Now in its 11th year, this is the premier food event in the northwest's foodie calendar attracting excellent crowds and growing in size and stature every year. From humble beginnings this food festival now attracts food lovers from all over the world to the beautiful tented village on the Pier with the backdrop of the Blue Stack Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.
This year’s Taste of Donegal Food Festival has once again gathered together top Restaurants, Hotels, Food and Drink Providers, with over 130 exhibitors, giving you a chance to taste and purchase some of the finest food and drink available from all over the island of Ireland!
Cookery Demonstrations will be by nationally renown Celebrity Chefs such as Neven Maguire, Gary O’ Hanlon, Catherine Fulvio, Kevin Dundon, Brian Mc Dermott, Edward Hayden, Oliver Dunne, Joe Shannon & Frank Forde, Maire Dufficey.
They will also have Local Celebrity Chefs, Anthony Armstrong, Christopher Molloy, Martin Anderson, Paul Brady, Zack Gallagher (me), Food Enthusiast Pauline Sugrue, Richard and Andrew Mc Kee.
The Cookery Demonstration tent will be hosted by award-winning celebrity chef/author and chef-proprietor of the newly restored Foyle Hotel in Moville, Brian McDermott.
Over the weekend there will be tutored Whiskey, Gin, Vodka and Irish Liquor Masterclasses with tastings by Sliabh Liag Distillery, Muff Liquor Company, and Coole Swan. New for 2019 a Coffee Roasting Demonstration by Mark Langford of Triskele Coffee.
Once again the “A Passion to Inspire 2019 Competition”, will be seeking out the best local Chef in the region. The contestants will be tested by a world class judging panel led by our very own Anthony Armstrong C- G WAC, Peter Griffiths M.B.E. President, British Culinary Federation, Bob Mac Donald, C – G Master Chefs of Great Britain. This competition attracts entries from all over the North West Region.
It is also planned to have a Special Chefs Award in memory of one of the judges, Gerard Molly, who passed away recently, as a tribute to his love of food and his outstanding contribution to A Taste of Donegal Food Festival, over the last ten years.
Light entertainment over the weekend will be provided by the timeless music of Dean Martin and The Rat Pack performed by the wonderful Adrian Cullen and highly acclaimed and accomplished musician Zara Montgomery.
Enjoy hilarious side-splitting comedy by Irelands Comical Celebrity Chef Joe Shannon & Comedian Frank Forde in our Cookery Comedy Theatre.
Corvenieo's Entertainment will add some innovative and unique visual audio to this year's event with their Comedy Chef Mascot, Juggling Stilt Walkers and Moving Robots. Mickey & Minnie will make several appearances throughout the weekend to meet and greet young and old. Add in a bit of professional live Children’s close magic with balloons and music by Mr Majestic.
This years to celebrate Heritage Week the Committee in association with The local Authority Waters Programme have planned an awareness Nature Walk along the River Bank. Recently enhanced in the hope of nurturing a feeling of protection and appreciation in children and adults for the plants and animals in this habitat. This will be conducted by Aengus Kennedy of Nature North West.
Exhibitors will also be scrutinised over the Festival weekend with two competitions. The Most Attractive Stand will be judged by The Local Enterprise Office and the Best Product will be judged by Bord Bia, LYIT Killybegs and Dave Lang, Butcher Magazine.
This year’s Festival opens on Friday 23rd August at 4pm. The Official Opening will take place at 7 pm and the MC for the evening will be TV3’s Star and General Manager of Harvey’s Point Country Hotel, Mr. Noel Cunningham.
Brian McDermott, author and chef-proprietor of the Foyle Hotel in Moville, will perform the Festival Opening. This will be followed immediately by our first demonstration of 2019 by Chef Gary O’Hanlon accompanied by Eoin Murphy (Entertainment Editor The Irish Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday) after which there will be a Wine Pairing Masterclass by Wine Expert & Sales Director Eoin Murphy of Wines Direct. The festival organisers are delighted to be partnered this year with Wines Direct for this Food & Wine Pairing Extravaganza at our Chefs Table.
The Friday night opening will conclude with a fantastic Fireworks Display over the waters of Donegal Bay, a breathtaking event which has become a massive crowd-puller, in itself, over the last ten years!
This year introduces a new Kids Kitchen to the Taste of Donegal Food Festival. Sponsored by Cherrymore Kitchens it will include special Workshops, Cooking Demonstrations, Talks and Fun Foodie things for children, all weekend!
Ernan McGettigan, one of the organisers, said "A Taste of Donegal is truly a food lover’s dream and will showcase Donegal Town and the surrounding area as a region of high-quality restaurants and hotels with a vibrant and growing Artisan Food Production Family. So why not put us on your to-do list for August 2019. Come along and tantalise your taste buds and “Discover, Dine and Delight in Donegal Town” over the Festival weekend".
You can find out more by Liking the A Taste of Donegal Facebook Page just here:
and details are also available on their website at https://www.atasteofdonegal.com/
Now you have another great reason to come to Donegal!
Now you have another great reason to come to Donegal!