Gourmet grub at Olde Glen and Black Pig back on track

Gourmet grub at Olde Glen and the Black Pig back on track.
Goldfinch comes for food on Donegal Day 6

Finished off another terrific day in Donegal with a superb meal in the Olde Glen Bar, where the proprietor Cormac Walsh has Cork connections. Started off with an excellent local (Carrigart) Smoked Salmon served with horse radish, crème fraiche and crispy capers. Our other starter was the Smoked Duck Salad served with a beetroot carpaccio, somewhat drier than the Ummera product but enjoyable nonetheless.

Picked my mains off the specials board: Pan-fried Turbot with crab butter and champ. Excellent, right down to the humble champ! CL choose from the regular list and absolutely enjoyed her Herb Crusted fillet of Cod with a butter bean and chorizo ragout. Both the beans and the chorizo added to the delicious cod.

Happy out and even happier as we polished off the dessert, both going for the Tunisian Orange Cake, a favourite in these quarters! Wine, by the way, was also a winner. It was the Walnut Block Collectible Sauvignon Blanc 2012 from Marlborough (New Zealand). 

After a lazy start, overdue, we headed for Fintown and itsnarrow gauge railway, the only piece of railway infrastructure that remains of the 220 miles of narrow gauge railway that operated in Donegal in the early 20^th century.

Now Traenach na Gaeltachta Lair operate a single carriage diesel engined railcar over a three and a quarter mile picturesque stretch along the shores of Lough Finn and under the shadow of three large hills, the highest of which is Achla (598m).

View on the train trip

The reopening was in June 1995 and the locals quickly christened the loco the “Black Pig”. The proper name is Railcar 18 and it is an original railcar of the County Donegal Railway which entered service in 1940. Much more info on the website above.

Headed back then towards the coast and the sun came out through the clouds. Sun or no sun the turf was being saved on the bogs between Dungloe and Gweedore. On the previous day’s trip, we had skipped Horn Head and that was to be rectified today.

Turned off in Dunfanaghy and headed up the narrow road to the head which gives great views, to the right towards Rosguill and to the left towards the islands including Tory. Hard to hold the camera in the wind up there.

Tory Island

Somewhat easier to do so during that lazy morning as we watched the birds come to feed outside the cottage half-door. There was a “stranger” there this morning, with a beautiful Goldfinch joining his green cousins. Not too sure he was welcomed though!

Goldfinch (left)

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Fantastic Fantasia, Daniel O'Donnell and the sands of Bunbeg

Fantastic Fantasia, Daniel O'Donnell and the sands of Bunbeg

The bar at Ostan Gweedore overlooks the sands of Bunbeg.

Today’s smashing weather was an unexpected bonus. Spurred by the early morning sun and thinking it wouldn’t last too long, we headed off south for a change, down to Dungloe with our intention being to slowly work our way back up the coast. The sun stayed and we enjoyed another fab day in Donegal, rounded off just a short while ago with a tremendous Italian meal in Davide Tullio’s La Fantasia in Letterkenny. The sun was still there as we drove back, though dipping!

But let me begin in Dungloe where there are at least two big names, Daniel O’Donnell and Pat The Cope Gallagher. The Cope gave the young Daniel a job in one of his many outlets but Daniel could probably buy the entire village now and have plenty of money left.

Daniel's school bag!

It wasn't always so and his story, a really fantastic life of achievement, is detailed in the Daniel O’Donnell Visitor Centre in the town. Many highlights of his life and career are recalled here, including the famous Red Book from the This is Your Life series, just one of many very impressive honours given to the popular singer. Lots more memorabilia here too including gold and platinum discs.

Burtonport

Had a lovely pot of tea (no, not at Daniel’s!) but at the local community centre cafe. The centre also houses the library, the tourist office and other offices. But the café is worth a call. They serve great little bites and are very friendly indeed.

On then to Burtonport, from where the ferry leaves from Arannmore Island. The day was fine and we were tempted but decided to stick with the original plan. Burtonport hosts a memorial to eleven young men from two trawlers, the Evelyn Marie and the Carraig Una, that were lost nearby in 1995 and 1996 respectively.

