3 October 2021
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Blas na hÉireann have announced the award winners for 2021, with 40 winners from Cork
With the annual pilgrimage to Dingle – for the in-person awards – stalled, this year’s winners tuned in for a second year running from every corner of the country for a virtual celebration of the very best in Irish food.
The team at Blas na hÉireann has been working tirelessly since March to ensure that Blas 2021 went ahead, sustaining their commitment to celebrating the very best in Irish food and drink. Chairperson Artie Clifford feels that now, more than ever, it is essential to shine a light and give that all important boost to the talented producers dotted around the island.
Head of Enterprise, LEO South Cork, Sean O’Sullivan says “Congratulations to all of the businesses recognised through these Blas na hÉireann awards, and to Easy Freezy by Happy Days Ice Cream who were awarded Best in County along with all of the other outstanding Cork prize winners. These businesses are testament to the high quality, vibrant producers we have throughout the county showcasing the best of what Cork has to offer through the wide range of food and drink products considered for these awards.”
“These are the 14th annual Blas na hÉireann awards,” says Artie, “and despite the very challenging situation, I am delighted to report a record entry level from producers right across the island. This large increase in entries has raised the bar across all categories, allowing us to introduce new products and producers to the buyers and press with whom we work, which is really exciting. Congratulations to all the winners and to every producer who participated. It is always such a rewarding experience to see the wealth of exceptional foods being produced on the island of Ireland, and this has been the best year yet.”
Now in their 14th year, the Blas na hÉireann awards are the all-island food awards that recognise the very best Irish food and drink products, and the passionate people behind them. The biggest blind tasting of produce in the country, the criteria on which the product is judged as well as the judging system itself, which was developed by Blas na hÉireann with the Food Science Dept of UCC and the University of Copenhagen, is now recognised as an industry gold standard worldwide.
Products from every county in Ireland were entered into this year’s competition to win Gold, Silver or Bronze Blas na hÉireann awards in over 150 food and drink categories, as well as key awards like Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer.
The bronze, silver and gold winners from Cork across a range of different categories are:
1. Bandon Vale – Bronze
2. Blackwater Honey – Gold
3. Bó Rua Farm – Bronze
4. Caherbeg Free Range Pork Ltd. – Gold
5. Cape Clear Island Distillery – Bronze
6. Clonakilty Food Company – Silver
7. Clonakilty Gluten Free Kitchen (associated with Scally’s SuperValu) – Gold & Silver
8. Eazy Freezy Gold, Bronze, Best in Munster and Best in Cork supported by LEO Cork
9. Fitzgerald Butchers – Bronze
10. Follain – Gold, Silver & Bronze
11. Gloun Cross Dairy – Silver & Bronze
12. Good Fortune Cookies – Bronze
13. Hanleys Puddings Ltd. – Bronze
14. Hanna’s Market Café – Bronze
15. Happy Days Artisan Ice Cream – Silver
16. Hassetts Bakers & Confectioners Ltd. – Silver
17. Hodgins Sausages – Silver
18. Irish Yogurts Clonakilty – Gold, Silver & Bronze
19. Jude’s Chocolates – Bronze
20. Keohane Seafoods – Gold, Silver & Bronze
21. Kepak – Gold, Bronze and Chef’s Larder
22. Kinsale Mead Co. – Silver
23. Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products Ltd. – Gold & Silver
24. Maggie’s Homemade Jam – Bronze
25. McCarthy’s of Kanturk – Gold
26. North Cork Creameries – Gold
27. Ó Crualaoi Feoil Teo – Silver & Bronze
28. On The Pigs Back (La charcuterie Irlandaise Ltd.) – Gold
29. Rebel Chilli – Gold
30. Rebel City Distillery – Silver
31. Saturday Pizzas – Bronze
32. Shannonvale – Bronze
33. Skeaghanore West Cork Farm – Gold & Bronze
34. Spice O Life Ltd. – Bronze
35. Stonewell Cider – Gold & Bronze
36. Tom Durcan – Gold & Bronze
37. Durrus Cheese – Gold
38. Velo Coffee Roasters – Silver
39. West Cork Distillers – Gold
40. White Rabbit BBQ – Bronze
