Ireland’s Food Festivals 2014

Fancy hopping in the car and taking a spin to foodie paradise? Here’s our guide to some of the best food festivals taking place around Ireland in 2014. If you would like to share an event with us please drop us an email hi {at} ilovecooking.ie

16 – 18 May 2014: Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food & Wine 

Location: Ballymaloe House & Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry, Co Cork

Now in it’s second year, the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine is dedicated to the celebration of food and wine. On offer are some fantastic events offering panel discussions, readings, screenings, workshops, Q&A sessions, foraging walks and talks, craft beer and cider demonstrations, displays, food & wine theatre, cookery demonstrations, wine tastings, competitions, literary lunches and literary dinners.

 

22 – 25 May 2014: Wexford Food and Wine Festival 2014 

Location: Various venues in Wexford, Co Wexford

The Wexford Food and Wine Festival celebrates its 6th Birthday this year. Following the huge success of the last five festivals, this festival has established itself as a must attend premier food and drink event in the South East.

 

 23 – 25 May 2014: Burren Slow Food Festival 

Location: Pavilion Theatre Complex, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare

The Burren Slow Food Festival is a three day event showcasing the best of food culture in Clare, featuring produce from local growers, producers and traders supplying local high quality foods. The festival aims to provide a true taste of Clare culture in the beautiful Burren setting.

 

25 May 2014: Sheridans Irish Food Festival 

Location: Virginia Road Station, Pottlereagh, Kells, Co. Meath

Sheridans Cheesemongers will host its 5th Irish food festival in Co Meath. A huge array of Ireland’s top food producers will be there to sell, sample and talk about their wonderful foods.

 

29th May – 2 June 2014: Bloom

Location:Phoenix Park, Dublin

Bloom offers something for everyone, a fantastic family event. Visitors to Bloom will enjoy cookery and craft demonstrations, free gardening advice from the experts, Irish food produce, live entertainment and gardening workshops. Kids attend Bloom for free!

 

30 May – 01 June 2014: Foynes Irish Coffee Festival 

Location: Foynes, Co. Limerick

Foynes Irish Coffee Festival is a 3 day festival celebrating the creation of Irish Coffee in Foynes in 1943.  Events include the Irish Coffee Making Championship, a float parade, outdoor concerts, ceili, a spectacular fireworks display over the River Shannon, circus workshops, street entertainers, a food and craft fair, 5K charity run, carnivals, and Rib tours on the Estuary. All events are completely free of charge.

12 – 15 June 2014: Taste of Dublin 

Location: Iveagh Gardens, Dublin

The Iveagh Gardens will be transformed into Taste of Dublin for four days. This is a summer delight of eating, drinking and entertainment. 20 of the city’s latest, greatest and hottest restaurants will be dishing up their finest in an unbeatable alfresco gourmet feast, while 100 producers provide a bounty of the best food and beverages, ensuring that guests sample and shop for a range of produce in the laid back atmosphere of a boutique food market.

20 – 22 June 2014: Dunmore East Festival of Food Fish & Fun 

Location: Dunmore East, Co Waterford

Dunmore East Festival of Food, Fish & Fun promises a weekend full of family fun, great food and live entertainment with a large market held in the harbour. Dunmore East has lots to offer and this festival showcases that by highlighting its many attractions.

 

20 – 22 June 2014: Bia Lover 

Location: Athenry, Co. Galway

Bia Lover is a family friendly festival that celebrates all that is great about Irish food.

 

27 – 29 June 2014 –Féile an Phráta

Location: Ballydavid, Co Kerry

Féile an Phráta is an annual celebration of the humble potato and its vital role, historic and contemporary, in the lives of the West Kerry community.

 

28 – 29 June 2014: Flavours of Fingal 

Location: Newbridge House and Farm, Donabate, Co. Dublin

Experience family fun at the farm and mouth watering locally produced food, all in the rustic setting of Newbridge House and Farm at the Flavours of Fingal Show.  And that’s not all there is a wide range of activities for the family including doggie shows, livestock competitions, arts and crafts activities, cooking exhibitions and cake bake offs, this value for money show is the ideal way to embrace the outdoors.