As we moved through the Rosses, our next stop was Kincaslough, the home of Daniel O’Donnell. No queues for tea here anymore. Great views out to sea as we headed up the coast and then to Annagary and Crolly and then inland to Gweedore and beyond to get a better view of Errigal, the highest mountain in the county.

For many miles around here, it dominates the landscape just as Mont Ventoux does in Provence. We drove as far as Dunlewy, getting a close-up of the spectacular mountain and also great views of the valleys below, including the Poisoned Glen.

Back then towards the coast again and soon we were on the magnificent stretch of sands by Bunbeg. Had a good stroll there and then headed up to the Ostan Gweedore. The balcony of the bar here has a super view of the sands and the waters and here we relaxed and took it all in.

Wreck at Bunbeg

More great coastal sights as we continued the drive north with famous names such as Bloody Foreland and Tory island coming into view. We closed the day’s loop at Gortahork feeling privileged and spoiled. Back “home” via Dunfanaghy and Portablagh to Downies.

There was a pretty quick turnaround and we were on the road again, this time heading off to La Fantasia in Letterkenny.  Started off with Cozze Pomodoro (Sauté mussels in a spicy tomato sauce) while CL enjoyed her Bruschetta alla Pomodoro (4.50). Mine was €6.90.

Mains were superb. Pollo Cacciatora is a favourite of CL’s and remains so after a lovely plateful of Pan Fired Chicken served with onions, peppers, mushrooms, white wine and a spicy tomato garlic sauces, all for €16.50.

Vitella al pepe verde (23.90) was my choice, Irish thin cuts of veal served in a green peppercorn sauce. All main  dishes are served with a choice of side dishes so by the time I added Rosemary potatoes and CL added Vegetables we had quite substantial meals in front of us. Good stuff and good value.

Wine was, naturally enough, Italian, an IGT Sangiovese from the Adriatic region of Molise, along the Adriatic Sea between Puglia and Abruzzo.  It was dry and mellow with smooth tannins, quite a pleasing, easy-to-drink red wine.

So that was about it, aside from the gorgeous Tiramisu, of course!
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Feed the birds and tales of wealth at the castle!

Feed the birds and tales of wealth at the castle!
Donegal. Day 4.

Finch feeding frenzy

“I ask of you two^ things...Please feed the birds. They will probably bully you until you do anyway...It’s in the yellow tins to the right of the Aga.”

Normally when you hire a property, you get a long list of dos and don’ts. But our lady had a very short list. And that first request was easy to comply with, especially since we feed our bunch at home in the city. Much the same mix of birds here with the notable addition of a posse of greenfinch.

The Aga too comes in handy, especially today after the weather changed. A bad morning followed by an okay afternoon and now the fog is in!

Still we had quite an excursion to Glenveagh National Park and Castle. The Park covers over 16000 hectares close to Letterkenny, a beautiful stark wilderness of rugged mountains and pristine lakes. Prices are very low, about half what you’d be paying in the continent for a comparable attraction.

There is an office close to the entrance and here you pay three euro for a shuttle bus to take you the four kilometres to the castle where the entrance fee is a fiver. It is a guided tour and our genial host was Vincent.

There were about six or seven tour buses parked there so the shuttles were busy. Don’t know how the midges arrived but there were zillions of the pesky feckers and I reckon there were people scratching in public that never scratched in public before.

The estate of Glenveagh was created in 1857-9 by the purchase of several smaller holdings by John George Adair, a wealthy land speculator. Adair was to later incur infamy throughout Donegal and Ireland by ruthlessly evicting some 244 tenants in the Derryveagh Evictions of 1861, the “sad side” of the story according to Vincent.

There were better times under its most recent private owner Mr Henry McIlhenny of Philadelphia who bought the estate in 1937. Henry McIlhenny was an Irish American whose grandfather John McIlhenny grew up in Milford a few miles north of Glenveagh. After buying the estate McIlhenny devoted much time to restoring the castle and developing its gardens.

