Great Craic. Great Causes. Enjoyed Cork City Marathon 2018.

Enjoyed Cork City Marathon 2018
Better Late Then Never. Much Better!

One for all and all for one

For quite a few years now, I’ve been photographing the runners in the Cork City Marathon, usually down by Silversprings as the going gets that bit tougher. This time though, I went to the finish, long after the winners had been and gone, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Peri Peri with a spicy mango sauce at The Rocketman

Runners of all shapes and sizes, not to mention colours, doing it for a variety of good causes, and having a lot of fun and gaining friends all over the place as they came in hours behind the elite runners. 

Great too to see the kids jumping over the barriers and proudly helping (maybe sometimes hindering) Mammy or Daddy, over the last 100 metres or so.

James Whelan Heritage Ham features here
at The Rocketman

I had a interest in the Sanctuary Runners. They were drawing attention to the plight of those refugees stuck in our Direct Provision System. And the refugees, with Ballymaloe trained chef Ellie Kisyombe at the forefront, had an international day-long feast at The Rocketman in Princes Street. We enjoyed our lunch there before heading the few yards up to see the fun runners finish.

Wow - I can see the finish!

Well done to Ellie and her helpers, to Jack Crotty for opening up his premises for the day and to Our Table for organising and also to those teams of Sanctuary Runners. Beir bua!

Something sweet at the end of Our Table meal

Applause!

Helping Daddy over the closing metres

Our Table Is Back With A BAM. Midsummer Festival unveils spectacular 2016 programme.

Cork Midsummer Festival unveils spectacular 2016 programme

Our Table Is Back With A BAM

 

Our Table - a 2015 Highlight

Cork Midsummer Festival launched its spectacular 2016 programme of events  last evening. The city will become the stage for more than 400 artists and 39 events across seven days in June. Festival goers will have a choice of 29 different unique and unusual venues at the Festival which runs from 17-19 June, 24-26 June and on Midsummer, June 21.

Over 50,000 people are expected to attend the diverse array of events. Performances and events will take place at some new and unexpected locations, such as the Bells of Shandon, Cork Boat Club and Elizabeth Fort. For full details and tickets visit www.corkmidsummer.com.

The 2016 programme includes 18 brand new works and is a fusion of opera, literature, theatre, dance, comedy, music and visual art. Family events, forums, talks and a wide choice of free events will also take place. Cork Midsummer Festival is proudly supported by the Arts Council, Cork City Council and Fáilte Ireland.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Cork Midsummer Festival Artistic Curator Kath Gorman said: “As Cork Midsummer Festival celebrates its 20th year; we are thrilled to once again collaborate with the city’s arts organisations to present such a dynamic programme, bursting with the work of so many excellent artists from all over the world. 

“During the Festival, the whole city is the stage with events taking place in many unique and unexpected locations – from forts and parks, to hairdressers and streets. The Festival will be a celebration of how the arts can continue to engage, entertain and inspire. It’s an opportunity for people to experience our wonderfully creative city in a different way.” 

In a nod to the 100th anniversary commemoration of the 1916 Rising, Corcadorca is to stage Sacrifice at Easter at Barrack Street’s Elizabeth Fort from June 17 to July 2. Utopia Ltd, an off-site collaborative theatre performance inspired by the biography of Rodger Casement, will run June 17-19at Cork Boat Club. Choreographer Ruairí Donovan will stage Soldiers, a walking performance inspired by the mobilisation of 1,000 volunteers by Tomás Mac Curtain for the Rising. 

Festival favourite Picnic in the Park will return to Fitzgerald Park on June 19. The popular and much-loved Our Table also makes a welcome return. Sponsored by BAM Ireland, Ballymaloe, Cully & Sully and Tiger Beer, the outdoor banquet for 400 food lovers, spanning the length of Oliver Plunkett Street, will see twelve of Cork’s finest restaurants joining forces on June 26.

Further highlights include the return of mesmorising songstress Camille O’Sullivan, who will perform for a special, one-night only show at The Everyman on June 25. The hilarious Penny Arcade will also appear at the venue, bringing her double award-winning Edinburgh show Longing Lasts Longer to Cork for its Irish premiere on June 24. 

The renowned Metta Theatre is to stage another first for Ireland; a 21^st century twist on Kipling's classic tale The Jungle Book, complete with street dance, circus and rap. It will run from June 17-19and June 21.

