wulf, Belgium) -delighted the diners.

 “This year’s festival success and bumper attendance from the public, from both local and further afield, confirms that the West Waterford Festival of Food has firmly established itself as one of the top food festivals in Ireland” says the festival's CEO, Caroline Senior.

A firm fixture on Ireland’s culinary calendar and a major attraction for visitors to the south east of Ireland, the West Waterford Festival of Food is sponsored Flahavan's, Glanbia, Dawn Meats, Garvey's SuperValu, Eurofins, FloGas, San Pellegrino, Blackwater Distillery, Coillte, FBD, LocalLink and AIB, and funded by Waterford City & County Council, Waterford Leader Partnership, Fáilte Ireland, Foras na Gaeilge, Waterford Local Enterprise Office and Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

The weekend culminated with two of Ireland’s largest festival markets on the quayside and town square where over 100 regional producers and traders showcased the very best of West Waterford and Irish food.

in its 11th year, West Waterford Festival of Food 2018 Celebrated Our Farmers, from the land and sea

Every year during the West Waterford Festival of Food the town and its hinterland come together in a true community spirit to deliver an extraordinary array of events in an interesting, event-packed schedule over a weekend of fascinating discussions and great food. This year the overarching theme was one of celebration – Celebrating Our Farmers, from the land and sea.

This year’s festival ran from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd of April, officially kicking off on Friday 20th, with the Waterford Way Tapas Trail, the ultimate movable feast, starting on Friday night. Giving participants the chance to enjoy one hero dish in a selection of different restaurants, the Waterford Way Tapas Trail was a delicious, sociable introduction to this most friendly of festivals.

Other Friday night events included the Secret Suppers, a new festival element where four chefs – Eunice Power, Shane McGrath (The Cliff House Hotel), Arun Kapil (Green Saffron), and Chris McGowan (Wine & Brine) each cook for a small group of guests in a secret location. These were four exclusive dinner parties created by four very different chefs set in four period homes in the area, with numbers of guests extremely limited and early sell outs!

Mexican chef and co-owner of Picado Mexican Pantry, Lily Ramirez-Foran will cooked up a Mexican-inspired storm with a pop-up in the unusual venue of the brewery of Dungarvan Brewing Company on Friday night also, with a tasting of a range of the brewery’s many fine beers. Living and cooking in Ireland for 15 years, Lily is the lady behind the popular food blog, A Mexican Cook, and a woman on a mission to showcase Mexican food beyond its clichés and stereotypes, so this was an opportunity to try a true taste of Mexico.

Saturday saw journalist Catherine Cleary bring back The Appetite Talks for a special one-off session at the festival. Taking place from 11am-4pm, these were talks with teeth, looking at a crossroads moment for food and farming, where experts took a long hard look at where Irish food is now and what the future holds.

For a supper with a difference, Saturday night saw a one-woman show – Charolais, written and performed by Noni Stapleton – in Dungarvan Mart. A 70-minute play which is a surreal, black comedy of love, longing and one woman’s intense rivalry with a Charolais heifer, appropriately, this was accompanied by a supper of beef stew by Eunice Power!

Every day of West Waterford Festival of Food saw a busy schedule of trails and tours, whether  seaweed or forest foraging, taking one of the interesting Bus Bia tours through the West Waterford countryside with their different itineraries full of fascinating visits to local farmers and producers, or simply dropping in to the many talks, tastings, panel discussions, films and demos running throughout the town all weekend.

Once again during this year’s West Waterford Festival of Food the Saturday focus was down by the water, with Quayside Saturday, an opportunity to enjoy fun activities like the RNLI Duck Race, gorgeous seafood whilst browsing the stalls or marvelling at the talents in the Seafood Demo Marquee, or simply the beautiful views along the water’s edge. And another key event at every West Waterford Festival of Food is the hugely popular Farmer’s Market, this year on Sunday April 22nd. One of the largest artisan food markets on the island, this year was the biggest yet with over 100 stalls showcasing the best producers and artisans of the region, along with a full schedule of live entertainment and a Meet the Makers chefs’ demo tent.

