The 33rd Annual Northern Ireland Tourism Awards 2011

Last night, Thursday 26 May 2011, saw the Northern Ireland Tourism Board (NITB) Awards, in association with Diageo Northern Ireland, being presented at a Gala Dinner held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Belfast.

The NITB Awards recognise the work and achievements of the industry and encourage the delivery of excellence for Northern Ireland’s visitors.

  

Ireland & Northern Ireland really are part and parcel of an "Irish Holiday Package" and the sooner that this becomes better integrated into Ireland’s Tourism operators’ international advertising, the better for all involved.

The night is one of the most exciting in the Northern Ireland tourism and hospitality calendar and a great night was had by all those in attendance. Carolyn Boyd, NITB Industry Development Manager said, “Northern Ireland competes with some of the best destinations in the world and the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards succeed in raising the bar right across the industry, so we can exceed visitor’s expectations.”

The Northern Ireland Tourism Awards Categories were as follows:

Excellent Events - Entries were invited from event, festival or conference organisers, in private, voluntary or public sectors, who can demonstrate significant impact and success in attracting visitors to and entertaining them in Northern Ireland.

And the Winner is: Open House Festival

Taste of Northern Ireland - Non-accommodation sector establishments that provide food and drink to locals and visitors alike. Entrants must demonstrate how they have created a customer-friendly eating experience and use local suppliers and ingredients reflecting the quality of Northern Irelands’ artisan food produce.

And the Winner is: The Parson's Nose

Hotel Accommodation - Hotel establishments that are committed to excellence in service, customer care and hospitality.

And the Winner is: Lough Erne Resort  

Serviced Accommodation - Operators of Bed & Breakfasts, guesthouses and farmhouse establishments. The organisers were looking for operators who are committed to excellence in: service, customer care and hospitality.

And the Winner is: Rayanne House

Non-Serviced Accommodation - Operators of Hostels, self-catering, camping and caravan establishments. Operators who are committed to excellence in service, customer care and hospitality.

And the Winner is: Maddybenny Mews

Best Visitor Experience - Visitor attractions and experiences – including events and tours available on a seasonal or year round basis that can demonstrate their service excellence, customer care and hospitality as well as the quality of their presentation or interpretation.

And the Winner is: NMNI, Ulster Museum

Visitor Inspired - Organisations in private, voluntary or public sectors that can demonstrate the crucial role that staff play in creating happy customers or visitors - providing them with the best customer care and/or quality experience. Entrants are encouraged to provide details of training development or continuous improvement systems and processes and how these align with their business objectives.

And the Winner is: Belfast Zoo

Marketing & Sales Experience - Private, voluntary or public sectors organisations that have undertaken effective marketing or sales initiatives or campaigns. This category must show proven results that have had a positive impact on their business. Activities should include one or more of the following: promotional campaigns, collaborative marketing, press and PR, web based and/or direct marketing and sales activities.

And the Winner is: Killyhevlin Hotel & Health Club  

Tourism Partner Initiative - Companies that have undertaken initiatives or projects in partnership with others. These include private and public partnerships, those in same sector activities or part of the supply chain.

And the Winner is: Destination Fermanagh

New Tourism Project - Organisations that have undertaken new projects to improve tourism infrastructure, products or services. These may be individual projects or those delivered in partnership with other providers/bodies.

And the Winner is: Music Tourism Belfast

Outstanding Contribution to Tourism - An organisation, person, group or initiative that has made an outstanding contribution to the tourism and hospitality industry in Northern Ireland – This is a Special Award and the recipient is selected by members of the NITB council.

And the Winner is: Belfast City Council

This year the organisers decided to ‘keep it more local’ by playing music from local Belfast band General Fiasco http://www.myspace.com/generalfiasco on the PA between presentations - a decision that went down well with all those attending!

Clare Strawson, Corporate Relations Manager at Diageo NI said:

“Diageo is proud to support the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in the ongoing development of a vibrant tourism and hospitality sector. The Northern Ireland Tourism Awards are key to a thriving tourism industry and the future success of the Northern Ireland economy. Each year the standard of shortlisted entries continue to rise and this year is no exception."

She added, "The commitment and passion demonstrated by those working in the industry is evident again this year and this approach is essential to ensure that the standards for excellence across the sector remain high. Tourism businesses who continue to strive to give visitors a unique and authentic experience will be rewarded and Diageo is committed to supporting the industry to deliver excellent hospitality as well as innovative events.”

