Ireland’s best breakfast products revealed!

Neven Maguire and Georgina Campbell pictured as they announced the winners at the The Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards in association with Fáilte Ireland at the InterContinental Dublin

Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards shine a spotlight on the "hidden heroes of Ireland's thriving breakfast scene"

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As successful retailers know, a true ‘breakfast of champions’ requires quality ingredients to impress customers. Enter the Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards!

At a prize-giving ceremony at Dublin’s Intercontinental Hotel, the winners of the awards, held in association with Fáilte Ireland, were celebrated for their high standards. Hospitality guide editor Georgina Campbell put forward a convincing case for including the provenance of these winning products on breakfast menus. After all, if it can be done for breakfast and lunch, then why not breakfast?

“The seven food producers we are recognising today are the hidden heroes of Ireland’s thriving breakfast scene,” said Campbell. “We want to see more and more of them featuring on Irish breakfast menus, highlighting provenance, quality and authenticity.”

THE 2019 IRISH BREAKFAST FOOD AWARD WINNERS ARE:

Meats: Castlemine Farm, Co Roscommon

Fish: Woodcock Smokery, Co Cork

Eggs: Clonarn Clover, Co Meath

Dairy: Glenisk Organic Dairy, Co Offaly

Cereal: Paddy O’s Granola, Co Laois

Fruit: Keeling Juices, Co Dublin

The Irish Bread Award went to Longueville House, Mallow, Co Cork.

Longueville House won the Irish Bread Award

The breakfast occasion delivers a great opportunity to fly the flag for Irish produce. Previous Irish Breakfast Award-winner, Neven Maguire of MacNean House and Restaurant who was co-presenting the awards, spoke about the importance of getting the basics right. “The option of preparing a great breakfast using 100% Irish produce is available to us all, and we don’t have to look too far to find these terrific products,” he said. “At MacNean House and Restaurant we put as much emphasis on giving our guests as memorable a food experience for breakfast as the dinner the night before. It is the last meal our guests have before they leave, so we want to make it special.”

Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland said the country had made great strides in advancing the reputation of its breakfast offering in terms of quality and perception in recent years. “We can raise our offering to the next level and ensure that our reputation as a producer of great quality food is maintained and indeed enhanced over the coming years,” he added.

The push to rethink early menus in cafés and restaurants across Ireland has been helped by the rise in popularity of brunch, which is why this year, Georgina Campbell teamed up with Irish Dairy The Complete Natural to invite members of the public to nominate their favourite establishment for a Best Brunch Award. The 2019 Best Brunch in association with Irish Dairy The Complete Natural Dairy was awarded to The Fumbally, Dublin, following a public nomination process 

Zoe Kavanagh, CEO of the NDC highlighted the pride Ireland takes in “our excellent dairy produce with its unique taste and the versatility which lends itself so well to breakfast and brunch dishes.

“Ireland has become a real destination in recent years for quality brunch venues creating innovative dishes as part of this ever-popular meal occasion,” she added. “We are excited to celebrate the cream of Ireland’s brunch venues shortlisted for these awards and hopefully, it will help raise the bar for brunch venues around the country.”

Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Athlone, Co Westmeath was the winner within the Guesthouse category

The full list of winners and highly commended finalists is outlined below:

5* HOTEL

Winner: Park Hotel Kenmare, Kenmare, Co Kerry

·        Highly Commended: Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford

·        Highly Commended: The Merchant Hotel, Belfast

·        Highly Commended: The Westbury Hotel, Dublin   

·        Highly Commended: The Heritage Killenard, Killenard, Co Laois

4* HOTEL

Winner: Marlfield House Hotel, Gorey, Co Wexford

•    Highly Commended: Dunraven Arms, Adare, Co Limerick

•    Highly Commended: Granville Hotel, Waterford

•    Highly Commended: Bushmills Inn, Bushmills, Co Antrim

•    Highly Commended: Sheedy’s Hotel, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare

3* HOTEL

Winner: Dingle Benners Hotel, Dingle, Co Kerry

•    Highly Commended: The Huntsman Inn, Galway, Co Galway

•    Highly Commended: Aran Islands Hotel, Inis Mór, Co Galway

•    Highly Commended: Carrygerry Country House, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare

•    Highly Commended: Zuni Restaurant & Boutique Hotel, Kilkenny

COUNTRY HOUSE

Winner: Virginia Park Lodge, Virginia, Cavan 

•    Highly Commended: Rathsallagh House, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow

•    Highly Commended: Rosleague Manor, Letterfrack, Co Galway 

•    Highly Commended: Dunnanelly Country House, Co Down

•    Highly Commended: Lodge at Ashford Castle, Co Mayo

GUEST HOUSE

Winner: Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Athlone, Co Westmeath

•    Highly Commended: Castlewood House, Dingle, Co Kerry

•    Highly Commended: Killarney Lodge, Killarney, Co Kerry

•    Highly Commended: Gleesons Townhouse, Roscommon, Co Roscommon 

•    Highly Commended: Blackwell House, Scarva, Co Armagh  

B&B

Winner: Bantry House and Garden, Bantry, Co Cork

•    Highly Commended: Shelburne Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry

•    Highly Commended: Aldridge Lodge, Duncannon, Co Wexford 

•    Highly Commended: Ardawn House, Galway, Co Galway 

•    Highly Commended:  Ghan House, Carlingford, Co Louth

VISITOR ATTRACTION

Winner: Hook Lighthouse – Visitor Centre Café, Hook Head, Co Wexford 

•    Highly Commended: The Castle Café, Blackrock Castle, Cork   

•    Highly Commended: Lennons@VISUAL, Carlow, Co Carlow

•    Highly Commended: The Kitchen, Galway City Museum, Galway

•    Highly Commended: Avoca Café, Malahide Castle, Malahide, Co Dublin

IRISH BREAKFAST MENU – NEW FOR 2019

Winner: Breac.House, Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal 

•    Highly Commended: Ravenhill Guest House, Belfast

•    Highly Commended: King Sitric Restaurant& Accommodation, Howth, Co Dublin

•    Highly Commended: Coolanowle Country House & Organic Farm, Co Carlow

•    Highly Commended: Viewmount House, Longford, Co Longford

BRUNCH SPONSORED BY IRISH DAIRY THE COMPLETE NATURAL

Winner: The Fumbally, Fumbally Lane, Dublin City, Co Dublin

•    Highly Commended: Nook Café & Restaurant, Collooney, Co Sligo

•    Highly Commended: The Green Barn, Burtown House, Co Kildare

•    Highly Commended: House of Plates, Castlebar, Co Mayo

•    Highly Commended: Brunel’s Restaurant Newcastle Co Down

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