Always key to the West Waterford Festival of Food, and an integral part of this year’s programme are the little cooks. With plenty of events perfect for all from toddlers to teens, West Waterford Festival of Food 2018 saw little chefs shine with events and workshops so - plenty of options for a foodie day out for all the family.

10 years of fabulous food and famously fun times – West Waterford Festival of Food 2017 celebrated its tenth birthday in 2017.

A Michelin-starred OX popped up for lunch in The Tannery, renowned chef Stephen Harris of The Sportsman in Kent cooked dinner, there was Holy Smoke to be had and bespoke gin to create, the new Greenway was cycled and the launch of the exciting new Waterford Food Trail took place, there were superfoods and super chefs, old hands and emerging talents, tapas and trails, foraging and family fun, dramatic dinners and brilliant BBQs – in 2017 the West Waterford Festival of Food had the best birthday party ever!

The 10th annual West Waterford Festival of Food celebrations kicked off on Friday 21st, with a number of events during the day and the launch party in Dungarvan’s Grattan Square at 5 p.m. One of the perennial favourites, the Restaurant Trails, the ultimate movable feast, started on Friday night too, giving participants the chance to enjoy each course in a different restaurant. Three courses and three hundred per cent more craic, the Restaurant Trail was a delicious, sociable introduction to this most friendly of festivals.

Other Friday night events included the Showcase Waterford Dinner, which saw some of Waterford’s best chef talent joining forces to deliver a seven-course tasting menu demonstrating their skills and the bounty of exceptional ingredients available from the county. Chefs Shane McGrath (The Cliff House Hotel), Darren Collins (The Olive Tree) and Paula Hannigan (Waterford Castle) worked their magic with local produce they know and love. And Friday night was also fish night in Lawlor’s Hotel, a celebration of Dungarvan’s maritime heritage with a menu focused on the finest fresh local seafood.

On Saturday night, the Tannery continued the festival tradition of hosting an exceptional cooking talent from elsewhere – this year that role going to chef Stephen Harris of The Sportsman in Whitstable. This informal but brilliant seaside gastropub won Restaurant of the Year 2016 from Restaurant Magazine, and chef Harris’ sensational skills with local seafood were showcased to maximum effect in The Tannery on Saturday night.

There were more well-known names popping up in The Tannery the following day too, as OX came down from Belfast to cook a very special Sunday lunch. Fresh from their celebrated pop-up in partnership with the World’s Best Bar, The Dead Rabbit in New York, this was a unique opportunity for festival-goers to experience some of the finest cooking to be had anywhere on this island from the Michelin-star Belfast restaurant.

Every day of West Waterford Festival of Food saw a busy schedule of trails and tours, from seaweed foraging, taking one of the interesting Bus Bia tours with their three different itineraries full of fascinating visits to local farmers and producers, or dropping in to the Health Hub, a venue dedicated to the latest health and wellness trends in food, which had talks, panel discussions, films and demos running all weekend.

Once again during this year’s West Waterford Festival of Food the Saturday focus was down by the water, with Quayside Saturday, an opportunity to enjoy fun activities, gorgeous seafood whist browsing the stalls or simply the beautiful views along the water’s edge. Quayside Saturday showcased the waterside aspects of this seaside town, this year with boat trips from the jetty, all the fun of the RNLI Duck Race and 40 new stalls along the quay.

A key event at every West Waterford Festival of Food is the hugely popular Farmer’s Market, this year on Sunday April 23rd. One of the largest artisan food markets on the island, and it was the biggest yet with over 100 stalls showcasing the best producers and artisans of the region. Thousands of people met the producers, filled their basket and strolled the square taking in the sights and scents of the various stalls.

For something a little different, renowned pit-master Holy Smoke’s John Relihan demoed his mastery of low and slow cooking with fire, and local favourites Mezze hosted a plant-based Middle-Eastern pop-up. The Irish Craft in a Glass series of talks offered a series of opportunities to taste and learn about the increasingly popular craft beer, gin, cider and whiskeys of Ireland, and there was a busy lineup of cookery demos in the Town Hall, curated by local legend Eunice Power, as well as a return of the hugely popular Bake Off.

Always key to the West Waterford Festival of Food, and an integral part of this year’s programme are the little cooks. With plenty of events perfect for all from toddlers to teens, West Waterford Festival of Food 2017 saw little chefs shine with events such as Busy with Biscuits, as well as workshops including one for little pizza chefs and some family fun at King John’s Castle.