For more details see www.nitb.com/nita2011

Don't forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this Post!
zack

Irish Restaurant Awards 2011 National Finals - Full Results & More !

For 2012 Irish Restaurant Awards - go to Homepage

It was a night of surprises - and for some, no surprise, but I'll let that sit...

Chapter One scooped the Best Restaurant Award & Mickael Viljanen, Head Chef at Gregans Castle is crowned Best Chef in Ireland! What a Night!

The Undisputed : Mr Mickael Viljanen

At the Santa Rita/Sunday Independent Irish Restaurant Awards 2011 in the Burlington Hotel, Wednesday 25^th March 2011, over 700 industry peers attended the awards ceremony where the regional and All Ireland winners were announced in the following categories:

Industry:

Best Seafood Experience 2011                 O’ Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Co. Galway

Best Ethnic Restaurant 2011                     Rasam, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

Best Newcomer 2011                                The Fatted Calf, Glasson, Co. Westmeath

Best Cocktail Experience 2011                 Saba, Dublin

Best Restaurant Design 2011                    Ely Bar and Brasserie, Dublin

Best Coffee Experience 2011                    Fallon and Byrne, Exchequer St, Dublin

Best Practice in Environmental 2011        Radisson Hotel, Dublin Airport

Best Restaurant Website 2011                  Seapoint, Monkstown, Dublin

Best Club Restaurant 2011                        Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin

Best Supplier 2011                                    Keeling’s

Best Cookery School 2011                        The Tannery, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

Best Innovation 2011                                O’ Brien Chop House, Co. Waterford

Best Food Producer 2011                         Silverhill Foods

Most Informative Menu 2011                    Bodega, Co. Waterford

Local Food Hero 2011                              Jack McCarthy, McCarthy’s of Kanturk



photo by @italianfoodie


The Regional Winners are:
Best Chef
                        Ulster                Noel McMeel, Lough Erne Resort
                        Munster             Mickael Viljanen, Gregans Castle

            Dublin                Kevin Thornton, Thornton’s

                        Leinster             Billy Whitty, Aldridge Lodge
                        Connaught        Philippe Farineau, Mount Falcon

Best Restaurant      

            Ulster                MacNean House and Restaurant

            Munster            The Tannery

            Dublin               Chapter One

            Leinster             Campagne

            Connaught         Asian Tea House

Best Casual Dining 

            Ulster                La Boca

            Munster            La Cucina

            Dublin               Michie Sushi

            Leinster             L’Olivier

            Connaught         Bar 8

Best Customer Service           

            Ulster               Harvey’s Point

            Munster            Gregans Castle

            Dublin               Chapter One

            Leinster             Chakra by Jaipur

            Connaught         Lough Inagh Lodge

Best Hotel Restaurant      

            Ulster               Snaffles Brasserie Castle Leslie

            Munster            Gregans Castle

            Dublin              The Cellar Restaurant, The Merrion Hotel

            Leinster            The Strawberry Tree, Brooklodge Wells and Spa

            Connaught        The Kitchen Restaurant, Mount Falcon

Best Gastro Pub     

            Ulster                Harry’s Bar

            Munster            Cronin’s Pub

            Dublin               L. Mulligan Grocer

             Leinster            Fallons

            Connaught        O’Dowd’s Bar and Seafood Restaurant

Best Wine Experience     

Dublin               The Winding Stair

And The Overall Winners are:

Best Restaurant 2011                Chapter One

Best Chef 2011                         Mickael Viljanen for Gregans Castle

Best Customer Service 2011      Gregans Castle

Best Casual Dining 2011            La Cucina

Best Hotel Restaurant 2011        Gregans Castle

Best Wine Experience 2011        Jacques at Greenacres

Best Gastro Pub 2011                Harry’s Bar

Local Food Hero 2011                 Jack McCarthy’s, McCarthy’s of Kanturk 

photo by @italianfoodie

A Super Supper was Served!

Guests on the night were treated to a five-course menu prepared by the winning Chefs in each of the five regions in 2010. This year’s event saw legends of the Foodie world: Danny Millar (Balloo House), Garret Byrne (Champagne), Seamus Commons (Knockranny House), Paul Flynn (The Tannery) and Eamonn O’ Reilly (One Pico) prepare a sumptuous meal for over 700 guests at a glittering black tie event – a fantastic celebration of all that is great in the Irish Restaurant Industry.

photo by @italianfoodie

A Highlight in the Restaurant Calendar

The Irish Restaurant Awards are organised by The Restaurants Association of Ireland and are sponsored by Santa Rita & Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine.

