Ireland’s top cookery schools and sporting hero’s are mixing it up for Special Olympics at Savour
Savour Kilkenny is delighted to be working with Special Olympics Leinster to bring a new twist to Cookery Demonstrations from some of Ireland’s top cookery schools. This special event will be hosted by Kilkenny’s favourite celebrity chef Edward Hayden in the Main Marquee on Saturday October 25th from 12 noon to 3pm.
Some of Special Olympics Ireland’s Ambassadors will be on hand on the day to help out so be sure to attend the demos because you never know who will turn up! Local Special Olympic’s ambassadors include Mick Galwey and Darren O’Neill.
Travelling to Kilkenny from Cork, Donegal and Wexford for this very special event are our esteemed chefs Rory O’Connell from Ballymaloe Cookery School (12noon), Brian McDermott, The No-Salt (1pm) and Kevin Dundon, Dunbrody Cookery School (2pm) . These highly respected chefs and food authors always demonstrate interesting and tasty dishes that you can try at home.
Special Olympics Ireland is a sports organisation for people with intellectual disabilities providing year round sports training and competition in fourteen Olympic-type sports. Currently the Leinster region has over 1,500 athletes across nine counties training weekly and competing in sixty-four clubs. Special Olympic not only offers sport but also gives athletes the opportunity to develop their skills, physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendships.
Festival Director, Marian Flannery is encouraging the people of Kilkenny to come along and show their generosity at the main demo marquee for this event. Special Olympics Leinster will have collectors operating on the day with all funds raised going directly to supporting athletes with intellectual disabilities. “Unlike other food festivals, there is no charge into the food market or into these top class demonstrations - The funds raised will assist Special Olympics Leinster to continue to offer sporting opportunities to all of the athletes, through competitions, leagues and interclub competitions whilst also offering coach education and training to ensure they can continue to deliver a high quality sports program to the athletes. So come along and support this great cause and get some cooking tips from Irelands top chefs.”
Annette Codd, Regional Director with Special Olympics Leinster, said the organisation was “delighted” to be partnered with Savour Kilkenny for the event: “Special Olympics Leinster is delighted to have joined forces with Savour Kilkenny’s Cookery Demonstrations which is taking place in the Main Marquee this Saturday from 12 noon to 3pm. The people of Kilkenny, and indeed beyond, are incredibly supportive of our athletes. No doubt this event will be a huge success and we would like to thank everyone attending in advance for their ongoing generosity. We’d also like to thank the good people at Savour Kilkenny for this opportunity. After eight successful years, this event has really become a highlight on the annual calendar and we are thrilled to be involved.”
This year’s action packed Savour Kilkenny Festival of Food is stuffed with a programme offering something for everyone including:
· A bustling open air food market on the parade in front of Kilkenny Castle featuring 75 artisan producers
· A wide selection of cookery demonstrations at the Chefs Table and Main Demo Marquee
· A Wine Goose Chase with Susan Boyle who will take festival goers through 2,000 years Irish wine history
· ‘Go Bonkers with Conkers’ at the International Conkers championship bringing young and old together in a battle for the title of Conker Champion 2014
· Spud and Hurl Race in aid of Cois Nore
· Craft Beer and food pairings featuring local brewers Costellos, O’Haras, Knockdrinna cheese, and Fiona Uyema’s sush.
· The Avonmore Food Art Competition with exhibits from secondary school children across the county
· Young Producers Market featuring 60 budding young chefs showcase their foodie creations in MacDonagh Junction
A new addition this year is Night of 1,000 Feasts with people being asked to host and share a meal in their home, on their street, or in their community centre to celebrate local food and friendship on Sunday October 26th. This is part of a fundraiser for the Town of Food project.
For details of the full programme go to www.savourkilkenny.com
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Please come along on the day to support if you can.
From Left to Right: SO Leinster ambassador Mick Gawley, SO Kilkenny athlete Ciara Trait, celebrity chef Edward Hayden and Michael Fennelly.