Any fundraising initiative supporting the ISPCC and Childline will always have The Menu’s support but one that introduces a spot of baking to the equation is especially commendable. 

The Irish Film Institute has teamed up with the Science Gallery Dublin to present a series called Futures Past - taking classic sci-fi films and examining how they spoke about their present and reached forward to the future.

Terra Nova Gardens, Dromin, Kilmallock, Co Limerick, are having their last open day of 2015 on Sunday, August 30, from 2pm to 6pm.

Joanna Blythman, Alys Fowler, Mark Diacono and other top names in the food and gardening world are lined up for GIY Grow Fest in Waterford, from September 11 to 13.

The promotion of local maritime activity as part of the Ocean to City: Cork Harbour Festival (May 30-June 6) is heartening, with one event especially catching The Menu’s attention, Boats & Bites: Boating & Seafood Tasters (June 3, 6pm-8.30pm). 

Check out our guide to the best of tonight's TV.

Plenty to watch on the tellybox tonight.

ELLA McSWEENEY refuses to let a high-profile career dictate her size. 

The Moment of Truth

Your spoiler free guide to what's on the box tonight.

Despite the summer stretch in the day, The Menu feels nothing short of a turbo-booster for the bould Neidín will enable him to attend every last one of an ever-increasing proliferation of food festivals around this glorious island.

A tiny Irish cow is set to enter the record books as the smallest in the world. Ella, a Dexter cow from Sligo, stands at 31 inches — two inches shorter than the previous record holder, Swallow, from England.

After nearly a year of ‘Gatherings’ up, down, and around the country, it’s hard to believe the original Gathering is only a week away.

A MONTH after the Literary Festival of Food and Wine at Ballymaloe we’re still getting excited feedback and thank you cards in response to the event, from both participants and those who came along over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Forget about the wild life in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. This June bank holiday weekend, it’s all about the wild flowers — among other blossoms — at the annual Bloom Festival.

Barack Obama’s pastry chef and the co-founder of the world’s best restaurant are among a galaxy of global culinary giants on the menu for a major national festival next month.

I always knew I’d do something vocal.

SATURDAY

Cork members won all three prizes at this year’s Macra na Feirme/Bank of Ireland National Leadership Awards, recognising their leadership skills within their clubs and the wider community.

The overall winner of the Agricultural Journalism Awards 2012 is Caitriona Murphy of Farming Independent, who was presented with The Bull bronze trophy at an awards ceremony in AIB Bankcentre, Ballsbridge.

Ear To The Ground returns for a 20th series, Thursday on RTÉ One. Presenters are Helen Carroll, Darragh McCullough and Ella McSweeney.

Artisan food companies in Cork and Kerry are joining forces to promote their wares and build on current employment levels.

On the face of it, the phenomenon of social media doesn’t seem to have caught on in the farming world to the extent that it appears to have done in other industries and social sub-groups. But there is some evidence that that may be about to change.

SATURDAY

SATURDAY

FOR anybody involved in the food industry, a major event being held in Cork tonight is certainly not one to miss.

A MOUTH-WATERING networking event will be served up to the people of Cork next week.

WE HAD a terrific day last Saturday as the winners of the Slow Food Grandmothers Day Irish Examiner Competition — six grandchildren, four grannies and a couple of mums — arrived to enjoy their prize, a day at the Ballymaloe Cookery School and Gardens.

THE Stars Go Racing episode in which my apprentice Alan Quinlan and I were involved in a battle with Mick Halford and Ella McSweeney, was aired this week and we all got a little over-excited when Dundrum, ridden by Kate, won. I have to say I’m delighted with how it all went. It was a great experience and Alan has been a great sport.

ALL season Ger Lyons had been hoping to win a Pattern race with Future Generation and his wish came through last night when the filly made most to land the Group 3 Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown.

RTE’s new six-part reality series, in association with Horse Racing Ireland, comes to air on RTE One next Wednesday, July 20, at 8.30pm.

RECORD-BREAKING visitor numbers and international food writers and experts turned up at the weekend for the fourth annual Waterford Festival of Food.

A PARADE of pigs will get the fourth annual Waterford Festival of Food under way today with cooks, experts and foodies set to descend on the region for the weekend.

AN economic boost worth over €1 million is set to be pumped into the south-east in the coming days with this year’s edition of the Waterford Festival of Food.

A NEW batch of students have just arrived from far and wide to start the January 12 week cooking course.

FROM New York to London, butchery classes are over subscribed — most recently a two-day butchery course organised by Teagasc at Ashtown also had a waiting list.