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“14TH LISTOWEL FOOD FAIR A HUGE SUCCESS”

The town of Listowel was brought to life on the 6th of November 2008 with culinary delights for this the 14th year of the Listowel Food Festival.This year’s celebrations were officially opened last Friday night at the Listowel Arms Hotel, by Ireland’s renowned celebrity chef and food producer Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School. Chairman of the festival Jimmy Deenihan T.D opened proceedings and guest speakers included Kerry Group Chairman Denis Buckley, Maire McDonnell of Bord Bia and Flicka Small of Cater Assist.

Awards

The new vegetarian food book "Cornucopia" won the 2008 "Listowel Food Fair Irish Food Book" and the award was presented by Billy Keane of John .B. Keane's to Ruth O'Quigley on behalf of winner Deirdre McCafferty.
Tarbert Comprehensive School were the overall winners of the Bord Bia Quality Mark Schools Competition, Dick Williams of Coolea Cheese won the Supreme Champion of the National Farmhouse Cheese Competition and Merce Hobson from Abbeyfeale won the overall Homebaker of the Year.

Food lovers were then treated to a culinary display of genius by Ballymaloe Chef Darina Allen who presented a cookery demonstration, offering her audience some tasty seafood recipes amongst many.

Main events for this year’s Listowel Food Fair were seminars on diet and nutrition by top dietician and regular on RTE's Afternoon Show Aveen Bannon and Chairman of the European Food Safety Authority, Professor Patrick Wall at the Seanchai Centre, Listowel.

The Artisan Food Producers Seminar on Friday afternoon in Gala Supermarket gave Kerry food producers an opportunity to meet Darina Allen and display and discuss their produce.Speakers included Thomás Hayes from Kerry County Enterprise Board, Conor Hyde of Bullseye Food Marketing and Kieran O’Connor of BMD Consultants who were also on hand to lend advice.

For those seeking an exciting dining experience, the Slow Food Winter Supper hosted at the Listowel Arms Hotel on Saturday evening offered guests a candlelit drinks reception, a gala five course meal with dishes prepared with all local produce and complimentary wines. Darina Allen addressed diners as they ate and enlightened guests with facts about the Slow Food Movement and it’s current activities in Ireland.

Other events throughout the weekend included a children’s Health & Wellbeing Exhibition at Listowel Community Centre, the Food Hall & Craft Markets, children’s workshops and special events in various Listowel Restaurants throughout the weekend.The fair came to a close with a Wine Tasting in aid of Kerry Parents & Friends Association on Sunday presented by Wolfgang Boch 0f Vinum-X-Tellus at John R’s Delicatessen



Billy Keane, Sportswriter and Proprietor of John.B.Keane's Pub Listowel,models Michelle Kelleher and Michael McAllen South Kerry launch the 2008 Listowel Food Fair.