“Inspiring, imaginative and authentic” is how food writer and Bridgestone Guide publisher John McKenna described The Gourmet Greenway, an innovative food trail that highlights the quality of Mayo food producers. The initiative has also received the thumbs up from the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, who said it would increase tourism to the area, provide a boost to local businesses and “increase the visibility of the many famous gourmet foods that are produced in county Mayo.”
Mr McKenna was the host last night of Meet the Producers, a dining event organised by Mulranny Park Hotel to celebrate the quality of local ingredients and the talents of Mayo food producers in around Mulranny, Achill and Newport. Guests enjoyed a seven-course dinner with wines in the hotel’s Nephin Restaurant prepared by Mulranny Park’s head chef Ollie O’Regan and his team, and had the unique experience of dining with and discussing food with leading food producers in the area.
The evening was a prelude to the launch of a larger initiative – The Gourmet Greenway – a collaboration between Mulranny Park Hotel and local food producers.
Using the unique tourist attraction that is the Newport to Mulranny Great Western Greenway as its backdrop, the Gourmet Greenway is a new food trail that highlights the great selection of food producers near to and along the route, and the establishments where their produce can be tried. The idea is to encourage visitors to come along, sample and purchase the fare of the local food producers as a deliciously unmissable part of the Mayo experience.
Distinguished local producers along the Gourmet Greenway food trail include Sean Kelly (Kelly’s Butchers); Jerry Hassett (Keem Bay Fish Products), Michael Flanagan (Achill Island Turbot), Andrew Pelham-Burn (Carrowholly Cheese), Tom Doherty (Currane Blue Trout Farm) and Padraig Gannon (Croagh Patrick Seafoods).
A Gourmet Greenway guide featuring a map, information and contact details for each producers was distributed at the launch.
