Local Carlow butcher wins big award at Blas na hÉireann awards

All roads led to Dingle for Blas na hÉireann this weekend, where Murphy’s Craft Butchers from Tullow, received a Gold Award for their Black Charcoal Ribeye Steak and a Silver Award for their Traditional Pork Sausages. Master Butcher Jim Murphy expressed his delight upon receiving the award, saying, "We’re absolutely thrilled to have our Black Charcoal Ribeye Steak recognised with this award. It’s a true reflection of the care, innovation, and hard work that goes into crafting our products. Our team is passionate about what we do, and this accolade is a great validation of that commitment."

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The Murphy family's dedication to excellence is evident through numerous awards, Jim and Bernadeta Murphy have previously been honoured with title of Best Butcher Shop of the Year in 2018, and Jim's membership in the World's Butchers Challenge Team Ireland, which secured the title in 2018. More recently they represented Ireland at the World Butchers' Challenge 2022 in Sacramento, California, where they proudly secured the title for having the Best Sausage in the World.

Other Irish Butchers’ Guild finalists at the Blas na hÉireann this weekend included McCarthy’s of Kanturk, who were honoured with the prestigious Irish Butchers’ Guild Award at this year’s event. McCarthy’s also earned a Gold Award for their signature Traditional Spiced Beef, along with an additional Bronze Award for their Smoked Back Rashers. Fermoy based Fitzgerald’s Butchers were honoured with a Bord Bia Chef’s Larder Award for their homecured Guanciale and Furlong’s Foodhall from Gorey, were awarded a Gold Award for their Cucumber Pickle and a Bronze Award for their Potato Salad. These accolades underscore the expertise, craftsmanship, and exceptional quality found in butcher shops across the country, as well as their unwavering dedication to delivering excellence to their customers.

Now in its 17th year, Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards is the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of Ireland. The annual events build into the biggest celebration in Irish food and its producers, with awards presented in the Blas Village in Dingle. Located in the heart of Dingle, this pop-up village becomes a central point for producers across the country to come together and celebrate the very best of Irish food and drink.