Press Release
Get Ready for the Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week: May 8th – May 14th, 2023
Cheese lovers, it’s time to mark your calendars! The Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week is coming up from May 8th to May 14th, 2023. This week-long campaign is all about promoting and celebrating the amazing variety and quality of Irish raw milk cheese.
The Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week will feature promotional events at select retail stores, restaurants and farmers markets across the country. The goal is to showcase the work of eight raw milk cheesemakers who collectively produce 24 unique and delicious types of Irish raw milk cheese.
This is an excellent opportunity for cheese enthusiasts to explore the world of Irish raw milk cheese, learn about artisanal cheesemaking techniques, and taste some unique and small batch cheese types. Whether you’re a seasoned cheese connoisseur or just starting to appreciate the art of cheesemaking, this week is not to be missed.
“We’re thrilled to be hosting the Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week and celebrating the work of our incredible cheesemakers,” said Tom Burgess, Chair of the Irish Raw Milk Cheese Presidia. “This event is all about raising awareness of the quality and diversity of Irish raw milk cheese, and we’re excited to share our passion with cheese lovers across the country.”
Euro-Toques Ireland, the community of chefs, cooks, and producers, is also delighted to support the Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week. Manuela Spinelli, Head of Community, People and Culture said, “Our members pride themselves on protecting and preserving our culinary heritage, of which raw milk cheese plays an important part. Irish raw milk cheese producers respect the ethos and traditional production methods that play an integral part in our culinary history. We would encourage all to sample some of these incredible cheeses during Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week.”
To get involved and find out more, visit www.irishcheese.ie/rawmilkcheeseweek. There will be plenty of opportunities to learn, taste, and support the artisanal cheesemaking industry in Ireland.
So, mark your calendars, spread the word, and get ready for the Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week. We can’t wait to celebrate the best of Irish cheese with you!
About the Irish Raw Milk Cheese Presidium & Raw Milk Cheese
What is the IRMCP?
In 2003 a group of cheesemakers along with Kevin Sheridan of Sheridans Cheesemongers and Dr Colin Sage of UCC decided to form a presidium which would represent and help to protect Irish raw milk cheeses. Since then, the group has continued to act as means of promoting Irish raw milk cheeses as well as a forum for raw milk cheese makers.
The purpose of this Presidium is to encourage and support raw milk farmhouse cheese producers from the whole island of Ireland and to widen appreciation for this specialist product. We wish to celebrate the distinctive merits of Irish raw milk cheese, the environment from which it springs, its artisans and its varied styles of production. We hope that the activities of the Presidium will raise awareness amongst consumers, retailers and food policy experts of the quality, benefits and enjoyment of Irish raw milk cheese.
What is a presidium?
Slow Food Presidia are local projects that work to improve the infrastructure of artisan food production. The goal of the Presidia is to guarantee a viable future for traditional foods by stabilising production techniques, establishing stringent production standards, and promoting local consumption. The Presidia project is coordinated by the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, which organizes and funds projects that defend our world’s heritage of agricultural biodiversity and gastronomic traditions.
Why are we trying to protect Irish raw milk cheeses?
The simple and most important reason is because raw milk cheese is wonderful to eat. When we think of the great cheeses of Europe, Parmigiano Reggiano, Roquefort, Comte, Camembert de Normandy, Swiss Gruyere… these all have one thing in common; by tradition and by contemporary law they must be made using raw milk.
By using raw rather than pasteurised milk the cheesemaker allows the natural microflora from the landscape influence the development of the cheese. Raw milk cheeses literally translate the landscape into taste.
There are many excellent Irish farmhouse cheeses made from pasteurised milk and the use of raw milk for cheese making does not automatically produce a better cheese. However raw milk cheeses have another dimension, the possibility to bring to us, through their taste, nuances and a complexity which has been part of European culinary heritage for centuries.
The natural goodness of the milk from the Grass based diet of our dairy stock is preserved intact in raw milk cheese.
Proteins, Enzymes, Essential Fatty acids, aromatic flavour compounds are not destroyed by heat treatment.
