Midlands success with 37 Medals at the Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards 2023
The reputation and quality of Food & Drink from the Midlands region continues to go from strength to strength, with 37 Medals at the influential Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards 2023. Midlands Food and Drink producers took home a total of 13 Gold Medals, 14 Silver Medals and 10 Bronze Medals at the Awards, […]
8 Midlands Finalists in 2023 Food & Wine Restaurant of the Year Awards
The annual Food & Wine Restaurant of the Year Awards is one the biggest nights in Irish Food, and this year the Midlands is celebrating 8 nominations across 6 different awards categories. Food & Wine magazine have developed the influential awards, and they are run in partnership with the Sunday Business Post and with sponsors […]
Music in the Midlands
Whether you prefer the cosy surrounds of a local pub, or the massive arena of the Electric Picnic, the midlands has become a great space to host large and small events. Also included here is the Music Generation in the Midlands which has three strong groups of music educators across the region.
Are ya Ploughing?
66,250 people attended Day One of the 2023 National Ploughing Championships. Let’s take a look at highlights for Wesdnesday and Thursday. With heavy rain yesterday, the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said, “I must say you are all surviving very well as loyal supporters of the Ploughing!” The 82 year old President pointed out […]
Top 10 Events for Culture Night in the Midlands
The theme for Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir is One Night for All-Oíche Dár Saol. Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir on Septmeber 22nd is a national moment, celebrating culture, creativity and the arts and seeks to actively promote the belief that this rich and varied culture is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and […]
Rothar Rogues from Durrow, Laois
“Rothar Rogues are a mens shed on wheels,” according to founding member Hughie Shepherd. ‘Mary’s Kitchen’ in Ballyragget is a meeting point and pit stop for Laois’ Rothar Rogues. Drinking tea and eating cake is certainly an important part of the daily routine for it’s members. Hughie tells me with a laugh, they are a […]
National Ploughing Championships, the Statistics
The National Ploughing Championships has grown to be Europe’s largest outdoor agricultural trade expo, with approximately 300,000 attendees over three days. We are taking a look at the statistics behind the larger than life event which runs next week from September 19th to 21st. From 25 to 1,700 stands “There were 25 stands at that […]
Midlands success with 19 Finalists in the Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards 2023
The reputation and quality of Food & Drink from the Midlands region continues to go from strength to strength, with 19 Food and Drink producers from the region named as Finalists in the influential Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards 2023. The Awards are the latest in a string of accolades for Midlands Food and […]
May the force be with Anna May McHugh
As I approach the IPA (Irish Ploughing Association) Headquarters in Ballylinan, County Laois, I realise I am not entering an office but a home. Anna May’ McHugh’s house is of course the home of the Ploughing, only a few kilometres from Ratheniska where the Championships take place. There are scores of people upstairs and down, […]