Eventually McIlhenny began to find travelling to and from Ireland too demanding and the upkeep of the estate was also becoming a strain. In 1975 he agreed the sale of the estate to the Office of Public Works allowing for the creation of a National Park. In 1983 he bestowed the castle to the nation along with its gardens and much of the contents.

Glenveagh National Park opened to the public in 1984 while the castle opened in 1986. The Castle  is a super visit, all the more so if you have Vincent to guide you. He will tell all about the famous people who were wined and dined here and, among so much more, will point out the decanter that McIlhenny received as a present in the 1950s, a decanter that holds no less than eight bottles of whiskey!

There is much to see and do here in the park, including many walks. After viewing the castle gardens, including the walled one, and also the lakeside swimming pool (alas no longer heated as it was in the good days), we confined ourselves to just one walk and that was about four kilometres back to the entrance. To find out more about the walks, the gardens, the many events, please check out the park’s website.

There is a tea rooms at the castle and a brilliant restaurant at the entrance. We popped in there after our walk and had a terrific choice and enjoyed great service as well. The circular place is really bright and spacious and has a shop alongside. I absolutely enjoyed my Chicken curry with rice but was surprised that my bottled water, Prince’s Gate, came from Wales, not that I’ve anything against the Welsh, but would have thought a state run park would have had one of the many Irish waters, maybe even a Glenveagh water, for sale.

Swimming pool with a view!

Still time for another castle before returning to our hillside haven in the fog! This is under the office of public works and, called Castle Doe, is on the edge of Sheephaven Bay. Doe Castle is situated about one mile off the Carrigart-Creeslough road.

Built in the 16th century, this MacSuibhne castle is one of the better preserved in the north-west of Ireland. It was here that Owen Roe O'Neill returned in 1642 to lead the Irish Confederate Army during the Wars of the three kingdoms.

From history to trivia. Brian McFadden proposed to his (now ex-) wife, Kerry Katona at the castle in 2001.

^ The second thing was also pretty easy to comply with.
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THE ‘NEW YORKER’ BAR LAUNCHES

THE ‘NEW YORKER’ BAR LAUNCHES

 Aaron Mansworth, General Manager, Noreen O'Donoghue, Food and Beverage Assistant, Hugh Bailey, Executive Chef and Brid Ryan, Conference and Banqueting Manager at the launch of the New Yorker Bar at the Cork International Airport Hotel.  

A new American style bar and restaurant, The New Yorker, will be officially opened at the Cork International Airport Hotel on Thursday, 20 June 2013.  

Following extensive investment of over half a million euro, the New Yorker is set to be a new and favourite eatery and bar with visitors and locals alike. 

“The local market is very important to us, and we really wanted to offer a stylish place for people in Cork to come and enjoy superb food and drink along with a great atmosphere and our renowned warm welcome,” said Aaron Mansworth, General Manager at the Cork Airport International Hotel.

“Since the extensive redevelopment by the new owners, the hotel has been exceptionally busy, and we are delighted to have a unique menu and casual dining for our visitors to the hotel and to Cork”, he added.  

The four star hotel is extending a warm welcome to join the official opening celebrations on the 20^th June where some New Yorker style surprises and goody bags will be on offer.

Executive chef, Hugh Bailey will be showcasing the new menu, which varies from week to week and accommodates all dietary requirements, using only the best artisan and locally sourced produce.   The New Yorker also boasts a wide selection of wines, spirits, whiskeys and cocktails from the four corners of the globe.

The opening of the New Yorker bar and restaurant is the latest in a series of new developments and offerings at the Cork International Airport Hotel.   

The ‘Lobby Lunch’ also recently launched, and from 12.30pm -3.30pm  on Sundays, the buffet offers guests and locals alike a great selection of starters, soups , salads, carvery specials, dessert buffet and a special selection of healthy options for kids.  Music and children’s entertainment is laid on to ensure a perfect Sunday for all the family.    The ‘Lobby Lunch’ Sunday Buffett is available at a rate of €25 for adults and €5 per head for each child.