Why is Raw Milk cheese making under threat?
When the presidium was set up in 2003 it was felt that the decline in Irish raw milk cheese making was such that unless some action was taken this method of cheese making would be extinct in Ireland within a short period of time. Thankfully there are still raw milk cheeses being produced in Ireland today, though the numbers are less than 20 years ago. The pressures that where there in 2003 are in the main still here in 2023.
Firstly, raw milk cheese is more difficult to make than cheese made from pasteurised milk. The cheese maker is working with a more variable product which changes with the seasons, it takes a lot of skill to make and mature these cheeses.
The scale of modern farming, food production and food distribution systems has grown immeasurably over the past one hundred years. This growth in scale has brought with it increased risks from pathogens which can get out of control and cause health problems within large scale food production and distribution. Many controls have had to be introduced to reduce the risk of our foods making us sick. One of the controls that has been extremely useful is pasteurisation, where a food is heated to high temperature killing any microflora which are in the food at that particular point in time. Unfortunately, most regulatory bodies look to apply the solution to the risks involved in large scale food production to all food production, regardless of scale. When cheese is being made on a very small scale and where the cheesemaker has knowledge and oversight of every step from farming through to maturation the risk of pathogens within the cheese and the implications if pathogens do get into the cheese are much lower than in the industrial equivalent. Although making raw milk cheese is fully legal the regulations around its production are onerous, time consuming and often expensive.
In addition, the modern food industry puts very little value on raw milk cheese and the qualities it brings, this together with an industry which is built on the values of uniformity and low cost production, raw milk cheesemakers can often find it hard to work with large retail and distribution.
We believe that in a world of homogenous flavours, industrial food production there is still demand and value in truly Artisan food production reflecting our dairy heritage, our unique landscapes and crafts people.
Irish raw milk cheese week
In order to highlight the quality Irish Raw Milk Cheeses that are available in Ireland we are celebrating these wonderful cheeses from the 8th to 14th May. Cheese retailers and restaurants across Ireland will be showcasing some of these cheeses and giving the opportunity to customers to taste and try them. We invite all Irish food lovers to search out these most special Irish food products, enjoy their diverse and wonderful flavours and to support the cheesemakers through buying their products.
‘’Raw-milk cheese is more than a wonderful food; it is a deeply embedded expression of our finest traditions. It is both an art and a way of life. It is a culture, a heritage and a cherished landscape. It is under threat of extinction. Under threat because the values it expresses are in opposition to the sanitation and homogenization of mass produced foods.’’ – Slow Food Manifesto in Defence of Raw Milk cheese.
Stockist Listing
ANTRIM
Indie Fude, Belfast
Maegden, Bushmills
Mike’s Fancy Cheese, Belfast
Tom & Ollie, Belfast
Ursa Minor Bakehouse & Deli, Moyle
ANTRIM
Indie Fude, Belfast
Maegden, Bushmills
Mike’s Fancy Cheese, Belfast
Tom & Ollie, Belfast
Ursa Minor Bakehouse & Deli, Moyle
