CRAICLY STORIES

Stories from, “Our East Cork Food Rebels.”

Where: Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Cork

Time: 7.30pm to 11.30pm

Date: Thursday 5th September 2024

Booking Info:

Tickets are €65.00 per person. Price includes a B&T (Bertha & Tonic)on arrival, a 2-course fork supper (main course and pudding) in the house, Craicly storytelling with some of our local food and farming heroes and a quick tour of the distillery with Justin. Click on the PURCHASE TICKETS HERE button above this text block to book tickets online.

About the Event:

CRAICLY and Ballyvolane House are partaking in Feast - East Cork Food & Drink Festival with a storytelling event celebrating “Our East Cork Food Rebels.” By definition, a rebel spirit (and Cork is famous for them!) is willing to take risks and hold true to their passions and beliefs. The East Cork region has a long established food history from the land to the sea, which in true Cork style has been fiercely protected, promoted and maintained by a fabulous group of dedicated artisan food producers and farmers. At this event we will hear some of the human stories behind their important work.

The event will kick-off at 7.30pm and on arrival guests will be served a complimentary B&T. Once everyone has arrived, a casual 2-course fork supper will be served in the house. After supper, the speakers will be introduced by CRAICLY STORIES founder and curator Jane Gormley and the speakers will take the floor (the storytelling will last around an hour). After the talk, Justin Green (owner of Ballyvolane House and Co-Founder of Bertha’s Revenge Gin) will give the guests a quick tour of the distillery where Bertha’s Revenge Gin is produced. The conversations will continue over tipples and pints in the bar in the barn afterwards.

Speakers:

Rory O’Connell (Co-founder Ballymaloe Cookery School)

Synonymous with the East Cork food scene, Rory is also a global epicurean superstar. The recipient of too many international food and writing awards to fit in this paragraph and most recently, the 2023 Hall of Fame Award from Food & Wine, Rory’s impact on the Irish food scene is firmly in all of our beloved consciousness. His crucial culinary imprint, in being a co-founder in Ballymaloe Cookery School, ensures these wonderful traditions and skills will continue to flourish and shine a light here in East Cork. A food rebel indeed.

Mary Sharpe (Irish Gourmet Butter)

Irish Gourmet Butter was set up in 2017 by Billy and Mary Sharpe on the Dunhill Ecopark, Dunhill, Co. Waterford. Butter making is in the genes as Mary’s grandmother was an All-Ireland butter making champion in 1936/37 and she went on to lecture in Dairy Science in Maynooth. The idea of producing butter came from a conversation with their daughter Bronagh, and with the support of the family, Irish Gourmet Butter was formed.

Christopher Braganza (The Spice Genie)

Chris landed in our national consciousness in 2022 when we won the RTE’s “Battle of the Food Truck’s”. Middletons secret was out! Combining his Indian food heritage, Chris originally hails from Goa, whilst actively promoting East Cork ingredients and supporting multiple farmers and butchers in blending their prime ingredients with his Indian recipes. Chris has spent time in the famed Cliff House perfecting and continuing his culinary training and demonstrates energy and versatility that assures us his food rebel status is secured!

Barry Fitzgerald (Fitzgeralds Butchers)

Barry, and his brother Kieran, are running the sort of butchers that dreams are made of. The absolute “farm to fork” experience, along with expertise butchery skills, this is an enterprise with such style and determination that puts Fermoy on the map. Rare cuts and bovine expertise as standard along with their own grass-fed beef cattle processes in their own abattoir. Hugely informed experts on the butchery trade, and associated business nuances, the Fitzgerald family are generational producers and fierce protectors of localised food production in an era of supermarket domination. Bravo.

Peter Twomey (Glenbrook Farm)

Peter is the third generation of Twomey to farm Glenbrook. Peter recently transitioned from intensive dairy farming to a more holistic and traditional way of farming. He is taking the farm in a totally new direction and it is an inspiring story. We are delighted to have Peter with us on the night and we look forward to hearing about his journey.

Accomodation is available in the house or in the great outdoors (Ballyvolane glamping) via www.ballyvolanehouse.ie.

What’s CRAICLY?

CRAICLY is a storytelling group that pops up in atmospheric, unique venues all over Ireland. Combining places and people, CRAICLY uses storytelling, and the sharing of true stories and experiences to help bring us together…and to have some craic doing it! Live Storytelling is such a key, cultural way of communicating the present, not to mention the past, and the potential future. It’s a fundamental leveller of the human experience and promotes a sense of happiness and empathy.

Hope to see you there!