The Tannery scoops Santa Rita Best Restaurant Award 2013

Top restaurants in Ireland announced at the

Santa Rita Irish Restaurant Awards 2013

The Tannery scoops Santa Rita Best Restaurant Award 2013

Waterford restaurant, The Tannery, scooped the Santa Rita Best Restaurant Award and Sunil Ghai, Head Chef at Ananda restaurant in Dundrum, has been crowned Best Chef in Ireland at the Santa Rita Irish Restaurant Awards 2013 at the Burlington Hotel last night (Monday 10^th June 2013).

Almost 800 restaurateurs and industry players turned out to attend Ireland’s biggest ever restaurant awards where regional and all-Ireland winners were announced in the following categories:

The Tannery                                         Best Restaurant in Ireland Sponsored by Santa Rita

Sunil Ghai of Ananda                           Best Chef in Ireland Sponsored by Tipperary Water

The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet            Best Hotel Restaurant in Ireland Sponsored by Pallas Foods

The Brewer’s House                             Best Gastro Pub in Ireland Sponsored by Faustino

Saba                                                    Best Casual Dining in Ireland Sponsored by Joseph Drouhin

Renvyle House Hotel                            Best Customer Service in Ireland Sponsored by La Rousse Foods

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud                 Best Wine Experience in Ireland Sponsored by Thomas Barton

The Exchequer                                     Best Cocktail Experience Sponsored by Smirnoff Mojito

Sol Rio Restaurant                               Best Kids Size Me Menu in Ireland Sponsored by Heinz

Glenilen Farm                                      Local Food Hero in Ireland Sponsored by LIFE Magazine

Ox                                                        Best Newcomer in Ireland Sponsored by Discover Diners Club

Idaho Café                                            Best Café in Ireland Sponsored by United Coffee

The Happy Pear                                    Best Digital Marketing in Ireland Sponsored by QT Comments

Declan Maxwell of Chapter One            Best Restaurant Manager in Ireland Sponsored by Champagne Pannier and Classic Drink

For a full list of winners, see below.

Pádraic Óg Gallagher, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, said:

“This year’s awards have been the biggest, brightest - and the best. They are the awards everyone wants to be associated with, and everyone wants to be a winner. As a testament to their success, we’ve seen a huge increase in nominations and votes since last year, with 30,000 votes cast across 10,000 nominations for Ireland’s favourite restaurants, chefs, gastro pubs, hotel restaurants and local food heroes throughout the country. The Irish Restaurant Awards are all about celebrating those who have brought acclaim to the Irish food scene from abroad and who keep the restaurant industry thriving at home. This year, it was great to see a variety of winners across the categories - with a Waterford restaurant winning Best Restaurant in Ireland, and an ethnic chef winning Best Chef.

Ireland has so much to offer to the culinary tourist, and these awards remind everyone of the quality and class of Irish restaurants and chefs. The Irish restaurant scene is vital to the economy, employing 64,000 people and generating revenue in excess of €2 billion per year, it’s great to celebrate the work that all of our restaurateurs around the country do to keep this aspect of our culture alive and kicking.”

Sally-Anne Cooney, General Manager of Gilbeys, distributors of Santa Rita wine in Ireland, sponsor of this year’s awards, said:

“Once again, Santa Rita, the leading Chilean wine in Ireland, is delighted to be associated with these prestigious awards. As the established hospitality industry Chilean wine, we are keen to acknowledge and recognise the achievement and excellence of the restaurant and hospitality industry throughout Ireland. Santa Rita is delighted to be in a position to reward this ongoing achievement of these nominated chefs and restaurants. We have so many restaurants and chefs in Ireland who are accomplishing wonderful things, and there is something special about these particular winners and finalists. Winning this award underscores their contribution to the hospitality industry, in that they have built and sustained something that is quite unique but delivers the right culinary experience for their customers. We wish this year’s winners and finalists a heartfelt congratulations!”

