National Brown Bread Baking Competition finalists revealed
However, at the National Ploughing Championships, taking place 16-18 September, eight bakers will try to rise to the top, if you will, at the National Brown Bread Baking Competition.
To narrow down the finalists, the judges sampled over 130 loaves from every corner of Ireland. Each finalist represents a blend of personal flair and deep-rooted Irish baking heritage, reflecting the diversity and richness of brown bread recipes passed down through generations.
This year's talented line-up spans five counties, with each baker bringing their own story to the competition. Over the next month, they will prepare to face off in a high-stakes culinary showdown, all in pursuit of the coveted title of Ireland's best brown bread baker.
The winner will take home €5,000 in cash and a NEFF Slide & Hide Oven, the very model made famous by The Great British Bake Off, which is valued at over €2,000.
The semi-finals will take place at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, on the 16 and 17 of September, with the grand final scheduled for the afternoon of 18 September.
The finalists are:
Pauline Browne (Dublin)
Faith Ekonorue (Dublin)
Helen Walker (Dublin)
Áine Cotter (Cork)
Maureen Igoe (Mayo)
Josephine Kelly (Mayo)
Tracey Mullin-Ryan (Galway)
Kathy Bolger (Wexford)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
a minute ago
- Irish Independent
Two ferry crossings, 26 trucks and one 85-metre screen: Oasis stage arrives in Dublin
After a 16-year hiatus, Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, are back on stage together and will play two sold-out shows here on August 16 and 17. Last week, the Oasis stage was dismantled at Wembley Stadium in London and travelled the 570km journey by truck and ferry via Holyhead and Birkenhead, arriving at Dublin Port before continuing on to Croke Park. It was transported from Wembley via Dublin Port by WS Specialist Logistics. Separately, lighting, sound and specialist equipment was transported from Scotland via Larne by Fly By Nite – another logistics company. The band played Edinburgh's Murrayfield stadium last Friday, their last gig ahead of the Dublin dates. Operations Director at WS Specialist Logistics, Rob Courtney, said they are 'thrilled' to be working on the band's Live 25 tour. 'In total, 26 loads will make their way to Dublin via Holyhead and Birkenhead, delivering a hugely sophisticated setup - the main screen alone spans an incredible 85 metres,' he said. 'For the Croke Park show, we had the added complication of crossing the Irish Sea, so it's a fantastic moment to finally roll into Dublin Port for what feels like the band's second homecoming.' Stadium concerts such as these are considered a major logistical operation, requiring two full sets of staging being transported across cities to keep the tour running smoothly. Fly By Nite's Director, Eddie Charlton, said moving equipment for shows like Oasis is 'no mean feat'. 'The Taylor Swift Eras Tour concerts last year were the largest we've ever moved – over 100 trucks carrying lighting, sound, merchandise, costumes, and staging,' he said. 'It was incredibly bespoke and unlike anything else we've transported.' Around 100 people will be employed to help set up the stage, sound and lighting for the event. The Live 25 tour will be the band's first gig here since Slane Castle in 2009 and is forecasted to bring a significant boost to Dublin's economy. Claire Percy, External Affairs at Dublin Port, said it is often not considered how big a role the Port plays in logistical operations such as these. 'About €165bn worth of trade comes through Dublin Port each year, supporting every aspect of the Irish economy, including live entertainment,' she said.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Hotel prices shot up in Dublin for Oasis - but it's still cheapest spot on tour
Hotel prices have shot up across Dublin ahead of the Oasis shows this weekend - but the capital is still the cheapest spot to catch the Live Forever hitmakers. With the Mancunian icons set to play two nights at Dublin's Croke Park on August 16 and 17, new research from Grosvenor Casinos shows that the Irish capital is the cheapest stop on the reunion tour, but fans will still be paying more than usual for a place to stay. Hotel prices in Dublin have risen by 70 per cent for the concert dates, the second-smallest increase after London, with the average room costing €413 per night, up from €243 just three weeks later. When tickets first went on sale, searches for "hotels near Croke Park" and related terms peaked at 243,600 in August 2024, reflecting the surge in demand. But it wasn't just Dublin, accommodation costs across five major cities hosting the Oasis 2025 tour have soared, with some prices rising by over 450 per cent on concert night compared to exactly three weeks later. Manchester records the most extreme price hike, with hotel costs increasing by 454 per cent, from €88 on a typical night to €488 during the tour – a total rise of €400. Interest in the area also spikes, with Google searches for "cheap hotel near Heaton Park" rising by 1,300 per cent over the past 12 months. In August, when tickets were originally released, search volume peaked at 113k across this and related terms such as "places to stay near Heaton park" and "Heaton park hotels". A general view of Oasis fans arriving at the Oasis Live '25 Tour at Wembley Stadium on July 25, 2025 in London, England (Image:) Cardiff follows closely behind, with prices surging by 420 per cent, from €131 to €682, an increase of €551, making it the most expensive city overall to stay in on concert night. Google searches for "Cardiff hotel rooms" jumped by 13,355 per cent over the past year, with fans eager to secure accommodation for the opening weekend of the tour. Related search terms for "Cardiff Oasis tickets" also rose by over 50 per cent in June compared to May, increasing from 35,100 to 53,160. Dublin sees a notable increase, with hotel costs rising from €244 to €413. This is a 70 per cent increase (€169). In August, keywords such as "hotels near Croke Park" and similar terms peaked at 243,600 searches. Liam Gallagher (L) and Noel Gallagher (R) of Oasis perform during the opening night of their Live 25' Tour at Principality Stadium on July 04, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage) Edinburgh experienced an 88 per cent hotel price hike, with costs rising from €266 to €499, a difference of €233. Searches for 'hotels near Scottish Gas Murrayfield' reached 80,420 in August, aligning with the ticket launch. London sees the smallest price spike, with hotel prices rising by 22 per cent, from €501 to €611, an increase of €110. However, demand still grows, with Google searches for "hotels in Wembley Stadium area" rising by 200 per cent year-on-year. Searches peak in September at 101,980, a month after the ticket release. Tickets for the Oasis reunion sold out across all venues due to huge demand when they went online earlier in the year. However, there are still several options available for fans trying to snag a last-minute spot. Limited last-minute tickets can be bought from the official Ticketmaster resale site, where fans who can no longer go sell their seats, although these tend to go into and out of stock quickly. Elsewhere, resale sites like Viagogo, Vivid Seats, StubHub and Twickets are selling tickets for various dates, although fans should always bear in mind that many official sites, such as Ticketmaster and Live Nation, discourage the purchase of resale tickets. Meanwhile Seat Unique has some VIP tickets available offering a host of additional perks alongside access to the gig. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Gavin Fleming of the Live Forever Oasis tribute band
For his day job, Irish dad-of-two Gavin Fleming (42) is a site engineer for electrical company Davenham Switchgear. However, his passion is performing as Liam Gallagher in Live Forever.
