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Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cork on a Fork: Feasting, fun, and quality food are on the menu at five-day festival
The Cork on a Fork food festival gets underway on Wednesday with a five-day programme of food-related fun, frolics, and feasting in all corners of the city. The launch event at Good Day Deli in the Nano Nagle Centre is followed by a sold-out business breakfast in the same venue, hosted by the Irish Examiner, and Cork-based food retail giant, Musgrave, with a breakfast menu featuring finest Cork produce. The breakfast is followed by a discussion exploring the theme, 'Putting a price on quality — promoting specialty foods in a cost-conscious market' with guest speakers Musgrave chief commercial officer Patricia Blackshields; Alan and Valerie Kingston of Glenilen Farm; Shannon Forrest of Rivesci; and Conrad Howard of the Market Lane Group. The Cork on a Fork programme features many of the city and county's finest chefs, food businesses, local producers and growers, with over 100 events including unique dining experiences, street feasts, free talks and demos, food trails, and brewery and distillery tours. Plates & Pairings takes place at Jacques Restaurant on Oliver Plunkett St, one of Cork's original torchbearers for premium local produce. File picture: Eddie O'Hare Many of the events are free of charge but some of the more high-profile events are ticketed, such as the VQ Shared Table dinner, as the restaurants and hospitality venues in and around MacCurtain St come together to feed 450 diners on a table stretching the length of the iconic city thoroughfare. Other notable events on the programme include Pig on a Spit and Craicly Stories at Peter Twomey's Glenbrook Farm, including a Blarney Brewing Co drinks reception and pig-on-a-spit dinner. Lamb shawarma kebabs, Georgian wines, and live music will be on the menu at L'Atitude 51 on Union Quay when it hosts QuayBabs during the Cork on a Fork festival. File picture L'Atitude 51 will host QuayBabs on the riverside terrace outside their Union Quay premises, featuring lamb shawarma kebabs, Georgian wines, and live music. Smokin' Soul X Casks sees live fire cooking masters, Smokin' Soul, team up with Cask head chef Robert Birins for a barbecue feast in the restaurant's outdoor space. Plates & Pairings at Jacques Restaurant, one of the original torch-bearers for premium local produce, will be a celebration of the very best Cork food and drink; and Savour the Spirit is an evening dinner collaboration between Hayfield Manor and Rebel City Distillery. Among the highlights at the 2025 Cork on a Fork festival will be the VQ Shared Table on MacCurtain St and the Irish Examiner Eats Club dinner. Picture: Joleen Cronin Inclusivity is intrinsic throughout the programme, with chef Orla McAndrew curating Breaking Bread, an immersive food and community experience set in St Peter's, featuring food from Cork's vibrant migrant community, along with performances by the Cork Shakespearean Company. An Evening of Flavour and Friendship with Down Syndrome Cork Youth Club will see the group's members showcase their culinary chops in collaboration with Cornstore Head Chef Maura Baxter, for a special three-course dinner, at the Coal Quay restaurant. Those same youth club members will deliver a live demo on Emmet Place on Sunday morning with their mentor, Chef Hugh. Come the weekend, the live demo stage outside Cork's Opera House becomes the centre of activity with a packed programme of demos featuring some of Cork's finest ambassadors of the best in Irish food. The programme continues throughout Sunday, with plenty of family and child-friendly events on the city's streets before the festival finally closes as the Irish Examiner Eats Club, an exclusive dining series for Irish Examiner subscribers, fetches up at The Glass Curtain restaurant for a very special bespoke five-course dinner specially created by chef/proprietor Brian Murray. • For more about this year's Cork on a Fork keep an eye on the Irish Examiner in print and online and visit
Irish Examiner
09-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Joe McNamee: The Cork on a Fork buzz shows the city's progress as a food destination
Next Wednesday, the Lord Mayor of Cork will launch the fourth Cork on a Fork food festival, at Good Day Deli in the Nano Nagle Centre — which will then be followed by the Irish Examiner Business Breakfast, sponsored by Musgrave's SuperValu, hosted by yours truly and featuring four great speakers from the food world. The inaugural Cork on a Fork festival in 2022 was a tentative affair, hampered by a too short run-in, a tricky time slot in August, and a reluctance from many local restaurants to fully come on board. The leaps and bounds ever since have been enormous. Last year, in 2024, the festival finally came into its own as a potential keeper in the annual culinary calendar. So, the irony is not lost on me that the speakers will be addressing the following theme: 'Putting a Price on Quality: Promoting specialty foods in a cost-conscious market'. As Cork on a Fork, a celebration of the food and food culture of Cork City and its surrounding region, grows