Best Casual Dining Kindly Sponsored by Joseph Drouhin

v  Connaught- Café Rua, Mayo

v  Munster- Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar, Kerry

v  Leinster- An Tintáin Restaurant, Westmeath

v  Ulster- Coast, Down

v  Dublin- Saba

v  All-Ireland- Saba

Best Customer Service Kindly Sponsored by La Rousse Foods

v  Connaught- Renvyle House Hotel, Galway

v  Munster- Ballygarry House Hotel, Kerry

v  Leinster- Eastern Seaboard Bar & Grill, Louth

v  Ulster- The Olde Post Inn, Cavan

v  Dublin- Saba

v  All-Ireland- Renvyle House Hotel

Best Gastro Pub Kindly Sponsored by Faustino

v  Connaught- Eat @ Massimo, Galway

v  Munster- The Derg Inn, Tipperary

v  Leinster- Harte’s Bar & Grill, Kildare

v  Ulster- The Brewer’s House, Tyrone

v  Dublin- The Purty Kitchen

v  All-Ireland- The Brewer’s House

Best Hotel Restaurant Kindly Sponsored by Pallas Foods

v  Connaught- The Kitchen Restaurant @ Mount Falcon, Mayo

v  Munster-The Munster Room @ Waterford Castle, Waterford

v  Leinster-The Lady Helen @ Mount Juliet, Kilkenny

v  Ulster-Catalina Restaurant @ Lough Erne Resort, Fermanagh

v  Dublin-The Saddle Room @ The Shelbourne Hotel

v  All-Ireland-The Lady Helen @ Mount Juliet

Best Chef Kindly Sponsored by Tipperary Water

v  Connaught-Philippe Farineau of Mount Falcon, Mayo

v  Munster-Paul Flynn of The Tannery, Waterford

v  Leinster-Gary O’Hanlon of Viewmount House, Longford

v  Ulster-Neven Maguire of Macnean House, Cavan

v  Dublin-Sunil Ghai of Ananda

v  All-Ireland-Sunil Ghai of Ananda

Best Restaurant Kindly Sponsored by Santa Rita

v  Connaught-Aniar Restaurant, Galway

v  Leinster -Thyme Restaurant, Westmeath

v  Munster-The Tannery, Waterford

v  Ulster-Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge, Antrim

v  Dublin- Ananda

v  All-Ireland-The Tannery

Best Kids Size Me Kindly Sponsored by Heinz

v  Connaught- Sol Rio, Mayo

v  Munster- Cornstore Restaurant, Cork

v  Leinster-The Olive Grove, Westmeath

v  Ulster-The Lemon Tree, Donegal

v  Dublin-La Banca

v  All-Ireland-Sol Rio

Best Wine Experience Kindly Sponsored by Thomas Barton

v  Connaught- The Twelve Hotel, Galway

v  Munster- Hayfield Manor, Cork

v  Leinster- The K Club, Kildare

v  Ulster- Nicks Warehouse, Antrim

v  Dublin- Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

v  All-Ireland-Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

Best Just Ask! Award Kindly Sponsored by BordBia

v  Connaught- Oscar’s Seafood Bistro, Galway

v  Leinster- Sqigl Restaurant @ Roches Bar, Wexford

v  Ulster- Sargasso, Donegal

v  Dublin- Essence Bistro

v  All-Ireland- Sargasso

Engaging With The Gathering Award Kindly Sponsored by Tourism Ireland

v  Connaught- Wilde’s @ Lisloughrey Lodge, Mayo

v  Munster- Paddys Bar & Restaurant, Tipperary

v  Leinster- Sheraton Athlone Hotel, Westmeath

v  Ulster- Harveys Point Hotel, Donegal

v  Dublin- The Exchequer

v  All-Ireland- Sheraton Athlone Hotel

Other winners include:

v  Idaho Café Best Café in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by United Coffee

