Food lovers from all over Ireland are in for a treat this autumn, as the Burren Food Fayre is returning for a series of unique food and farm visitor experiences this October bank holiday weekend.
This year marks its 10th year in operation and a return to in person events, after last year’s event had to be staged virtually.
It takes place between October 22nd and October 25th and coincides with the Burren Winterage Festival which celebrates the ancient custom of out-wintering cattle on the upland areas of the Burren, and is organised by Burren Beo.
Small groups of visitors will be able to prebook different itineraries, which will take them on a food trail across the length and breadth of the Burren. These will include visits to food producers such as Burren Gold, St Tola Goat Cheese, Burren Salmon, Flaggy Shore Oysters and many others to learn about their unique food stories.
There will also be an opportunity to take part in a diverse range of farm tours, which will highlight the distinctive farming practices of the Burren region .
Recently the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark joined the UNESCO ‘Geofood’ brand which promotes sustainable agriculture and conservation and supports farmers and communities in the area.
“These events organised in conjunction with the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark result in bringing more tourists to the area in previous years as visitors tend to make a weekend of it,” said Birgitta Curtin, chairperson of the Burren Food Trail.
The Burren region is widely known as the ‘Fertile Rock’ and includes a wide variety of food producers including fish smokers, beef, dairy, sheep and oyster farmers, as well as distillers, foragers, herbalists, cheesemakers, bakers and chefs. This group have been working together for many years and have made the Burren an award winning food destination, with the Burren Food Trail winning the Burren Food Town award in 2015.
The full programme of events will be finalised over the next six weeks and will be available to purchase online on www.burren.ie.
Agritourism initiatives in the Burren are funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the 2021 Rural Innovation Development Fund.