This year’s event recognized achievement and excellence in the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry, throughout the whole island of Ireland, in 22 categories. The awards celebrate all aspects of the Industry from Chefs, Restaurants, Food Producers, Cookery Schools and even Local Food Heroes!

photo by @italianfoodie

Readers of the Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine and members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland put forward nominations for the awards. The awards process ran from the beginning of February 2011 until the 25^th of May 2011 whereby nominated Restaurants faced scrutiny from the Consumer, Regional Judges, a Mystery Guest Visitor and finally the National Awards Academy. The County winners were announced at a number of Regional events, over the last few months, in the run up to the Main Event last night in the Burlington Hotel Dublin.

Don’t Forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this post!

zack

My Brother brings a new production of "Waiting for Godot" to Trinity College !

Waiting for Godot

by Samuel Beckett

at

The Players Theatre in Trinity College

27th June - 2nd July 2011

Directed by Seamus Gallagher

with:

Gerry Doyle as "Pozzo", Colin Carpenter as "Lucky", Terry Martin as "Estragon", Pacellio O'Rourke as "Vladimir" and introducing 10 year old Joe Gallagher as "the Boy".

Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's premiere. It was voted "the most significant English language play of the 20th century".

Waiting for Godot is Beckett's translation of his own original French version, En attendant Godot, and is subtitled (in English only) "a tragicomedy in two acts". The original French text was composed by Beckett between 9 October 1948 and 29 January 1949. The première was on 5 January 1953 in the Théâtre de Babylone, Paris.

The Player's Theatre is housed in same area as the Samuel Beckett Centre within the historic walls of Trinity College Dublin. For over 400 years Trinity has produced some of the world’s great minds across the sciences and the humanities, including two Nobel Laureates, Samuel Beckett in literature and Ernest Walton in science.

Literary greats such as Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde are followed by the creative genius of more recent graduates, such as writers, Michael Longley, Derek Mahon, Anne Enright and Sebastian Barry.

For more details contact Seamus Gallagher

This Week’s Guest Chef – Martin Anderson

Martin Anderson, a native of Donegal, began his career at the then world famous tourism college Killybegs.  Graduating in 1986, Martin worked his way around Ireland and then on to Paris, where he completed his training in the prestigious Four star Lotti Hotel. On returning home Martin was appointed head chef at the Errigal hotel, Letterkenny. 

After publishing the Highland Breakfast Cookery Book co written with John Breslin, Martin realised there was a need for a private cookery school in the North West of Ireland. The Crest Cookery School was founded in 2005. In 2008 Chef Martin expanded the catering company with the purchase of a mobile catering Kitchen aptly named the Gourmet Express from which he serves gourmet fast food at festivals, corporate and charity events.

Richard Corrigan and Martin Anderson

Cookery Displays by Martin & his friend (and ex-chef) radio presenter John Breslin are good fun!

Martin's Donegal Bay Mussels with Lemongrass, Coconut and Chilli

This recipe from Chef Martin Anderson, is a Thai-style version of the classic steamed mussel dish. Serve it in a large bowl with crusty bread and a glass of your favourite wine it is perfect for sharing at an informal dinner party or even as part of a BBQ.

You will need...

½ lemongrass stem, finely chopped.

2 red chilli's, seeds removed, thinly sliced lengthways. Remember to wash your hands afterwards when chopping the chilli’s !!!

1 dessert spoon of ginger paste.

150ml coconut milk

2 tsp fish sauce

2kg fresh mussels

Chopped coriander

Donegal Rapeseed oil for cooking.

Method

1. Wash and pick the mussels pulling out the beard. Discard any that are open, tapping on the shell may close them but if they do not close,  don’t risk it.

2. Heat a little oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the lemongrass, chilli and ginger. Cook for 1 minute stirring all the time

3. Add the coconut milk and fish sauce, Increase the heat to high and then bring to the boil.

4. Add the mussels and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the mussels, shaking the pan occasionally, for 5 minutes or until opened. Discard any unopened mussels.

5. Stir in the coriander and Serve in a large bowl. Remember to serve the cooking liquid from the pot over the mussels but leave a little in the bottom of the cooking-pot as this is where the sand gathers. Delicious!

