Cork: The Food County

Editor's note

One night outside the city at Stone View, where Blarney Caravan and Camping Park sits about seven kilometres from the market. There has been a market on that site in the middle of Cork since 1788, when it opened as a meat shambles; the present buildings are mid-19th century, and the ornamental Princes Street entrance of 1862 runs through to the Grand Parade past a cast-iron fountain at the centre. Fire damaged it in 1981 and it was restored. It is still best known for its fish and its butchers, it supplies many of the city's restaurants, and it is where Cork buys tripe and drisheen. Queen Elizabeth II came in 2011 and was served by the fishmonger Pat O'Connell.

Editor's note

Two nights at Clonvilla Caravan & Camping Park at Clonpriest West, with the Capel Way Coastal Trail Island Loop, 2.5 km, nearby. Midleton's old distillery began as a woollen mill in 1796, was bought by the government in 1803 during the Napoleonic Wars and turned into a barracks, and started distilling in 1825. The Murphys installed a pot still of 31,618 gallons, so big it had to be assembled on site with the building put up around it; it is still the largest ever built, and an iron water wheel of 1852 still turns. The old works closed in 1975 and is now the Jameson Experience. At Ballymaloe House, farmed by the Allens since 1947, Myrtle Allen's Yeats Room opened in 1964; Darina Allen's cookery school at Shanagarry followed.

Editor's note

One night at Sextons Caravan and Camping Park on the R600 at Carhoo, outside Clonakilty, with the Abbeymahon Loop, 6 km, for walking. Clonakilty black pudding began in Edward Twomey's butcher's shop on Pearse Street, and it is worth buying in the town that made it and cooking at the pitch. Michael Collins went to the boys' national school here, and the house he lived in opened as a museum in 2016. At Toons Bridge, outside Macroom, Toby Simmonds keeps Ireland's only herd of water buffalo in an old creamery building, making more than 15 cheeses on site, fresh mozzarella among them. The farm shop sells the range alongside goods from the Real Olive Co., and the pizzeria bakes with that mozzarella at weekends.