Food festival season in Ireland kicks off from Easter

Galway Food Festival, Galway City, March 24 - 28
The city of the Tribes boasts several of the country’s finest restaurants and has long been a foodie destination. This five-day festival coincides with Easter week and, in honour of the centenary of the Rising, aims to celebrate 100 years of Irish food through open-air food markets, epicurean trails and the involvement of some of the West’s greatest chefs.
 
West Waterford Food Festival, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, April 15 - 17
Celebrity chef Paul Flynn helped put the Waterford coastal town on the culinary map thanks to his restaurant and cookery school and this annual festival is ensuring it stays there. With demos about healthy food to special gin-distilling classes in the mix this year, and with plenty of markets and food trails to enjoy, there’s something to savour for all the family.
 
Taste the Wild Atlantic Way Street Food Festival, Kinsale, Co Cork, April 22
The 2,500km Wild Atlantic Way offers innumerable quality food options, and Kinsale has long been a destination for gourmands. Several food festivals are held in the West Cork town every year and this one celebrates food that’s removed from stuffiness and formality, but loses nothing in taste and panache. Think open-air food markets and stalls and lashings of live music.
 
Connemara Mussel Festival, Tullycross, Co Galway, April 29 - May 2
They’re proud of their seafood in the West - and for very good reason: the Atlantic oysters and muscles that grow along the Irish coastline are among the world’s best. But this festival does far more than merely showcase the magnificent molluscs from Killary Harbour: it celebrates the abundant food produce of the area and its ‘cooking with kids’ classes are highly recommended.
 
Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine, Ballymaloe, Co Cork, May 20 - 22
Three generations of the Allen family helped make Ballymaloe House globally famous among food lovers and this festival is now etched on the calendars of serious food lovers everywhere. Besides the best of West Cork’s greatest ingredients, the festival boasts talks from some of the finest food writers on the planet, including chef Yotam Ottolenghi and ‘Master of Wine’ Jancis Robinson.
 
Wexford Food & Wine Festival, Wexford town, May 27 - 29
The centuries-old streets in the heart of Wexford town are given over to all things food and drink for the last weekend in May and if the sun is shining in this part of the sunny south east, it will be a summer festival to remember. Besides a cornucopia of food stalls showcasing cuisine from around the world, there will be wine-tasting sessions and a real ale trail.
 
Killarney Beerfest, Killarney, Co Kerry, May 28 - 29
Irish craft beer is most definitely having a moment right now and the huge range and variety of local brews can be enjoyed in an open-air setting. Several bands, including Mongrel State, will be on hand to generate a safe and memorable festival atmosphere, while beer-tasting sessions, brewing masterclasses and food stalls will enhance the experience.
 
Burren Slow Food Festival, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, May 28 - 29
A food festival with a polemical message, this annual celebration of the best of Irish produce argues that the food we put into our bodies should be local, seasonal and grown and raised without recourse to chemicals and intensive farming. It’s location in the heart of the Burren is apt - it’s a unique part of Ireland that encourages the visitor to slow down and take stock of their surrounds.
 
Westport Food Festival, Westport, Co Mayo, June 24 - 26
Moving forward to June from its usual September berth, the hugely popular festival will feature foodie tours, mushroom foraging and children’s pizza-making classes. As before, a food village showcasing the best of local artisanal produce will take place at the Octagon - Westport’s picturesque market square.
 
For more mouth-watering food festival ideas, please visit www.discoverireland.ie
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