If you have any queries contact Chef Martin Anderson at
http://www.thecrestcateringcompany.com/

If you, or someone you know, would like to do a Guest Chef Spot on the irishfoodguide blog, please give me a shout! Don't forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this post!
zack

Complete Menu & Suppliers for the Queen's State Dinner

State Dinner hosted by The President of Ireland Mary McAleese

and

Dr. Martin McAleese

in honour of

 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

and

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh

MENU

Cured salmon with Burren smoked salmon cream and

lemon balm jelly, horseradish and wild watercress,

Kilkenny organic cold pressed rapeseed oil

  

Rib of Slaney Valley Beef, ox cheek and tongue

with smoked champ potato and fried spring cabbage,

new season broad beans and carrots with

pickled and wild garlic leaf

  

Carrageen set West Cork cream with Meath strawberries,

fresh yoghurt mousse and soda bread sugar biscuits,

Irish apple balsamic vinegar meringue

  

Irish Cheese Plate

  Tea and Coffee

  

Château de Fieuzal, 2005, Graves Pessac-Léognan

Château Lynch-Bages, 1998, Pauillac

EXECUTIVE CHEF:  Ross Lewis

CATERERS:  With Taste

SUPPLIERS

Smoked salmon – Brigitta Hedda-Curtin, Burren Smokehouse, Lisdoonvarna, Co.Clare

Salmon – Clare Island organic salmon, Clare Island, Co.Mayo

Lemon balm – Paul Flynn, The Tannery cookery school gardens, Dungarvan, Co.Waterford

Organic cold pressed rapeseed oil – Kitty Colchester, Drumeen Farms, Co. Kilkenny

Wild watercress, cabbage, carrots, chive flower and garlic leaf –

Denis Healy Farms, Co.Wicklow

Rib of beef – From a farm in Co Wexford, produced by Kettyle Irish Foods, Drumshaw, Lisnaskea, Co.Fermanagh

Ox cheek and tongue – M & K Butchers, Rathcoole, Co.Dublin

Black pudding – McCarthys of Kanturk, Kanturk, Co.Cork

Potatoes and spring onions – McNally family farm, Ring Common, Co.Dublin

Butter, milk, cream and crème fraîche – Alan and Valerie Kingston, Glenilen Farm, Drimoleague, Co.Cork

Irish apple balsamic vinegar and apples – David Llewellyn,

Llewellyn orchard, Lusk, Co.Dublin

Strawberries – Pat Clarke, Stamullen, Co.Meath

Milk – Cleary family, Glenisk, Tullamore, Co.Offaly

Dittys Irish oatmeal biscuits – Robert Ditty, Belfast

Stoneground wholemeal flour – Kells wholemeal, Bennettsbridge, Co.Kilkenny

Buttermilk and butter – Cuinneog Ltd. Balla, Castlebar, Co.Mayo

Irish Cheeses

Glebe Brethan

Produced by David Tiernan in Dunleer, Co. Louth

Hard Comté style cheese made using raw cow’s milk from the Tiernan’s own herd of Montbéliarde cows.

Cashel Blue

Produced by the Grubb Family in Fethard, Co. Tipperary.

Semi-soft blue cheese, made using cow’s milk from their own and selected neighbouring farms.

Milleens

Produced by the Steele Family in Milleens on the Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork.

Semi-soft, washed rind cheese made in a classic Munster style from pasteurised cow’s milk.

Knockdrinna

Produced by Helen Finnegan in Stoneyford, Co. Kilkenny

Semi-firm goat’s milk cheese in the classic French Tomme style.

White soda bread, brown soda bread, sourdough wheaten bread,

Kerrygold salted butter and Glenilen unsalted butter

ENTERTAINMENT

Playing on the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II (Battle-axe Landing)

Liam O’Flynn – Uilleann Pipes

Master uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn is from County Kildare and began piping classes aged eleven.  As a young man Liam encountered two other giants of Irish piping, Seamus Ennis and Willie Clancy.  Along with Dónal Lunny, Liam was one of the founding members of one of Ireland’s legendary bands Planxty.  He also attracted an international audience when he recorded Shaun Davey’s The Brendan Voyage a groundbreaking orchestral piece which was followed by Granuaile, The Relief of Derry Symphony and The Pilgrim, all composed by Davey.  Other regular collaborators include Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney with whom Liam has recently recorded The Poet and the Piper.

