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

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.

Food news with Joe McNamee.

In aid of Cancer Awareness Week, we convinced four of our columnists to bare all for our Examine Yourself campaign.

Could hemp be the crop that reduces farmers’ over-dependence on beef production, which has left them protesting at factory gates?

Joshua Allen, 19, has been remanded to Cork Circuit Criminal Court after appearing before Midleton District Court on six drugs charges.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

There’s no need to settle for less at the Christmas table, says Arlene Harris who asks three wise chefs for their top vegan recipes

Your morning headlines ...

We will do our utmost to carry on her incredible legacy.

So passionate was she about Irish produce, she once carried a heavy suitcase stuffed full of locally grown apples on board a flight to New York where she had been invited to deliver a cookery class.

Want to cook up the perfect barbecue this summer? The duo at Currabinny compile their top tips and recipes for Ciara McDonnell.

Myrtle Allen has been credited with almost single-handedly creating Irish fine dining by the Lonely Planet travel writers.

With more and more people becoming interested in the origins of our food, Christmas is the perfect time to learn from the past, writes food historian Regina Sexton.

Brother and sister Rory O’Connell and Darina Allen recall their childhood Christmas memories with Marjorie Brennan

Food news with Joe McNamee

Darina Allen is on a mission. In her new 600-page book, she’s calling on us all to grow our own food, writes Ciara McDonnell

A fortuitous meeting between a literary couple and a celebrity chef has resulted in one of the world’s most lucrative poetry prizes, writes Marjorie Brennan.

Is Cork still the culinary capital? Joe McNamee has his say – and profiles the restaurants that are doing it right.

Marjorie Brennan meets Ellie Kisyombe from pop up cafe, Our Table, as she embarks on a three-month internship with Darina Allen – and begins a new column in Weekend.

This five-bed bungalow with bags of potential boasts some illustrious neighbours, writes Tommy Barker.

With the passing of the torch to a new generation, Caomhan Keane says it’s his turn in the kitchen

The numbers of overseas visitors taking the Ballymaloe Cookery School’s 12-week course helps to spread a good news message of Irish food and dispel the myth of it being “a land of corned beef and cabbage”.

HERE at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, we run three-month certificate courses every year for students who want to gain the skills to earn them a living from their cooking. 

The lucrative Ballymaloe International Poetry Prize attracts thousands of entries from around the world, writes Colette Sheridan

JUST as there’s a dish for every palate, there’s a food writer for every taste.

RORY O’CONNELL has been teaching people to cook for more than 30 years, ever since he co-founded Ballymaloe Cookery School with his sister, Darina Allen.

Leading hoteliers John and Darina Gately have blamed the recession, office closures, and the decision on the location of Cork’s proposed events centre for the closure of their Boardwalk Bar and Grill venue.

AS GUEST chef, TD Alan Shatter worked 12 hours straight on the day The Restaurant was filmed. But this was small fry for the former Justice Minister.

Even if you love all the razzmatazz, Christmas is certainly ‘a bit of work’ and can be a deeply stressful time for the cook or chef.

THE plum pudding ‘scandal’ of 1989 still haunts Darina Allen some 25 years later.

THERE’S never any shortage of cookbooks at this time of year. Publishers know they make great gifts, as do those who give gifts they want to last.

EMMA O’Driscoll is from Limerick and presents TV show Twigín on RTÉjr and Twigín on RTÉjr radio. She is a former member of the band Six.

IFEST, the first major celebration of Irish culture and food was held in Boston recently.