Blas na hÉireann 2024 finalists & winners celebrated in Dingle, with 14 producers winning from County Galway supported by Galway LEO
Blas na hÉireann 2024, the Irish food awards, took place from Thursday 3rd October to Saturday 5th October, celebrating the very best of Irish food and drink.
The winners from Co. Galway are Williams Gate Meats, Loughnane’s Of Galway, Galmere Fresh Foods, Joyce Country Bakery, The Lán Kitchen, Crust Gluten Free, Grá Chocolates, Ivy House Chocolates, The Foods of Athenry, Solaris Botanicals Ltd., Builin Blasta Cafe, Bakery & Retail, Birdhouse and All About Kombucha with Birdhouse awarded Best in County.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to Birdhouse, the winners of the Best in County representing Galway at Blas na hÉireann – The Irish Food Awards.” said Caroline McDonagh, Acting Head of Enterprise, LEO Galway. “Birdhouse specializes in authentic recipes and create sensationally tasty wings and sauces. The business, born and bred in the lockdown years where Fraser and his team owners hatched a brand-new offering to the Galway food scene with a range of juicy chicken pieces from boneless tenders, to wings and double-cooked curly corn for a delectable meat–free alternative. The stars of the show are no doubt the wide range of delicious homemade sauces – with some not for the faint-hearted. The Blas na hÉireann awards are a celebration of best in class for these food businesses and we are delighted to be sponsoring the overall Best in Galway award. Blas na hÉireann has showcased the fantastic array of locally produced food & drink available in Galway. The Team in Local Enterprise Office Galway is committed to growing the food sector in the county and supporting food producers as they start-up, expand and export to new markets.”
Speaking as the winners were announced, Blas na hÉireann Chairperson, Artie Clifford said, “We are once again delighted to celebrate such deserving winners at Blas na hÉireann 2024. After 17 years of these awards, it’s inspiring to witness the continued innovation and quality in our food and drink industry here on the island of Ireland. Every year, the standard is raised even higher, and it’s an honor for myself and the entire Blas team to showcase these exceptional products and the dedicated producers behind them to a wider audience.”
Blas na hÉireann 2024 saw the return of the Blas Village where this year’s finalists got the opportunity to showcase their products, engage with customers and meet key industry buyers. The festival focused market ‘Eat Ireland in a Day’ was back for a third year and included a brand new Meet the Maker stage.
The Backyard at Blas, in partnership with Bank of Ireland delivered an impressive lineup of key industry speakers once again, both in person to the attendees and live streamed. Lucy Ryan, Head of Food and Beverage Sector, Bank of Ireland said: “The growth of Blas na hÉireann each year is testament to the strength of the indigenous food and drink industry, with the ever-expanding number of producers continuing to innovate, and impress the judges with the range of their ambition. Bank of Ireland is delighted to continue supporting Blas na hÉireann, and congratulates all the award winners for the sustained excellence of their entries.”
Now in its 17th year, Blas na hÉireann saw another strong year across all categories along with many new producers entering the awards for the first time this year. During the judging, which took place throughout June and July, over 3,000 entries were judged. Products from every county in Ireland were entered to win bronze, silver or gold awards in over 170 food and drink categories as well as key awards. As the competition intensifies each year, earning the prestigious Blas accreditation is a significant accomplishment, signifying that the shortlisted finalists and eventual winners represent the pinnacle of excellence in Irish food and drink.
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Notes to editors
Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards, are the largest food awards on the island, open to all 32 counties. Judging took place during June and July and awards were announced on 4th October.
Now in its 17th year, Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards, are the largest food awards on the island, open to all 32 counties. This year saw another strong year of entries with over 3,000 products and many new producers entering the awards for the first time. The final Blas na hÉireann 2024 awards were announced on Friday 4th October.
A look back at the 2024 winners