v  The Exchequer Best Cocktail Experience 2013 Sponsored by Smirnoff Mojito

v  Ox Best Newcomer in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Discover Diners Club

v  Restaurant FortyOne at Residence Best Private Dining and Club Restaurant in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Total Produce

v  Kai Café & Restaurant Best Restaurant Design in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Bunzl

v  Declan Maxwell of Chapter One Best Restaurant Manager in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Champagne Pannier and Classic Drinks

v  Fishy Fishy Café Best Seafood Experience in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Wrights of Howth

v  Dublin Cookery School Best Cookery School in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Avonmore

v  Chameleon Best World Cuisine Sponsored by Tiger Beer

v  The Brasserie at Bewley’s Hotel, Leopardstown Best Practice in Energy Management Sponsored by Calor

v  Aniar Restaurant Best Emerging Irish Cuisine in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Fáilte Ireland

v  Glenilen Farm Local Food Hero in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by LIFE Magazine

v  The Happy Pear Best Digital Marketing in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by QT Comments

v  Castlemurray House Hotel Best Sustainable Restaurant of the Year Sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions

Fabulous Fanad!

Fabulous Fanad!
Donegal. Day 3

Welcome to Fanad

The roads called again today, this time those of the fabulous Fanad peninsula.

But first let me tell you that we have had a spectacular drive down from our cottage on the hills above Downies every morning so far, the golden sands of Sheephaven Bay and the blue of the Atlantic waters filling the view. So there was no trace of temper at all today when we had to slow down as a farmer drove a half dozen cattle to a nearby field. Just relaxed and enjoy the view.

Fanad

Some fine views too as we left Carrickart behind and drove over the Mulroy Bay Bridge, our entrance to the Fanad peninsula. Mulroy Bay is unexpectedly large and its waters accompany us for much of the journey towards Kindrum which has its own lake.

Soon we came across the first of the day’s spectacular bays, this a very long one called Ballyhiernan Bay where we were greeted by another bunch of cattle (see pic). Fanad Head was now within easy reach and it, with its lighthouse, looked so well in the morning sunshine.

Walk (under golf course)
to access Portsalon beach

But even better sights awaited as we drove down the east coast of Fanad. Stopped at Portsalon and reached the beach via a passage sunk into the golf course, the beach trekkers protected by an overhead net, the golfers facilitated by little bridges overhead.

The beach is huge but we didn’t realise how big it is nor how beautiful the beach (and Ballymastocker Bay) is until we reached the heights of Saldanha Head. Took our breath away, the camera going click, click, click! 

Fantastic beach at Portsalon

Not so nice though for the British frigate after which the head is named as it was lost here in 1811. There were no survivors out of the estimated 253 aboard, and some 200 bodies were washed up on shore.

Called then to Rathmullan (from where the ferry crosses Lough Swilly to Buncrana) and then Ramelton. Up then to Milford and the listed St Peter’s Church, with its separate bell tower. The church was built as recently as 1961.

Old docks at Ramelton

Almost got into a panic about dinner as we realised how many of the local restaurants were closed on Mondays, indeed quite a few opening only Fri-Sun at this time of year. But, the Rosapenna Golf Hotel, perhaps the closest to us, came to the rescue.

St Peter's Church (1961) at Milford, a listed building

Sipped an aperitif in the bar as we waited. All the pictures and most of the conversation, aside from some political, currency and culinary strands, were golf orientated in the very pleasant surroundings. The restaurant, with a stunning view, over the local beach, was equally luxurious, the service Donegal soft and Donegal friendly.

Caviar Muscovite 

And the food was excellent. Starters of Caviar Muscovite and Orange Segments in Kirsch got us underway. The mains, served with lots of vegetables, were also excellent. CL was delighted with her Escalope of Veal Viennoise while my Grilled fillets of Hake with a sun-dried tomato and basil dressing was also top notch. Add in tea or coffee in the lounge and the lot, with two glasses of wine and an included 12.5% service charge, came to €79.87. Not a bad end to another brilliant day. Drops of rain now but fingers crossed for tomorrow!
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