ever stronger, many of the producers being celebrated are facing a multiplicity of challenges, homegrown and 'imported', that threaten the very viability of the sector itself. The same applies to hospitality, both local and national — and the current existential crisis is far worse than the impact of the crash of the Celtic Tiger. I was working as a chef in Cork City in 1993 when Denis Cotter's Paradiso (then Cafe Paradiso) and Seamus O'Connell's Ivory Tower opened almost in tandem. Anthony Bourdain with Chef Seamus O'Connell in the Ivory Tower restaurant in 2006. Both revolutionary restaurants in an Irish and even international context. Their impact was immediate, and many of us lesser mortals toiling away in lesser kitchens around the city had a sense we were all about to hitch a ride on a new Cork culinary wave. In fact, the dining duo were so far ahead of the curve, it was some time in the future before their real influence was felt in Irish dining. Both were born in a time when recession was a near-permanent state, but that's par for the course in hospitality; some of the very best restaurants, and specialty food producers, have traditionally emerged when times were toughest and real creativity makes up for financial shortfalls. The subsequent heady gold rush days of the Celtic Tiger, if anything, appeared to dull creativity and innovation. Certainly, there was still great cooking to be found in and around the city but none of the genuine sense of invention of Paradiso and the Ivory Tower. When the Celtic Tiger crashed, local restaurants battened down the hatches and retreated behind stultifying culinary conservatism and the safety of combination pizza-pasta-burger menus. It was only when the new century was some way into its teens that a fresh radicalism re-emerged with the arrival of Takashi Miyazaki's eponymous Japanese street food restaurant, Miyazaki — which in turn led to his Ichigo Ichie restaurant, the first to hold a Michelin star in the city since Arbutus Lodge in the 1980s — and Beverley Mathews' L'Atitude 51's pronounced body swerve into the world of natural wine, sublimely complemented by culinary director Simone Kelly's local produce-driven menus. There was a sense that culinary Cork was on the rise once more. The pandemic, if anything, only drove Cork hospitality to greater heights and in all my time dining in Cork, I am hard pressed to recall a similar sense of excitement as prevails right now around the town. Not only are Cork chefs delivering on the plate, they are doing so with a newfound sense of camaraderie and cooperation. These new Young Turks regularly socialise together but they also have each others' backs, offering support and engaging in inspiring collaborations, even as every business opens the shutters each day to yet another battle for survival. So, blessed as we are in Cork, not only should we relish this newfound culinary creativity in the city, we should also do everything in our power to support it. The next time you are dining out in Cork, skip past those imported franchise restaurant models and seek out a genuinely local independent restaurant, especially those serving up a real taste of Cork on the plate. TABLE TALK The Examiner Eats Club is an exclusive series of dining events hosted by the Irish Examiner food team and solely open to Irish Examiner subscribers who are offered the opportunity to purchase tickets on a first come, first served basis for the chance to dine at private dinners in some of Ireland's finest restaurants. Launched last autumn with a wonderful evening at the celebrated Goldie restaurant, subsequent and equally superb evening dinners have taken place in Good Day Deli and the Farmgate Café, in the English Market. The next Examiner Eats Club dinner (Aug 17) — part of Cork on a Fork festival programme — sees the team and a bunch of very lucky diners heading to The Glass Curtain, on MacCurtain St. A genuine leader of the new wave in Cork city, The Glass Curtain combines brilliant cooking with one of the best larders around, a hyper-local exploration of the finest local and seasonal produce. Front-of-house manager/sommelier Wesley Triggs oversees a cracking wine and cocktail list, while superbly marshalling the dining experience, and chef-proprietor Brian Murray promises to pull out all the stops with a delicious five course sharing menu. TODAY'S SPECIAL Cheese from The Lost Valley Dairy. Instead of one specific food product, this week I am encouraging you to fill shopping baskets with some of the finest food in the world, and all of it from Cork. This is no parochial 'Real Capital' hubris, just a statement of fact: Cork has been the breadbasket of the country for generations; the birthplace of the modern Irish specialty food producer movement; and, for many years, Cork winners at the Blás na hÉireann food awards outnumbered the entire rest of the country put together. The best place to start is with sublime smoked fish from Sally Barnes (Woodcock Smokery) and Frank Hederman, and the best cheeseboard in the land, including Milleens, Durrus, Gubbeen, Coolea, Hegarty's and The Lost Valley Dairy. And that's only the starting point — I think you're going to need a second trolley!
