It's May Bank holiday weekend - foodie heaven

It's May Bank Holiday weekend and the beginning of the summer food festival season in Ireland. Check out some of the following info and links to food festivals and events around the country - they're a hugely important element to rural tourism, offer a way to sample and buy artisan food directly from the people who make it and more importantly, what can be better than a spot of eating and drinking in the sunshine in Ireland? May the weather Gods be kind to us...

Roscommon Lamb Festival from the 27th April to May 2nd was started in 2008 organised by a committee of local farmers, restaurant owners and community groups. The vision for the festival was to “highlight the quality of locally-produced food and to attract additional tourists to Roscommon thus boosting the local economy and benefitting primary producers and suppliers”.

Based on the fact that Roscommon has the highest lamb output in the country, the festival celebrates lamb in a diverse range of food and farming events over the course of the weekend. There are lamb barbeques, farm walks, farmers markets and even a world record knitting attempt, so if you've a pair of needles and a ball of wool, you know where to go this weekend.
http://www.roscommonlambfestival.com/

This weekend Connemara hosts a celebration of Killary Mussels taking place from the 29th April - 1st May 2011 on the glorious Renvyle Peninsula in North Connemara; this really is a gorgeous part of the country. It's the sixth year of the festival and promises that more mussels will be eaten here this weekend than in any other part of the country. The celebrations include music, craic, mussel cooking competitions, walks, talks, theatre and children's activities. There will also be a country market, local art exhibition and mussel cooking competitions http://www.connemaramusselfestival.com/

Sheridans Cheese Mongers are holding their second food event at their Virginia Road Station headquarters in County Meath. Some of Ireland’s finest artisan producers will be showing their best. Irish farmhouse cheese producers include Milleens, Cashel Blue, Coolea, Cooleeney, Bellingham Blue, Corleggy, Glebe Brethan and more. As well as other artisan producers such as Burren smokehouse, Gubbeen salamis, Burke’s ice- cream, Janet’s Country Fare, Mella’s Fudge.
www.sheridanscheesemongers.com

Other foodie events this weekend -

Limerick Georgian Summer Market, 30th April – 01 May 2011 www.limerickgeorgianmarket.com

Goleen Craft & Food Fair, 01 May 2011, Community Centre, Goleen, Co. Cork www.craftinireland.com/events/details/goleen-craft-food-fair

And from Good Food Ireland - several events and courses to whet your appetite this weekend -

On Saturday April 30th - "Sinful but Saintly Cooking demo" with Susan Jane Murray
Susan joins Good Food Ireland members Donnybrook Fair for a “Sinful but Saintly” demo at which she will let us in on her secrets for making scrumptious desserts that are sugar-free, wheat-free and dairy-free.

To book a place at Susan Jane's 'Sinful but Saintly' cookery demo on April 30, call Donnybrook Fair on (01) 668-3556, or see www.susanjanemurray.com

Cookery Courses
Belle Isle Cookery School, Fermanagh -
Saturday 30th April Cakes & Bakes. One day course
Saturday 4th May Fish & Seafood. One day course
http://www.goodfoodireland.ie/Member207/Belle-Isle-Cookery-School-Fermanagh.html

Dublin Cookery School -
2 May - 27 May Cooking for Life. One month course.
7 May Cooking course with guest chef Atul Kochhar. One day course
http://www.goodfoodireland.ie/Member212/Dublin-Cookery-School-Dublin.html

I just wish I could go to them all! Have a great weekend and happy eating x