The Changing Kitchen

A new generation of talent, fresh flavours, interesting influences and good ideas!
The theme this year shone a spotlight on the up-and-coming faces in Irish food and also the trends that are set to dominate the culinary world for the next year. For three days the beautiful coastal town of Dungarvan and its surrounding countryside welcomed some of Ireland’s finest chefs, producers, stall-holders and all round lovers of fine food as well. Focusing on fresh new talent and innovators, the West Waterford Festival of Food showcased in 2016 some of the best producers, chefs, restaurants and food businesses in Ireland in 2016.

Among the new events for 2016 -  was a gin workshop on the Friday with Peter Mulryan of Blackwater Distillery. They held a workshop where students spent the day distilling a special festival gin which was delivered to Dungarvan in the evening.

We launched our Health Hub, a new venue dedicated to talks and demos on the latest food trends hosted by Blasta Wholefoods.

Schools and youth groups took part in our Education Programme which was delivered at schools early in 2016 and culminated in a grand showcase at #wwfof16.

Generations in Irish Food

The theme of our 2015 festival was Generations in Irish Food, and the coastal town of Dungarvan and the surrounding countryside once again welcomed some of Ireland’s finest chefs, producers, stall-holders and all round lovers of fine food.

Focusing on the rich family tradition of food on the island, the West Waterford Festival of Food 2015 shone a spotlight on some of our home grown heroes and the generations of families who continue to produce, cook, sell and run some of Ireland’s greatest and best-loved restaurants and food businesses.

As part of this many of the dining, demo and discussions planned included these Food Stories, from those close to home here in Waterford, to those we have admired throughout the country.

We started on Friday night by showcasing those families of food producers by showcasing them on menus.

In Dromona House– itself celebrating 800 years of ownership by the same family in July 2015– local chef Eunice Power created a menu as a tribute to local West Waterford food families. Called Celebrating Generations of West Waterford Food Stories, Eunice Power’s menu celebrated the food stories of the McGraths, Flahavans, and Barrons by showcasing not just the continuing history and narrative of these family businesses, so important in the region, but their delicious ingredients too!

On the same night in Nude Food, Louise Clark called her fellow Slow Foodies together and created a slowly planned, grown and crafted Menu of Great Tastes from foodies families committed to slow food including Harrington’s Venison, Ardsallagh cheeses, O Conaill’s chocolates, and Gubbeen Cheeses and charcuterie.

While in The Tannery, Paul Flynn also created a special tasting menu to celebrate these food producers who have been creating great food ingredients for us for generations His entire Saturday night’s menu was created exclusively for this occasion!

Those who wished to get a sense of these stories, without sitting to dine, headed along to some of the Food Stories discussions.
Starting with the headline event - Food Stories: A Family Insight in the Town Hall on Saturday afternoon - with the return of legendary Darina Allen and her equally talented brother Rory O’Connell of Ballymaloe Cookery School to Dungarvan, in conversation with Paul Flynn.Hanging up their aprons on this occasion, Darina and Rory shared their stories of how and why they started this famous cookery school and what drives them to continue with the every growing Litfest another successful project of theirs.

Also on Saturday afternoon, Aoife Carrigy was at Dungarvan Sailing Club to host Food Stories: From Farm to Shelf where she chatted with the families involved in Milleen’s Cheese of West Cork – Veronica Steele there was one of the very first farmhouse cheese makers in Ireland, now the business has moved onto her son Quinlan, Hartys, as they moved from dairying to one of the largest Oyster beds in Ireland, and Garveys, a family from West Kerry, now one of Ireland’s large independently owned retailers, still committed to working with local, artisan and great food stories.

On Sunday morning, we talked to and celebrated the generations of farming producers. Here the festival lined up Kieran O’Connor for Food Stories: The Producers, to chat to Liam Herlihy, farmer from Knockanore Co. Waterford, and chairman of Glanbia. Liam shared his own family farming story, and some insights about how farmers interact with a global ingredients company also, while Jamie Costin, Olympian and dairy farmer, also shared some of the stories he learned as he travelled Ireland for his TG4 series Feirm, which explored how each sector in farming is changing as each generation moves on. And also on this bill, The Steele family from Silver Hill Duck in Monaghan shared their stories of growing from a small duck farm to an international duck, and down business!

