6 July 2026
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
More than 120 guests gathered in Kildorrery on Thursday, 25 June, for Taste the Golden Vale – A Flavour of Ballyhoura, a unique culinary experience celebrating the exceptional producers, growers, chefs and hospitality businesses of Ballyhoura Country and the wider Golden Vale, including North Cork, East Limerick, South Tipperary and West Waterford.
Organised as part of the annual Hillfest Festival, the evening brought together three renowned local hospitality businesses—O’Callaghan’s Café & Delicatessen, Thatch & Thyme, and Praline Chocolate & Pastry Café & School—to create an unforgettable three-course menu inspired by the region’s rich agricultural heritage and outstanding local produce.
Guests were welcomed with a farmers’ market with a difference, featuring local food producers, growers, makers and artists from across the region, including Blackwater Distillery, Praline Chocolate & Pastry Café & School, Open Hearth Farm, GeoMaps, CK53 Design, Lough Gur Pottery, Galtee Honey Farm, Deirdre Dunne, Kilbrack Farm and Donnybrook Farm. The evening was complemented by live traditional music from the local Comhaltas group, creating a warm and authentic welcome.
Speaking during the evening, Kate O’Callaghan of O’Callaghan’s Café & Delicatessen in Mitchelstown reflected on the area’s rich food heritage.
“For me, the Golden Vale and Ballyhoura Country are about generations of people who have been working the land to produce world-class food for centuries. If I look at our own town of Mitchelstown, we have several families with generations of this commitment to food—from Horgan’s and Hanley’s to the MacGillycuddys and even our own family. O’Callaghan’s has been proud to serve the people of Mitchelstown and its surrounding communities for over 30 years, and this connection to place is what makes the area so special.”
The evening celebrated not only exceptional food but also the close relationships between chefs, farmers and producers that define the region’s food culture.
Joanne McEldowney, owner of Thatch & Thyme in Kildorrery, highlighted the importance of sourcing ingredients locally.
“I absolutely love working with local producers and creating dishes which showcase what’s great in the area. On the way in tonight you met Noreen from Donnybrook Farm in Doneraile—she supplies our restaurant here on a daily basis, and her wonderful produce is also in our salads tonight. We also used Eight Degrees Brewing’s Bojanter Stout from Mitchelstown in our short rib beef. It’s fantastic to work with people who are suppliers, neighbours and friends.”
For Norma Kelly of Praline Chocolate & Pastry Café & School in Mitchelstown, the evening demonstrated how the landscape itself shapes the flavours of the region.
“I love that you can taste the land in Golden Vale and Ballyhoura Country products. Joanne cooked with Eight Degrees stout, and we also use it in our chocolates. All of the Eight Degrees beers are made with soft sandstone water flowing from the Galtee Mountains, so no other beer tastes quite like it. The same goes for Galtee Honey, which we also use in our chocolates—the bees feed on ivy and heather growing on the Galtees, creating a flavour that is completely unique to this region.”
The event highlighted the growing appeal of slow-food tourism, where visitors are encouraged to connect with the people behind the produce and experience the stories, traditions and landscapes that shape every meal.
Ballyhoura has long been recognised as one of Ireland’s pioneers of community-led tourism, championing an approach that places local people, businesses and communities at the heart of the visitor experience. Events such as Taste the Golden Vale bring this vision to life by bringing together producers, chefs, artisans and communities to celebrate the region’s unique identity while creating authentic experiences for visitors.
This community-led approach extends far beyond food. Visitors to Ballyhoura Country can explore heritage sites, scenic walking and cycling trails, wellness experiences, vibrant towns and villages, and a calendar of events shaped by the people who live and work in the region. Together, these experiences showcase the area’s rich culture, outstanding landscapes and genuine hospitality.
Located at the southern gateway to Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Ballyhoura Country provides the perfect base from which to discover the exceptional food culture of the wider Golden Vale, alongside outdoor adventure, heritage and authentic rural experiences. By working together, local communities, producers and tourism businesses continue to strengthen Ballyhoura’s reputation as one of Ireland’s leading community-led destinations.