Felicity Long
I'm sure my grandparents would be astonished to hear it, but some of the best meals I've had in all my years of traveling to and writing about Europe have been in Ireland.
No longer a bastion of humble meat and potatoes, the destination has become a hotbed of exceptional cuisine.
From trendy eateries helmed by celebrity chefs to country inns serving farm-to-table (called "farm-to-fork" in Ireland) meals, this is an island increasingly on the radar of foodies and just anyone who considers dining a key ingredient in the travel experience.
To help visitors get a taste of Ireland's best, Good Food Ireland and Journeys Connect are partnering to get the word out.
Good Food Ireland is a brand founded in 2006 by Margaret Jeffares from her farm in County Wexford, where she brought together purveyors of food and drink with people in the hospitality industry to support the growth of Irish farmers, fishermen and other food producers though tourism -- and with an emphasis on sustainability.
Journeys Connect is a privately owned, U.S.-based wholesale tour operator that works exclusively with travel advisors and offers group and specialty programs to destinations throughout Europe, Japan, southern Africa and South America.
The result of the partnership is a series of Good Food Ireland tours designed for the U.S. market to connect international visitors with locals and immerse them in the culinary and cultural traditions of Ireland.
"Good Food Ireland is like a friend in Ireland connecting visitors with a family of like-minded people who all share its passion for good local food and old-fashioned Irish hospitality," said Jeffares.
The advantage of working with Journeys Connect is the tour company's understanding of the U.S. marketplace, "... [which] affords us the opportunity to tailor relevant itineraries that will meet customers' needs," she said. "Through our collaboration, I believe we can offer international visitors to Ireland a whole new and rewarding Ireland experience."
The Good Food Ireland South guided tour, for example, is an eight-night tour that can accommodate from 12 to 25 participants.
Priced from $3,799 per person land, the tour bundles in breakfast in Mulligan's Pub in Sandymount; dinner in Wicklow at the Strawberry Tree Restaurant, Ireland's first certified Organic Restaurant; lunch at the GIY HQ Cafe in Waterford; and dinner at the five-star Hayfield Manor in Cork.
The itinerary goes on like this, but you get the idea. In other words, bring your appetite.
Participants will also get a chance to meet local purveyors, like Ummera Smokehouse in West Cork for a Smoked Irish Salmon Experience and family-operated oyster farm Cromane Oysters, as well as experience a picnic with local products at the Cliffs of Moher and, of course, a visit to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
In all, Good Food Ireland Tours draw from some 300 businesses certified within the Good Ireland Collection.
As to accommodations, guests will stay in upscale, family-owned and -operated hotels, including the BrookLodge Hotel in County Wicklow, Hayfield Manor in Cork, the International Hotel in Killarney, Fitzgerald's Woodlands House in Adare and Brooks Hotel in Dublin.
Two departures are scheduled for 2022 on May 6 and Sept. 30 with plans to add a departure over Thanksgiving. Private group departures can be tailored year-round.