Later that afternoon it was the turn of the hospitality providers in Food Stories: Bringing Food to the People, as Gillian Nelis of The Sunday Business Post interviewed Ireland’s oldest Restaurant family – Julie Cox, and of one of Ireland’s traditional hotel families, Kelly’s of Rosslare.

Pioneering Women in Irish Food

Dungarvan  was the centre of the Irish food universe in April 2014  at the 7th fabulous West Waterford Festival of Food!

And so the pretty coastal town of Dungarvan let out a huge sigh of pride, relief and happy satisfaction, as the West Waterford Festival of Food ended for another year – probably its best year yet!

With 76 different events, and a huge increase in visitors, estimated at 17,000 through the Gigantic Farmers’ Market on the Sunday of the West Waterford Festival of Food, the town of Dungarvan was alive from Thursday to Sunday with food-lovers, fun-lovers and families.

The additional outdoor events including Seafood Saturday Cois Cé brought an estimated 4,000 to the streets to the centre of Dungarvan as well as and to the quayside on Saturday this year.  Dungarvan Library estimated that just over 2,000 people passed through their doors on Saturday as they hosted several festival events.

Even the weather cooperated, with some glorious sunshine and amazing sunsets and early mornings captured and tweeted by the enthusiastic Twitterati who participated in #wwfof!

The Festival’s Hopper Buses on Sunday were even busier than before, with 1029 journeys on Sunday alone. This year also saw the addition of Hopper Buses running 3 routes throughout Dungarvan suburbs on Saturday, creating an even greener festival with more cars off the road, and an enjoyable novelty as well!

“This year’s West Waterford Festival of Food has been a great success,” says Festival Director Éimhín Ní Chonchúir. “Our theme of Pioneering Women in Irish Food is one that resonated with so many wonderful people who were happy to participate in so many events. I would like to thank them all for giving of their time so generously, and to all the thousands of visitors who enjoyed the talks, demos and discussions. Dungarvan is a vibrant and hospitable town, and the Festival always brings out the best – an almost unbelievable  spirit of cooperation and friendship, and that vibe extends to, and indeed is noted by our guests and participants from all over the country. The West Waterford Festival of Food goes from strength to strength – it’s good for business, good for the town, and good for the soul!”

Celebrating its 7^th incredible year with a focus on Pioneering Women in Irish Food, the West Waterford Festival of Food hit many high notes with its irresistible restaurant trails, cooking demonstrations, panel discussions, Talking Food chats, children’s events, great restaurant experiences, movie screenings, live music, foraging events in the woods, seaweed seminars on the beach and community picnics – a delectable 4 days dedicated to making Dungarvan the centre of the Irish food universe!

Since 2008 the festival has grown to be one of the premier food festivals in the country, where foodies, foragers, farmers and families can explore the region, learn of its rich food heritage, get hands on learning from producers, chefs and growers, have amazing dining experiences and above all have a weekend of fun in West Waterford.

With over ninety events on offer over the festival weekend there is truly something for everyone in West Waterford and we pride ourselves on our accessibility to chefs, events, producers and more over the weekend. Previous highlights include pop up feasts by Eunice Power with Lebanese and Persian themed dinners, Michelin-starred chefs such as Ross Lewis of Chapter One in Dublin, Derry Clarke of L’Ecrivain and our locally-based Martijn Kajuiter of the Cliff House Hotel taking to the stage in our Town Hall Theatre and family fun with Three Course Wheel, ICA cookcamp and cooking together events.

In 2013 Paul and Máire Flynn of Dungarvan's Tannery Restaurant hosted an evening of nose-to-tail eating with Fergus Henderson of renowned London restaurant St John while annual favourites such as our Restaurant Trails, Bus Bia tours and Seaweed Foraging remain constant on our programme.

The festival culminates in our Farmer's and Country Market on the Sunday - the showcase of the best the region has to offer in terms of artisan food producers. This annual favourite is a must for both filling the shopping basket and taking in the sights, smells and sounds as you 'graze the square'.