New Awards recognise world-class quality of West Cork artisan food production.

West Cork is the home of artisan food in Ireland, and the by-word for the best handmade foods in Ireland.

It was in West Cork that the first farmhouse cheeses of the modern generation were made, sparking an artisan food revival that has spread throughout the entire island of Ireland during the last 35 years. "You can't eat the scenery" is what people have long said about West Cork, but the absence of any industry other than small-scale food businesses hasn't deterred West Cork people from making sure that you can eat everything else.

It was here that agricultural and craft food traditions were stubbornly clung to long after they were abandoned by the rest of the country, and it was here that ancient skills were re-ignited to create the artisan foods that today make up the most dynamic sector of Ireland's agricultural economy. Its speciality foods mean that West Cork has long been the shining example of modern food tourism throughout Ireland. With its curious mixture of locals, outliers and blow-ins, West Cork is a perfect microcosm of how to create a specialty food culture from disparate sources.

Today, West Cork remains the cauldron of good food in Ireland, its culinary creativity exhibited in farms, markets, shops, restaurants, B&B's and hotels.

The Belling West Cork Artisan Awards will celebrate both the creativity of the Originals, those figures who have fashioned the modern artisan food movement in Ireland, and will also acknowledge the work of those Newcomers who are crafting new specialty foods on the ground in West Cork today.

The Belling Awards will be in two categories:

The Originals &

Best Newcomer

The Winners will receive €5,000 each.

The Belling Awards are sponsored by Belling Ireland. Belling Ireland is part of the Glen Dimplex Group, Ireland's largest privately-owned business, with a turnover of €2 billion annually and a workforce of 10,000.

Sean O'Driscoll, the chief executive and chairman of the Glen Dimplex Group, is a West Cork man, born in Drimoleague. "On behalf of Belling, l am delighted to be involved in this initiative", said Mr O'Driscoll. "Let us all be proud of what is produced in West Cork."

The Belling Awards will be judged by a panel comprising:

Darina Allen - Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry

Sean and Rose O'Driscoll - Belling Ireland

Ella McSweney - RTE

John McKenna – Bridgestone Guides

John Field - Field's Supervalu, Skibbereen

Carmel Somers - Good Things Café, Durrus

The Panel will first draw up a Shortlist in each category, to be announced in November.

The Winner of each category will then be honoured in an Award Ceremony

on Sunday 4 December.

Speaking at the announcement of the Belling West Cork Artisan Awards, which was made during the weeklong celebrations that comprise the "Taste of West Cork Food Festival" in Skibbereen, John McKenna said:

"The Belling Awards aim to celebrate and reward the creativity, the tenacity and the innovation of both the Original Artisans from West Cork whose work inspired nothing less than a culinary revolution, and also of those Newcomers whose work means that West Cork remains the gold standard of speciality food in Ireland."

For more information please contact:

Helen Wells on:
086 7953501 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

or

John McKenna on 027 61186