Food Holiday in Ireland is Simply Delicious

Discover Ireland's Food Delights With a Driving Holiday

LONDON, July 22, 2010 - Calling all gastronomes, holidays in Ireland can reap far more than
hospitality and beautiful scenery, as some of Europe's greatest food and
drink delights can be found in the Emerald Isle.

Food holidays in Ireland (www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/lifestyle/food-and-drink/?WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_difood)
are wonderful. Every area in Ireland has a local food that should not be
missed. Explore the rugged West coast and sample the local speciality of
oysters with Guinness. In the South, enjoy edible seaweed from Coulagh Bay
which is often milled into traditional Irish soda bread. No foodie trip to
Northern Ireland would be complete without experiencing Lough Neagh eels or
Finnebrogue estate venison and sausages.

And what better way to take in all the culinary sights and tastes than in
the comfort and convenience of your own car by ferry? Plan your culinary
voyage around one of the wonderful gastro-tours or food trails, such as the
gastro tour of Cork or Dublin and Wicklow and the Taste of Kilkenny Food
Trail. For more ideas on food trails, see www.fabulousfoodtrails.ie/.
A great way to try before you buy is to visit one of the many farmers'
markets across the island, such as St George's Market, the historic covered
market in Belfast, or the famous English Market in Cork city.

Food Festivals

There are lots of festivals on throughout the year, including:

- Belfast Taste and Music Fest, 4-8 August 2010
(www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/whats-on/listings/product/?fid=22-60760&WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_belfasttaste)

- Fish Fest - the largest seafood festival in Northern Ireland,
28-30 August: www.visitkilkeel.com

- The Hillsborough International Oyster Festival in County Down,
2-5 September 2010
(www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/whats-on/listings/?fid=22-60815&WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_hillsborough)

- Midleton Food and Drink Festival in Cork, 11 September 2010
(www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/whats-on/listings/product/?fid=FI_15294&WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_midleton)

- Galway International Oyster Festival 23-26 September 2010
(www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/whats-on/listings/?fid=22-40889&WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_galwayoyst)

- Listowel Food Fair in Kerry, 4-7 November 2010
(www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/whats-on/listings/product/?fid=FI_16371&WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_listowel)

For those who want to re-create the Irish gastro-experience at home, many
of these unique ingredients are ideal for transporting back home. Load your
car up with the best Ireland has to offer and travel by ferry to get the most
out of your visit. FCO guidelines are lenient on the amount you bring back,
as long as it is for personal use. So take advantage of the great deals
available from the ferry companies at the moment and head across for a
cuisine-cruise. Prices start from GBP69*.

Paul Rankin, celebrity chef: "I have worked and travelled all over the
world and can honestly say that Irish produce is absolutely world class. If I
had to name the best of what Ireland has to offer it would undoubtedly be our
Seafood, Beef, Lamb or Game. Superb!"

Travelling to Ireland by sea this summer couldn't be easier with 15 ferry
routes from Britain to Ireland and 277 crossings each way every week. You can
be there in as little as 90 minutes so you can begin your holiday straight
away and start soaking up the Irish culture.

Notes to Editors:

*Prices start at GBP69 single (car plus driver) with Stena Line

Getting there and around:

There are 15 sea routes from Britain to Ireland. Most of the major car
hire companies have desks at ferry terminals at cities across Ireland. For
further information on these, plus bus and train services in Ireland, visit
The Discover Ireland website
(www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-plan-your-visit/gettingaround/?WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_gettingaround).

Crossings to Ireland from the UK are operated by Stena Line, Irish
Ferries, Isle of Man Steam Packet, Norfolkline Irish Sea, P&O Irish Sea and
Fastnet Line.

Examples

    Regional food options to pick up at ports:

    Northern Ireland

    - Causeway cheeses
    - Lough Neagh eels
    - Glenarm organic salmon
    - Bushmills whiskey
    - Finnebrogue sausages

    East Coast (incl. Dublin)

    - Guinness
    - Jameson Whiskey
    - Soda Bread
    - Dublin Bay prawns
    - Tullamore Dew and Irish Mist Liqueur from County Offaly

    West Coast

    - From Sligo's edible seaweeds carrageen and dillisk
    - Native oysters
    - The Burren's distinctive flora-scented honey
    - Connemara hill lamb
    - Farmhouse cheeses, such as Oisin organic goats' and cow cheeses,
      St Tola Goats' Cheese and Cratloe Hills Sheep Cheese

    South Coast (incl. Cork and Waterford)

    - Farmhouse cheeses such as - Gubbeen, Cashel and Crozier Blue
    - Clonakilty black and white pudding
    - Barry's tea
    - Waterford Blaa (light-as-air bread roll)
    - Kerry mountain lamb

    Examples of food to bring back from celebrity chefs:

    Darina Allen

    - Seaweed from Coulagh Bay
    - Milleens cheese, Eyeries, Beara, Co. Cork
    - James McGeough's air dried lamb

    Paul Rankin

    - Soda bread from Ditty's Bakery of Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry
    - Eels from Lough Neagh
    - Seafood

    Farmers' Markets

    - St George's Market, the historic covered market in Belfast, is a
      showcase for local food products daily
    - The English Market in Cork city, daily
    - Dun Laoghaire Sunday food market in the Peace Park
    - Bantry Farmers' market, on Fridays
    - Galway market on a Saturday
    - Enniscorthy Farmers' Market
    - Dingle, County Kerry, open on Fridays
    - Macreddin Market in County Wicklow is a dedicated organic market
    - Lisburn, Castlewellan and Newry Markets are just a few of the farmers'
      markets to be found around Northern Ireland offering mouthwatering
      baked goods, plus the freshest fruit and veg

About Discover Ireland

Discover Ireland is the body that welcomes visitors to Ireland and
encourages them to 'go where Ireland takes you'. The Discover Ireland website
and phoneline offer a wealth of information and support for tourists who wish
to discover Ireland (www.discoverireland.com/gb/?WT.mc_id=gb_pr_150710_rel_sea_food_dihp2).

(Due to the length of the above URLs, it may be necessary to copy and
paste these hyperlinks into your Internet browser's URL address field.
Remove the space if one exists.)

For further information on Tourism Ireland, contact Consolidated PR on +44(0)20-7781-2300 or: Orla ONeill | orlao at consolidatedpr.com | +44(0)20-7781-340; Charlotte Andrews | charlottea at consolidatedpr.com| +44(0)20-7781-320