A Co Clare farm business has scooped a major accolade at the Euro-Toques Ireland Food Awards held recently at the Ashford Castle Estate.
The Euro-Toques Ireland Food Awards, a heartfelt celebration of Ireland’s food producers and craftspeople, was founded in 1986 by Myrtle Allen, and has long championed local food integrity, craftsmanship, and community-led gastronomy.
The 2025 Awards continue this mission with the theme: “Honouring Ireland’s Kitchen Table”, paying tribute to a place where for generations food meets tradition, memory and storytelling.
The event brought together chefs, producers, and advocates of Irish food culture to honour the people behind the country’s most exceptional ingredients. Seven awards were presented across the categories of Water, Land, Farm, Dairy, Artisan Produce, and Traditional Craft.
Moy Hill Farm, in North Clare won the Farm award for their “ethical, regenerative egg production and their holistic approach to farming that nourishes both land and people. Through education, CSA boxes, and on-farm transparency, they foster a resilient, community-rooted food culture.”
“The 2025 Farm Award goes to Moy Hill Farm, a pioneering regenerative farm in County Clare. What began in 2013 as a half-acre community garden has grown into a 65-acre farm, deeply rooted in the land and the people it feeds. Founded by Fergal and Sally Smith, Moy Hill Farm is guided by a clear mission: to nourish their local community with healthy, nutrient-rich food while regenerating soil, ecosystems, and agricultural knowledge.
At the heart of the farm are free-range hens, foraging on lush pastures as part of a holistic system that enriches the land and supports microbial life. Moy Hill’s commitment to transparency and education is visible in their weekly markets, the farm shop, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes, and year-round tours that show customers exactly how their food is grown and raised. Through their internship programme, they’re also cultivating the next generation of regenerative farmers.
For their outstanding free-range eggs, commitment to animal welfare, biodiversity, and a food system centred on community, transparency, and soil regeneration, Moy Hill Farm is the recipient of the 2025 Farm – Honouring Sustainable Animal Rearing Award.”
“The Irish kitchen table is a symbol of trust, care, and resilience,” said Aishling Moore of Goldie in Cork, Head of the Euro-Toques Food Council. “It is where we learn the fundamentals of food – not just how to cook, but how to value what we eat and who we share it with.” Conor Halpenny of Square Dundalk, Chair of Euro-Toques Ireland, added: “We are honouring those who have kept Irish food grounded – producers and craftspeople who quietly shape our national identity through their work every single day.”
This year’s Euro-Toques Ireland Food Awards once again underline a deep, collective commitment to sustainable, small-scale, and traditional food production across Ireland. Each award category reflects a fundamental element of the Irish food story – from ocean-harvested salt and nutrient-rich seaweeds to soil-nurturing salad leaves, pasture-raised eggs, and hand-churned butter.
The 2025 awards particularly celebrate: producers who channel the purity of Ireland’s marine environment into seasonings that elevate flavour while protecting biodiversity; salad growers who regenerate land and community through hyper-local, small-scale farming; free-range egg farmers who build food systems rooted in animal welfare, microbial life, and old-fashioned trust; and butter and cheese makers whose deep respect for the land and traditional methods results in products that express a strong sense of place. They honour foragers and preservers of Ireland’s wild larder, who transform hedgerow bounty into syrups, jellies and shrubs with heritage recipes, and independent bakers who revive real bread craft with Irish-grown grains and time-honoured techniques. Together, these producers are shaping a resilient, flavour-rich future for Irish food – one built on care, creativity, and connection to the land.
Following the awards, guests gathered for a celebratory lunch that brought together over 100 chefs, producers, and Euro-Toques members. The meal was accompanied by a beautifully curated Harvest Table, showcasing the exceptional work of more than 30 Irish producers, including this year’s winners and nominees. Designed by the Euro-Toques Food Council, the table offered a visual and tasting journey through Ireland’s seasonal bounty. Lunch was prepared by celebrated chefs Liam Finnegan and Jonathan Keane, whose menus captured the essence of the Irish kitchen – honest, rooted in place, and led by the finest local ingredients.
Other winners include:
Dingle Sea Salt, Kerry – For producing Ireland’s first solar-evaporated sea salt using a fully off-grid, low-carbon process. Their product, harvested from the Atlantic, reflects innovation, sustainability, and a strong sense of place.
Coole Farm, Louth – For cultivating vibrant, organic salad leaves with care and intention. Their regenerative approach restores soil health, supports biodiversity, and strengthens their local community food system.
Salt Rock Dairy, Wexford – For handcrafting cultured butter using milk from their own herd and Wexford sea salt. Their work revives traditional butter-making and redefines local dairy with transparency, flavour, and integrity.
Ballylisk – The Triple Rose, Armagh – For their rich, triple cream cheese made from a single pedigree herd in Armagh. Their commitment to artisan craftsmanship and traceability results in a luxurious product with depth and distinction.
Wild Irish Foragers, Offaly – For preserving Ireland’s edible wild heritage through handcrafted syrups, shrubs, and jellies made from foraged botanicals. Their deep connection to the land and traditional methods keeps forgotten flavours alive.
Seagull Bakery, Waterford – For championing real bread made from Irish-grown grains and bold fermentation. Their Waterford bakery supports local farmers and reimagines traditional baking with creativity, skill, and sustainability.
