The Burren Slow Food Festival is back this May and it’s all about nourishing body and soul, through food and wellness.
The event organized by Slow Food Clare is Ireland’s longest running food festival and will take place on Sunday May 19th starting with the farmers market at 10.30am followed by chefs’ demos at 12pm at the Pavilion in Lisdoonvarna – part of a month-long festival of wellness, hosted by the Burren Ecotourism Network.
Visitors can expect a diverse array of culinary delights, with local producers on hand to share the stories behind their products and the health benefits they offer.
From artisanal cheeses, local honey, distilled products to freshly caught seafood, the festival showcases the best of what the Burren region has to offer – including an artisan farmers’ market, cookery demonstrations and wellness talks.
This year there is a great line-up of executive chefs sharing their knowledge: Jonathan Farrell from Gregans Castle, Peter Jackson from the Roadside Tavern, Martyn Whyte from Glas at Hotel Doolin and Jonathan Keane from The Lodge at Ashford Castle.
The much-loved Burren Slow Food Banquet will take place in the Burren Storehouse on the night before the festival – a double celebration as it also marks the Burren Smokehouse’s 35th year in business. The evening will start with a champagne reception. Executive chef Peter Jackson and his team from the Roadside Tavern will create a five-course dinner with locally produced ingredients.
According to Birgitta Hedin Curtin, the festival organizer, “An important part of Wellness is the food that we eat. The Burren area offers a range of small batch production high nutrition food produced in pristine limestone soil and Atlantic coastal water. Many of these foods will be sold at the Burren Slow Food Festival directly by the producer. They can tell the story and health benefits of their foods.”
This is nowhere more evident than in the GEOfood brand, which was launched at the festival in 2022 and now has 12 food producers onboard.
Carol Gleeson, Manager of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark said: “GEOfood is an initiative within UNESCO Global Geoparks to promote the health, environmental and economic benefits of locally grown and produced food. Supporting local producers not only helps the local economy, it is good for our gut, reduces the food miles of food, guarantees freshness, encourages seasonal eating and strengthens food security. Promoting this brand and concept will encourage more producers to develop and grow and local shops, markets and restaurants to stock and showcase their produce.”
GEOfood is perfectly aligned to the Burren which has a rich food story, dating back to the 12th century and the Cistercian monks at Corcomroe Abbey who farmed there. Nowadays the area is renowned for its top- quality food products, boasting two Michelin starred restaurants; The Wild Honey inn in Lisdoonvarna and Homestead Cottage in Doolin.
Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO of the Burren Ecotourism Network said members of the Burren Ecotourism Network were delighted to be working with Slow Food Clare again in 2024.
He said: “May is Burren Wellness Month where we will be advocating for the many businesses in the area that provide wellness activities, treatments, and classes. These range from walking guides, yoga centres, surfing instructors, gyms and indoor spas and compliment the high quality foods for which the Burren is famous for.”
The event is sponsored by Flogas and the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Unesco Global Geopark.