CARLOW
Carlow Farmers Market, Carlow Farmhouse Cheese
Wards Vegetable Shop, Tullow
CAVAN
Cavan Farmers Market, Nick Price
CLARE
Burren Smokehouse, Lisdoonvarna
Ennis Farmers Market, The Flying Cheese Brigade
Food Emporium, Ennis
Hugo’s Deli, Lahinch
Killaloe Farmers Market, The Flying Cheese Brigade
Morning Dew Cafe, Corofin
Spar, Ballyvaughan
The Cheese Press, Doolin
The Cheese Press, Ennistymon
The Gourmet Store, Ennis
The Market House Ennistymon
The Wine Buff, Ennis
CORK
Ballymaloe Cookery School Shop
Bantry Farmers Market, Strawbale Cheeses
Bradley’s Supermarket, Cork City
Garden Goodness, Douglas Court Shopping Centre
Hudsons Wholefoods, Ballydehob
Iago, Cork City
Kalbos Cafe, Skibbereen
Kinsale Farmers Market, Strawbale Cheeses
Midleton Farmers Market, Strawbale Cheeses
On the Pigs Back, English Market & Douglas
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Bandon Road
Skibbereen Farmers Market
Strawbale Cheeses, Macroom
URRU, Bandon
DONEGAL
Dicey Reillys, Ballyshannon
Simple Simons, Diamond
The Blue Goat, Ramelton
The Counter, Letterkenny
DOWN
Hannan Meats, Moira
Little Taste of Heaven, Newry
DUBLIN
64 Wine, Dun Laoghaire
AVOCA – all stores
Baggot Street Wines, Dublin 4
Barnhill Stores, Dalkey
Basketcase.ie Donnybrook
Beshoffs – The Market, Howth
Cavistons, Glasthule
Centra Edengate, Delgany
Centra Greendale, Kilbarrack
Corner Butcher, Dublin 8
Country Market, Howth
Fallon & Byrne, Dublin 2
Fresh Avenue, Dublin 16
FX Buckley Victualler & Grocer, Dublin 2
Get Fresh, Rathfarnham
Lilliput Trading, Stoneybatter
Loose Canon, Dublin
Lotts & Co Terenure
Lotts & Co. Clontarf
Lotts & Co. Beggars Bush
Lovely Food Co., Dublin 9
Marlowe & Co, Sth Circular Road
Martins Off Licence, Fairview
McHugh’s Off Licence, Artane
McHugh’s Off Licence, Kilbarrack
Mortons, Ranelagh
Mr Green Fresh Food, Cabra
Nolans Supermarket, Clontarf
Olive Deli, Skerries
Pete’s Wines Raheny
Scarlett Olive Dublin
Sheridans Cheesemongers, Sth Anne Street
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Beacon
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Blackrock
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Blanchardstown
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Cornelscourt
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Donaghmede
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Ilac
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Leopardstown
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Portmarnock
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Rathmines
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, St. Stephens Green
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Swords
Temple Bar Food Market, Corleggy Cheeses
The Brown Pig, Terenure
The Green Door Pantry, Bluebell
Thomas’s of Foxrock
Thyme Out, Dalkey
Toonsbridge Dairy, Serpentine Ave, Dublin
Wilde & Green, Dublin 6
Wrights of Howth
GALWAY
Connemara Hamper, Clifden
McCambridges, Galway City
Rooster Cafe & Farmshop, Gort
Sheridans Cheesemongers, Church Yard Street
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Briarhill
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Knocknacarra
Slemon’s Supermarket, Furbo
KERRY
Centra, Dingle
Emilie’s, Glenbeigh
Heidi Ryan’s Kenmare
The Little Cheese Shop, Dingle
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Tralee
Siopa Ui Luing, Ventry
The Wine Buff, Killarney
KILDARE
Firecastle Lane, Kildare Town
Naas Farmers Market, Hollywood Farmhouse Cheese
Nolan’s Butchers, Kilcullen
Rath’s Londis Castledermot
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Naas
Swans On The Green, Naas
LAOIS
