Dingle was the place to be on Friday 2nd October for the eagerly anticipated finals of Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards, now in their 19th year and firmly established as the largest and most influential food awards on the island of Ireland.
This year, 9 producers from Co. Louth were shortlisted across a wide range of categories, with 8 of them taking home coveted Blas awards. The bronze, silver and gold winners from the county include:
Bryan Lynch Salads, Carlingford Oyster Company, Coole Farm, Fierce Mild Brewing Limited, Hilton Foods Ireland, Irish Smok’d Meats, McCloskey’s Bakery, and Nature’s Best.
McCloskey’s Bakery was awarded Best in County, proudly sponsored by Louth Local Enterprise Office.
“McCloskey’s Bakery is a wonderful example of the quality and tradition that underpin Louth’s food sector, and we are delighted to see them recognised as Best in County at Blas na hÉireann.” said Nikki Campbell, Head of Enterprise, Louth LEO. “Our local food and drink businesses make an important contribution to the county, supporting employment, local communities and Louth’s growing reputation for excellent food. This award is a great recognition of the team at McCloskey’s Bakery and their continued commitment to producing quality Irish food.”
2026 marks another record year for Blas na hÉireann, with over 3,000 entries across more than 200 categories, reflecting the strength and diversity of Irish food and drink.
This year’s finalists and winners had the opportunity to bring their products to life at the Blas Village and the ever-popular Eat Ireland in a Day market, both returning to Dingle alongside the annual Backyard at Blas panel discussions, supported by Bank of Ireland. Across the weekend, producers connected with buyers, industry experts, media, fellow producers and passionate food lovers, while celebrating the people, creativity and craft at the heart of Ireland’s thriving food and drink scene.
Speaking after the announcement, Artie Clifford, Chairperson of Blas na hÉireann, said: “2026 has once again shown us just how exciting and dynamic Ireland’s food and drink industry is. The standard of entries continues to climb, with producers demonstrating incredible creativity and a real commitment to quality. Reaching the finalist stage is a remarkable achievement in itself, and to take home a Blas award is brilliant recognition of the hard work and passion that goes into every product. It’s particularly special to see producers from across the country come together in Dingle to share their stories, celebrate their successes and champion the very best of Irish food and drink. Blas is about much more than awards – it’s about celebrating the people and community behind one of Ireland’s most exciting industries. Next year we will celebrate 20 years of the awards and it’s incredible to see just how far we’ve come in those two decades.”
The Blas na hÉireann awards weekend ran from Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th October in Dingle, with a packed programme of events shining a spotlight on the very best of Irish food and drink. Sustainability once again remained a key focus, with the event continuing to build on its waste-free commitments and support a more conscious future for Irish food.
ENDS
#Blas2026
@BlasNaHEireann
Notes to Editors
Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards, are the largest food awards on the island of Ireland, open to all 32 counties. Judging took place during June and July in partnership with UCC. Finalists were announced in mid-August. Awards were presented in Dingle on Friday 2nd October, with the Blas weekend (Blas Village, Showcase, Awards & Eat Ireland in a Day) running from Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th October.
For more information or imagery contact:
Aygün Ipek, Host, aygun@hostandcompany.ie
Did you know you can also find our winners in each county by searching our map, pinpointing the very best of Irish producers? Search the map here
The Best in Louth award at Blas na hÉireann is supported by Louth LEO
You can find more details on Louth LEO here
042 933 5457