One of the most unique events this year is Be My Guest, with Shandon residents selecting pieces from the Art Council’s permanent collection to hang in their living rooms. Their homes will then be opened to the public for a weekend art trail. Writer Kevin Barry will also host Crosstown Drift on June 25, taking his audience on a trail of tales and tunes across Cork. 

Midsummer Executive Director, Lorraine Maye added: “We are hugely appreciative to all our sponsors, partners, patrons, friends, and colleagues who have supported this festival, and ensured that Midsummer remains one of the most exciting summertime arts events in the country. We are also extremely grateful for the continued support of our audiences. We look forward to welcoming audiences old and new to the Festival this year - Cork is the only place to be for Midsummer!”

For full details of all events and bookings visit www.corkmidsummer.com.

Facebook: CorkMidsummerFestival

Twitter: @CorkMidsummer

Twelve Great Food Days 2015

Twelve Great Food Days 2015

One Day’s Eating or Drinking or Both each Month!

Charcuterie by Krawczyk

January: Elbow Lane Brew & Smoke House. Nano.  But with a mega tasty punch!.

February: Midleton Distillery Tour. Happy Angels Hover Over 1.2m Casks

Deep in Midleton distillery

March: Kinsale's Latest Bastion of Culinary Excellence

April: From Power With Love. A Persian Dinner. Gorgeous. Generous

Highbank blossoms

May: Highbank Organic Orchards. Hundreds of Apple Trees. Billions of Microbes

June: All White on the Night. Al Fresco Dining in Cork City

Diamond in Dublin

July: Summer Days in Dublin. Capital Food and Fun

August: Ballymaloe Garden Festival. 22-23 August 2015

Ballymaloe. Plants for sale.

September: My place of belonging is West Cork. Frank Krawczyk

October: Italian Night at Farmgate. Umbria & Valtellina Combine

Hoping for lunch at Longueville

November: Longueville House Lunch. Award Winning Cider and Apple Brandy

December: Square Table Excellent2

Salmon at Bastion (Kinsale)

All White on the Night. Dining Out in Cork City

All White on the Night.

Dining Out in Cork City.

“Bet you never thought you’d be sitting down to a three course meal on the street outside Penny’s and Guiney's,” said one diner as we gathered for Our Table in Oliver Plunkett Street (Cork) last evening. The four hundred of us, dressed in white (mostly!), were dined, wined and entertained for the two hours. The verdict: bring on 2016. Indeed, even before the night, indications were that double the number would be catered for next year.

Starter by House

So lots of craic, good fun and good food too. The long table was divided into four and we were at the B section. Each section had three restaurants looking after its needs and our trio were House, Isaacs and ORSO.

As we arrived we were treated to a refreshing flower-topped juice and guided to our table (and, yes, it was outside Penny’s and Guiney's). Soon we were meeting new and old friends and a glass of wine, sponsored by O'Donovan’s, went down well.

The event was sponsored by BAM Ireland and JCD and there were special thanks to Cork City Council, Cork City Forum, Elbow Lane Brewery, Stonewell Cider, One water, Down to Earth Materials, The Oliver Plunkett, O’Donovan’s Off Licence, The Pavilion Garden Centre, Cork Midsummer Festival. And a big round of applause too for the restaurants (management and staff) involved.

Mains by Isaac's. More on the side!

After the introductory drink and a nibble on the gorgeous Arbutus Bread (with butter), it didn't take long at all and the 400 were settling into the House starter: Carpaccio of baby radish, gold and red beets with tahini grapefruit and pistachio. Loved that mix of flavours, textures, not forgetting colours. A very promising start indeed.

Lamb was the main course at all the tables and Isaac’s came up with Slow roast shoulder of lamb with summer greens, spiced aubergines, and Ballycotton new potatoes. The best of ingredients plus the top class cooking forever associated with the MacCurtain Street venue made for a lot of happy diners at Table B!

The first two courses were excellent and the high standard was maintained right to the sweet end with the appearance of the ORSO dessert: Pecan and local honey baklava with gooseberry and elderflower compote, and Toonsbridge ricotta cream. A delightful dessert indeed, made even more so by the tang of the compote.

All that had to be done then was finish off the wine and head up the street to see how the others were doing. Met diners and restaurateurs alike and it was a case of thumbs up in all cases. Happy out!

The event was part of the Cork Midsummer Festival which continues for another week. See the programme for the coming week here.

Dessert by ORSO