Woodlands Farm Shop, Ballacolla
LEITRIM
Carrick Farmers Market
Honestly Carrick
Manorhamilton Farmers Market
My Kitchen, Carrick
LIMERICK
Limerick Milk Market, The Flying Cheese Brigade
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Jetland
LOUTH
Forge Field Farm Shop, Termonfeckin
McAteers The Food House, Dundalk
The South Quay Fayre, Drogheda
MAYO
Clarke’s Seafood, Ballina
Food Store, Claremorris
Kelly’s of Newport
Rua Delicatessen, Castlebar
Savoir Faire, Westport
The Creel Cafe, Westport
The Store Next Door, Westport
Wild Rocket, Ballina
MEATH
Avoca, Dunboyne
Newbarn Farm, Ashbourne
Sheridans Cheesemongers, Kells
The Lime Kiln Pantry, Julianstown
OFFALY
Grape & Bean, Portlaoise
ROSCOMMON
Boyle Farmers Market
Dalys Drinks, Boyle
SLIGO
From the Ground Up, Tubbercurry
Honestly, Strand Hill
Kate’s Kitchen, Sligo
Pudding Row, Easky
Sligo Farmers Market
Sligo Wellness Centre
TIPPERARY
Country Choice, Nenagh
WATERFORD
Sheridans at Ardkeen Food Store, Waterford
Mezze, Tramore
Stable Yard Deli, Waterford
WESTMEATH
Red Earth, Mullingar
WEXFORD
Myles Doyle Grocer, Gorey
WICKLOW
AVOCA, all stores
Delgany Grocer, Delgany
Get Fresh, Bray
Killruddery Estate
La Touche Wines, Greystones
Nickys Village Market, Kilcoole
Sheridans at Dunnes Stores, Newtownmountkennedy
Tinahely Farm Shop
You will also find limited a selection of Irish Raw Milk Cheeses for sale in multiple and discount retail nationwide
Aldi
Dunnes Stores
Lidl
M&S
Musgraves (Supervalu & Centra)
Tesco
SUPPLIERS TO FOODSERVICE / DISTRIBUTORS
Artisan Foods, Parkwest
Horgans Delicatessen
La Rousse Foods
Odaios Foods
Redmond Fine Foods, Naas
Sheridans Cheesemongers
Sysco
Traditional Cheese Co
Meet the Maker
TUESDAY
DUBLIN:
– Leitrim Hill Creamery – Sheridans Cheesemongers at Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, 2pm – 4:30pm
WEDNESDAY
GALWAY
– Leitrim Hill Creamery – Sheridans Cheesemongers, Galway City, 1pm – 3:30pm
THURSDAY
LEITRIM
– Leitrim Hill Creamery – Farmers Market, Carrick on Shannon Market Yard, 10am – 2pm
– Leitrim Hill Creamery – Pizza Paradiso, Ballinamore pizza collaboration, 5pm – 9pm
FRIDAY
CORK:
– Coolattin Cheddar – On the Pigs Back, English Market, Cork City (afternoon)
– Hegarty’s Cheddar – Sheridans Cheesemongers at Dunnes Stores Bishopstown Court, 1:30pm – 3:30pm
– St Tola / Inagh Farmhouse Cheese – Sheridans Cheesemongers at Dunnes Stores Bishopstown Court, 4pm – 6:30pm
DONEGAL:
– Corleggy Cheeses – The Blue Goat Ramelton, Donegal, 2pm – 4pm
DUBLIN:
– Coolattin Cheddar – Sheridans Cheesemongers at Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, 12pm – 3pm
LEITRIM:
– Leitrim Hill Creamery – Farmers Market, Manorhamilton Bee Park Community Centre, 10am – 2pm
LIMERICK:
– St Tola / Inagh Farmhouse Cheese – Sheridans Cheesemongers at Dunnes Stores Jetland Limerick, 4pm – 6:30pm
SATURDAY
CORK:
– Hegarty’s Cheddar – On the Pigs Back, English Market, Cork City, 10am – 12pm
– Hegarty’s Cheddar – Iago, English Market, Cork City, 12pm – 2pm
DUBLIN:
– Coolattin Cheddar – Fallon & Byrne, Dublin 2 (afternoon)
– Corleggy Cheeses – Temple Bar Food Market, Meeting House Square, Dublin, 9:30am – 3pm
MAYO:
– Corleggy Cheeses – Savoir Faire, Westport, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
ROSCOMMON:
– Leitrim Hill Creamery – Boyle Farmers Market, Kings House Courtyard, 10am – 2pm
SLIGO:
– Leitrim Hill Creamery – ATU Sligo, 9am – 1pm
SUNDAY
CORK:
– The Lost Valley Dairy – St Francis Provisions Kinsale, 1pm – 4pm. Note there is a cover charge for this cheese and wine event. Visit @stfranciskinsale on Instagram for details.
Irish Raw Milk Cheese Week Supporters
CAIS 