October is Irish Food and Drink Month – here’s why it’s important

Fiona Frawley

Irish Food and Drink Month has officially launched, with 140 venues up and down the country.

You don’t have to be the Minister for Finance to notice the hospitality industry is under immense pressure at the moment. In fact, it’d probably be handy if he noticed it a little bit more, to be honest. As produce and energy prices continue to soar, businesses are struggling to stay afloat and we’re sadly seeing more closures than we have done in a long, long time.

Which is why it couldn’t be a better time to get involved in Irish Food and Drink Month. A celebration of Irish hospitality and produce is more pertinent than ever and luckily, it’s not hard to do. As the Irish Food and Drink Month team point out – Pride in Irish food has never been stronger. All across Ireland, you’ll find Irish produce taking front and centre at most eateries – West Cork cheeses, Wild Atlantic oysters, carefully distilled whiskeys – it’s a foodie’s dream to see these ingredients name-checked on a menu.

“Meat Me in Inchicore” pizza from Rascal’s Brewery, Dublin 8

If you’d like to take this opportunity to sample the best of the best in Irish meats, fish, farmed produce and cheeses, here’s how –

The Irish Food and Drink Month team are working with 18 different Irish drinks brands across many sectors for this project. Throughout September, any licensed bar, restaurant or hotel was able to register for free and in order to get involved, they had to create and sell a signature Irish food & drink pairing for the month of October. Here’s an example of some of the pairings:

Irish lobster paired with Irish Pilsner from The Seafood Café in Temple Bar to Irish lobster cooked and served with Irish whiskey from King Sitric in Howth.
Pizzas made with Irish cured meats & cheeses and served with Dublin beers in Rascal’s HQ and The Circular in Rialto.
Irish scallops paired with local lager from Mimosa Bar de Tapas in Carlow and Irish scallops paired with an Irish Whiskey Sour cocktail from Sole in Dublin.
Cork ciders paired with Cork mussels in Casey’s of Baltimore.
Irish Apple Ice Wine served alongside Irish cheese in the 2 Michelin Star Aimsir in Kildare.
Wild Irish venison paired with Irish Mead from Rare 1784 in Kinsale.
Irish Espresso Martinis paired with desserts from venues such as Camden Bites & Brews.
Burgers and steaks paired with pale ales and porters from Dash Burger and Bull & Castle.

Get involved by seeking out your nearest participating venue, and celebrate the best of Irish cuisine and beverages. A full list of venues, listed county by county is available HERE.