 

 28 – 29 June 2014: The Taste of Meath 

Location: Oldbridge Estate, Drogehda, Co. Meath

Taste of Meath is a free artisan food event showcasing the best of locally produced foods from the Boyne Valley and county Meath region. Organised by the Meath Artisan Producers in conjunction with the OPW.

 

 

 12 – 14 July 2014: Kenmare Food Carnival 

Location: Kenmare, Co Kerry

Kenmare Food Carnival is a 3 day event celebrating food! This fun filled event sees the town come alive to showcase its wonderful restaurants, cafes, food producers and to celebrate food in a fun carnival atmosphere. There is something for everyone here including a taste trail, farmers’ markets, cookery demos, ‘little foodies’ workshops for the kids, a drinks quarter, carnival parade, Retro Helter Skelter and music in the streets.

 

12 – 13 July 2014: Valentia Island King Scallop Festival 

Location: Knightstown, Valentia Island

The second weekend in July sees the return of the 5th year of the Valentia Island King Scallop Festival with families and friends congregating on the waterfront in Knightstown to feast on fresh Valentia Island King Scallops. There will be live music from the festival stage along with children’s activities such as scallop shell painting and bouncing castle throughout the weekend.

 

 

08 – 09 August 2014: Taste of Cavan 

Location: Cavan Town, Co Cavan

The Taste of Cavan, now in its 3rd year, is a two day festival of food guaranteeing a sumptuous foodie and family experience.
The event showcases extraordinary and diverse local food producers, chefs and restaurants in County Cavan. The event gives visitors an opportunity to sample and purchase the finest of Cavan fare from award winning cheeses, hand made chocolate, ice cream and organic sausages to boxty, breads, muffins, mushrooms, liquors, honey, meats and local jams. Enjoy food demonstrations on both days by top Irish chefs.

 

22 – 24 August 2014: Doolin Craft Beer Festival 

 

Location: Hotel Doolin, Fitz’s Cross, Doolin, Co. Clare

The Doolin Craft Beer Festival is back for the third year running with the same winning ingredients – great beers from craft brewers all around Ireland, some of Clare’s best musicians, and food from local artisan producers.

 

22 – 24 August 2014: A Taste of Donegal Food Festival 

Location: Donegal Town, Co Donegal

A Taste of Donegal has established itself as a must attend event in the north west. The festival brings together top restaurants, hotels and food, drink and lifestyle product providers in a beautiful tented village on the pier.

 

05 – 14 September 2014:  A Taste of West Cork Food Festival

Location: Skibbereen, Co Cork

A Taste of West Cork Festival is a premier showcase event which encompasses the entire food producing community in West Cork. West Cork is traditionally a farming and fishing community dotted with small market towns and a number of fishing villages. West Cork has long been a sought after destination for tourists, now this region has a proud reputation for producing some of the best artisan food in Ireland.

 

12 – 14 September 2014:  Flavour of Killorglin 

Location: Killorglin, Co Kerry

The Flavour of Killorglin celebrates the culinary delights Kerry has to offer. There will be fantastic food events to get involved with.

 

 25 – 28 September 2014: Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival 

Location: Galway City

Galway City  will come alive with seafood and oysters as it celebrates the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival. It is Ireland’s oldest food festival and the world’s longest running oyster festival.

 

 26 – 28 September 2014: Macroom Food Festival

Location: Macroom, Co Cork

Macroom Food Festival begins in the bars and restaurants around Macroom with a week of special local-focus menus, celebrating the very best of Cork’s food heritage.

 

 

03 – 05 October 2014: Bia Bó Finne – A Taste of Inishbofin 

Location: Inishbofin Island, Co. Galway

Held in the beautiful surroundings of Inishboffin – ‘Bia Bofinne – A Taste of Inishbofin’ celebrates all things local, with a focus on traditional food, arts and crafts.

 

 

 10 – 12 October 2014: Kinsale Gourmet Festival 

Location: Kinsale, Co Cork

The 38th Kinsale Gourmet Festival is a celebration of all the culinary delights that Kinsale has to offer. Visitors come from far and wide to attend the sell-out weekend and are never disappointed by the mixture of great food and superb fun on offer. Other exciting events over the weekend include a celebrity chef cook-off; and an 8 course Degustation black tie dinner showcasing the best of West Cork Produce and champagnes from the festival sponsors.

If you have an event you wish to include please email us hi {at} ilovecooking.ie