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Profit margins for Irish supermarkets not 'notably high', says CCPC
A report from Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) indicates that profit margins for the Irish supermarkets do not appear to be 'notably high'. The report showed that for the year to February 2024, Tesco Ireland's operating profit margin decreased to 3.7% from 4% the previous year. Musgrave's profit margin also declined to 2.4% in 2023, a slight drop from 2.5%, while Aldi saw its profit margin reduce to 0.8% in 2023, down from 0.9% in 2022. In the update to 2023's high-level analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector, the consumer watchdog has stated that Irish supermarkets' profit margins are in line with those seen in the UK and other European regions. The CCPC's review encompassed an examination of market concentration, trends in grocery pricing both nationally and internationally, and broader issues pertinent to the sector that are within its scope. The findings from its analysis also revealed no evidence to suggest that competition within the Irish grocery retail sector is not working. It also notes that enhanced competition since 2005 has yielded significant advantages for consumers. Food price hikes in Ireland have remained substantially below the European average, aligning with a period of intensified market competition in Ireland. The CCPC stated: 'While food prices in Ireland remained high internationally, food inflation during the period analysed had been the lowest in the EU [European Union]'. The analysis indicates a considerable rise in grocery prices starting from 2021, with Irish consumers facing a 27% surge in prices by June 2025. The report continued: 'Ireland has experienced significant cumulative price increases since 2019 in import prices, agricultural commodity prices and producer prices, but retail prices have increased at a much slower pace. 'This may indicate that retailers are absorbing some of the cost pressures rather than passing them fully on to Irish consumers. "While the CCPC has not seen evidence to justify an in-depth study of the grocery retail sector, it remains a key market for the CCPC, which we will continue to review.' "Profit margins for Irish supermarkets not 'notably high', says CCPC" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Sunday World
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Taoiseach Micheal Martin's ‘hot son' reveals he is engaged
The Cork senior football goalkeeper, a senior manager at PwC, has previously attracted attention for his good looks Micheal Martin's eldest son Micheál Aodh Martin, revealed his engagement to girlfriend Maryclaire Lynch Micheál in photos posted to his private Instagram account. In one photo he shared Maryclaire can be seen holding up her left hand sporting an oval diamond solitaire ring. It is believed that he popped the question while the couple enjoyed their summer holidays together in Montenegro. The backdrop for the big moment is the scenic lake in Kotor Bay. While confirming to Evoke that the couple were engaged, Mr Martin wouldn't comment further. However, the Cork senior football goalkeeper joked in the caption announcing the engagement that it was a 'successful summer holiday'. Micheal Martin's eldest son Micheál Aodh Martin has revealed his engagement to girlfriend Maryclaire Lynch News in 90 Seconds - Aug 7th The Cork senior football goalkeeper, a senior manager at PwC, has previously attracted attention for his good looks. Referred to as 'Micheál's hot son', his dad revealed how his eldest was on the receiving end of 'an awful slagging from his teammates at the time'. People had been tweeting about his son, with one comment reading: 'I'm not a fan of Micheál Martin BUT did anyone else see his son on the news there??? MASSIVE fan of him, jayyysus? However, Mr Martin was quick to defend his son, saying he wouldn't get carried away by the compliments, thanks to the people of Cork who, 'if you have notions, they'll take you down to size'. It has been reported that Micheál Jnr and Maryclaire who now works as a brand manager for Musgrave met at University College Cork, where both of them had been studying commerce. Taoiseach Micheál Martin is reportedly delighted with the news and in a statement said he 'wishes them a lifetime of happiness and the very best for the future'. As a two-time Munster Championship winner with Nemo Rangers, Martin is well accustomed to having his father attend as a keen observer from the stands when the Rebels are in action. However, Micheál Aodh told the Irish Sun: 'We probably have a mutual thing there. "I won't scrutinise his performance if he doesn't scrutinise mine. We've probably both learned over the years that it doesn't work otherwise.' He said: 'He'd go to all the hurling as well. He genuinely loves it. "If you check who Nemo were playing in the junior league, and my brother plays with our junior team, he'd be a good attendee at their Division 7 league games as well. That'd be his break really.'
