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HomeFarming NewsMaguire meets Kelly’s Butchers & Achill Mountain Lamb
Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
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Maguire meets Kelly’s Butchers & Achill Mountain Lamb

Neven Maguire’s new six-part series, Neven’s Greenway Food Trails, returns to our screens later this month.

Starting on Wednesday, January 4th, 2023, on RTÉ One, he travels to meet some of Ireland’s most spectacular Greenways and more of the country’s food producers and chefs.

Cycling through some of Ireland’s most stunning scenery, Neven explores established Greenways such as The Great Western Greenway in Mayo, The Limerick, Waterford and Royal Canal Greenways.

Programme One: The Great Western Greenway, Co. Mayo

The Great Western Greenway is a 42km cycling and walking trail which follows the route of the old Westport to Achill Railway line, passing through spectacular scenery with views of Clew Bay, the Nephin Mountains and Croagh Patrick.

Neven starts his journey in Westport, but before heading out on the Greenway calls in at Cornrue Bakery for breakfast. Here he meets local coffee roaster Aaron Page of Bean West Coffee.

The Cornrue Bakery specialises in sourdough bread and has developed a breadmaking technique unique to Ireland.

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Baker Patrick O’Reilly shows Neven the baking process, which takes five days to complete. As a result of the longer production time, Cornrue bread is intensely flavoured and very easy to digest.

The Westport to Achill railway ran through Newport, and the impressive railway viaduct opened in 1894. The viaduct has seven arches and spans the Black Oak River. The railway closed in 1937, but the impressive railway viaduct has been preserved as a walkway.

Newport 

While in Newport, Neven visits Kelly’s Butchers, artisan producers renowned for their black and white puddings, bacon, and fourteen varieties of sausages.

Next door is Kelly’s Kitchen, an award-winning café run by the Kelly family, specialising in meat dishes. Head Chef José González cooks a trio of Beef Casserole using lesser-known cuts of beef – oxtail, beef cheek, and feather blade.

Between Newport and Mulranny, just off the Greenway is the Greenway Lane Café and Art Studio where Maureen O’Neill combines her love of cooking and art, offering freshly baked produce in her café, and art workshops in her studio.

Heading northwest, Neven’s next stop is the Mulranny Park Hotel, a former railway hotel located directly on the Greenway to meet local historian Joe McDermott and learn more about the historic railway and the origins of the Greenway.

Achill 

In Achill, Neven meets the Calvey family who has been producing Achill Mountain Lamb for four generations.

Their Mayo Blackface Mountain sheep are free to roam from the Atlantic beaches to the hills. Neven meets Martin Calvey to round up some sheep on the beach,and learns how the salty air and seaweed diet enhance the flavour of the meat.

Back in Westport for dinner, Neven calls in at Sage, an award-winning restaurant run by Bulgarian couple Shteryo Yurukov and Eva Ivanova. Shteryo cooks West Coast Monkfish with Pork Belly, Curried Lentils Bonbon, Celeriac and Tarragon Mustard.

Neven’s Greenway Food Trails is produced and directed by David Hare of InProductionTV and sponsored by Bord Bia.

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