Connemara Lamb Pie For Conamara Bog Week 2009
Conamara Bog Week ’09 the annual festival which takes place in the Quaker village of Letterfrack will this year celebrate its 25th birthday.
One of the highlights of a busy programme will be the launch of the Connemara Lamb Pie...a pie set to become a signature dish for the region. This pie is the creation of master chef Tim O’Sullivan of Renvyle House Hotel and will be launched on Monday June 1st. We have already launched the Connemara Mussel Pie at our Sea Week festival and coupled with the Connemara Lamb Pie ‘theses will become two flagship products to form the basis for a local high quality food industry’ says Ronnie Counihan, General Manager Renvyle House Hotel. It is hoped in the future these pies will be available nationally and will do for Connemara what the Cornish Pasty has done for Cornwall.
In typical Conamara fashion this will be a launch with difference - lots of fun and hint of madness thrown in for good measure complete with sean nos dancer Emma O’Sullivan and friends, the wonderful Kane fiddlers and friends. Celebrity tasters will be on hand to add to the occasion.
The celebrity tasters are Michelin starred chefs Colin O’Daly (formerly of Roly’s Bistro) and Gerry Galvin formerly of Drimcong House. They will be joined by a few mystery guests who will have the onerous task of picking the winning pie from a variety of recipes prepared by chef Tim O’Sullivan.
Of course the punters will also have their say. There will be lashings of pie for tasting. The question will have their vote but the question is ‘Will the votes of the judges concur with the votes of the punters?’
The whole day will be wrapped in mighty music with the local Kane sisters, two of Irelands best young fiddle players. On the day a blast of wonderful gypsy music from some members of Van Django, the wonderful Canadian quartet. The day will also feature the launch of ‘The Naturalist View’ a publication in honor of recently deceased Tomas Burke and the launch ‘Tim’s Kitchen’ – a range of food products also produced by chef Tim O’Sullivan.
For those who want some high energy action then on May 23rd and 24th Conamara Bog Week will have two exciting days of cycling racing organised by western lakes cycling club. On Saturday a 65km event and on Sunday 100km event. A challenging course has been laid out by John James Flaherty (087 9120910) but these cyclists will be riding through some of the most beautiful terrain on the planet. The first weekend also has the Conamara Bog Week Fun Run, a 5km sponsored family event with all proceeds going to FORUM for youth projects in the area.
Throw in a few art exhibitions, a vibrant schools programme, a soccer tournament open to everybody under 13, music workshops and sean nos dancing workshops, the Conamara Walkabout and a bundle of trad sessions and you have the flavor of an authentic community event that has been running for 25 years.
CEECC the organisers have received the Galway Arts Award 2002 -Premier Award; The Galway Heritage Award 2003 and a splatter of other award over the years.
For further information contact Leo Hallissey C.E.E.C.C., Letterfrack, Co. Galway. Phone No.s 095 41034/43443 085 1154629
email lfrack@eircom.net – website www.ceecc.org