Irish Times
07-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Supermarket profit margins ‘not notably high' despite rising prices, watchdog says
Supermarket profit margins in Ireland are 'not notably high', the consumer protection watchdog has said, despite figures showing grocery prices are currently rising at nearly three times the general rate of inflation. A new report on the grocery sector by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) also says retailers are absorbing some of the cost pressures rather than passing them fully on to Irish consumers in contrast to the experience elsewhere in the European Union. The report showed Tesco Ireland's profit margin for the year to February was 3.7 per cent, down from 4 per cent; Musgrave 's profit margin in 2023 was 2.4 per cent, down from 2.5 per cent; while Aldi 's was 0.8 per cent in 2023, down from 0.9 per cent. 'Thus, all three groups have reported declining profitability, albeit marginal, in their latest financial results,' the watchdog said. READ MORE Dunnes and Lidl do not publish accounts for their Irish operations, but Lidl's UK accounts, which combine UK and Irish activities, show a profit margin of 2.1 per cent in its latest financial year. The CCPC said profit margins for Irish supermarkets 'align closely' with those observed in the UK and other parts of Europe. For instance, both Sainsbury's and Asda reported profit margins of approximately 3 per cent for the 2023/24 period. In Denmark, the Salling Group achieved a margin of 3.7 per cent in 2024, while the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands reported a margin of 4 per cent. The CCPC also said supermarket margins are 'notably lower' than those of some producers within the market. For example, Unilever reported a margin of 18.4 per cent in 2024, up from 16.7 per cent in 2023. Similarly, Kerry Group maintained a margin of 11.2 per cent in 2024, a slight decrease from 11.3 per cent in 2023. Glanbia also showed strong performance with a margin of 14.4 per cent in 2024, up from 13.6 per cent the previous year. The CCPC noted Irish consumers are experiencing a 'sharp increase' in grocery prices, but said Ireland's rate of grocery price inflation has been below the EU average for 15 of the past 16 years. It acknowledged Irish consumers have experienced a 27 per cent increase in prices since 2021, but said this remains below the EU average where grocery prices have increased by 35 per cent over the same period. Just four EU member states have experienced smaller price increases since 2021, it noted. The watchdog said grocery inflation in Ireland has 'mostly been lower' than the EU in recent years, with EU and Irish inflation rates in close alignment since 2024. Data from the CSO shows Irish grocery prices were 14 per cent higher than the EU average in 2024. This gap has reduced since 2003 when Irish prices were 30 per cent higher. The CCPC said higher prices here must be considered within the context of structural factors within the Irish economy such as higher wages, remote geographic location, and higher costs in sectors such as construction, legal services and insurance. 'Overall, the high-level inflation figures do not suggest any significant market problems in the Irish grocery retail sector,' it said. 'If anything, the evidence suggests that Irish consumers have experienced significant price benefits compared to European counterparts.' The report said Ireland has experienced 'significant cumulative price increases' since 2019 in import prices, agricultural commodity prices and producer prices, but noted that retail prices have increased at a much slower pace. 'This may indicate that retailers are absorbing some of the cost pressures rather than passing them fully on to Irish consumers,' the watchdog said. 'This pattern is not reflected in the EU where increases in the retail price of food have tended to more closely follow agricultural and producer prices.'