Denise Kelly – Harpist

Harpist, Denise Kelly began her musical studies in Dublin and following her graduation from Trinity College, Dublin with a MusB Degree, she moved to London where she studied harp with the renowned Russian harpist Maria Korchinska. She also studied composition and conducting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  An Arts Council scholarship enabled her to finish her harp education at the Conservatoire Royale de Musique, Brussels. In 1999 she was appointed as lecturer in harp at the DIT Conservatory of Music & Drama. She has a great interest in contemporary music and is herself a composer and arranger. As a freelance orchestral harpist, she has worked with the N.S.O., RTECO, Orchestra of St. Cecilia, and the Ulster Orchestra. She has recorded solo and chamber music with BBC, RTE, UTV, radio and TV, and has made numerous CDs with the cellist Moya O’Grady and choral group ‘Anuna’.

After dinner entertainment

A performance of traditional Irish music and dance

This short performance features many of the most distinctive forms and instruments associated with Irish traditional music. The opening and closing sections include dancers performing several traditional dances with reels, hornpipes and slipjigs.  A song entitled ‘Eleanor Plunkett’ and composed by one of Ireland's most famous composers, Turlough O'Carolan, featuring voice and harp, forms the central section. The melody is performed in the sean-nós style (translated as old style) and is a unique element of the Irish tradition.

  

Performers

Tara Breen – Fiddle

A native of County Clare, fiddle player Tara Breen has won All-Ireland honours on several instruments, including fiddle, concert flute and saxophone.  Tara has toured internationally including visits to the Philippines, South Korea, the USA, Germany, Spain and China. In 2005 she travelled with Comhaltas Ceolteoiri Éireann on the All-Britain Tour.

Dónal Lunny – Bouzouki

Dónal Lunny is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the renaissance of Irish music in the last half-century.  Dónal was a founding member of several of the most prominent Irish traditional bands of recent years, including Planxty, The Bothy Band and Moving Hearts.  In 2008, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Trinity College, Dublin, and is a member of Aosdána, a self-governing body of Ireland’s most prominent artists.

James Mahon – Pipes

James Mahon is a traditional musician from Dublin who graduated from the DIT Conservatory of Music in 2009 and is a specialist in traditional Irish Music and ethnomusicology.  He is the recipient of seven All Ireland titles, across a range of categories.  James studied flute under Tom Doorly and June McCormack, and Uilleann Pipes under Joe Doyle.

Iarla Ó Lionáird – Voice

Iarla Ó Lionáird grew up and learned his craft in the musical heartland of Cuil Aodha in the West Cork Gaeltacht.  From his iconic early recording of the vision song Aisling Gheal whilst still a boy, he has established himself both as a masterful exponent of sean nós song and as a pioneer in its renewal and development. Iarla has sung in his unique style for audiences across the globe from New York to London and from Cape Town to Moscow, Rome and Tokyo.

Michael Rooney – Harp

Originally from County Monaghan, Michael is an internationally recognised and award-winning harper and concertina player, as well as a tutor and composer. His major works include two Aifreann na Geailge masses, The Famine Suite and the Battle of the Books suite. He has recorded two albums together with June McCormack, Land’s End and Draíocht.

Maria Buffini - Dancer

Maria began dancing at the age of four with the O’Shea School in Dublin, Ireland. She danced competitively and toured extensively with the School, performing from a young age at festivals in Ireland, Europe and America.  She began performing with Riverdance in 2004 and since then, has danced with the company in Ireland, Europe, America, Japan and Taiwan.

Cal Moran - Dancer

Cal began dancing at the age of nine with Scoil Rince Mona Ni Rodaigh where he quickly advanced, qualifying for the Worlds at the age of thirteen.  He has toured extensively with Riverdance all around the world, from places as far and between as Dubai, Beijing and Los Angeles.

Padraic Moyles - Dancer

Padraic joined Riverdance in 1997 and in 2006 was nominated for an Ovation Award for Leading Actor in a Broadway touring Production.  He choreographed and performed in the Old Bog Road by Eileen Ivers and has performed with artists including Maria Carey, Shania Twain, The Chieftains, and Ryan O’ Neill.

Niamh O’Connor – Dancer

Dublin-born Niamh began dancing at four years of age and has won numerous Leinster, All-Ireland and World championship medals throughout her competitive dancing career. Having started performing with Jurys Cabaret in Dublin when she was ten, Niamh joined Riverdance in 1995 for the world premiere in Dublin. She has toured extensively with the show over the last fifteen years and she holds the record for the most shows performed in Riverdance.

With many thanks to Linda Farrell at the Presidents office for her help.

Don't forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this post!