A firm believer that every person, no matter what space is available to them, can grow some of their own food, Darina has used her columns through the years as a means of teaching us how to do it.

A few of Darina's favourite thing.

Christmas is always a celebration at Ballymaloe. The key is to plan ahead so that you can enjoy the day with your family.

It is absolutely vital to feed our children well.

Passionate about food grown with integrity, Darina has been instrumental in establishing the networks that have allowed Irish producers to flourish.

Ballymaloe Cookery School’s students spread far and wide, using the skills they learned to push the boundaries of the global food scene.

Darina believes that food is an essential part of the fabric of a family; it should be nourishing, and it should always be nurturing.

Drawn by Darina’s endless enthusiasm and passion for good food, the greatest minds of the global food scene come to Ballymaloe to teach, and leave having learned a lesson of their own.

When Darina cooks for her family, she focuses on simple recipes made with minimal effort

Darina’s mission is to teach her students that great food is made with produce that has been prepared simply, and with respect.

What’s it like to be part of the team at Ballymaloe Cookery School? Meet the people that inspire and delight the culinary stars of the future.

The impact of Myrtle Allen’s legacy is a story yet to be told, writes Ciara McDonnell

As Darina Allen marks 21 years of her column for The Irish Examiner, Weekend editor Vickie Maye pays tribute.

It came as quite a surprise to learn that I had been writing my Weekend column in the Irish Examiner for 21 years — how the years have flown by and how the food scene has changed in Ireland over those two decades.

To celebrate 21 years of Darina’s Irish Examiner column, our team delved into the archives to create a magazine dedicated to the woman who taught so many of us to cook.

As Darina Allen marks 21 years of writing for The Irish Examiner, she talks to Ciara McDonnell about her amazing career.