Food fest to honour victims of Famine

Organisers of a West Cork food festival will pay homage to a town’s tragic past by honouring famine victims and the humble potato.

The Taste of West Cork festival next month will focus on Ireland’s food heritage and trace the development of the region’s trademark artisan food production movement.

Skibbereen became the first town to honour Famine victims with its national commemoration event three years ago.

Now, in its ninth year, the food festival will focus on the potato, with participating restaurants offering “spud specialities” together with a short adapted drama on how the Famine affected Irish people.

An entire evening will be dedicated to a diverse preparation of potato dishes, while students will serve their potato-themed offerings with a competitive edge as part of the Schools Cookery Competition.

Recognising knowledge of the art of foraging for food, organisers have laid on a workshop event at Liss Ard estate, where participants will forage and gather wild mushrooms to be prepared and eaten for lunch.

And the town’s community garden project at Gortnaclohy will host a free Orchard Picnic with music and an invitation to taste, tend, and learn about fruits planted for public consumption.

The garden plot, on an eighth of an acre on the banks of the Caol Stream, just off Market St, was donated by the council in 2009. Maintained by a core group of a dozen volunteers, it is home to a collection of apple trees, nut trees, and a plum tree, with blackcurrants, rhubarbs, and strawberries.

Gardner Marian Crudge said: “Visitors will be encouraged to participate in a nature quest to raise awareness of the trees and wildflowers growing there with prizes donated from the Sherkin Island marine station.”

The festival will see the return of the Celtic Cook-Off at the West Cork Hotel which will see chefs from the six Celtic territories (Scotland, Isle of Man, Ireland, Cornwall, Wales, and Brittany) go head-to-head in front of a live audience.

“From seminars on food heritage, to food demonstrations and tastings, competitions between the best chefs in Europe and West Cork, and the grand finale of the biggest harvest food and craft market staged in the Fairfield, there will be something to tempt every palate,” said festival chairwoman Clare Gallagher.

The festivities kicked off at Glebe Gardens in Baltimore with a cocktail party and barbecue yesterday.

www.latasteofwestcork.com