Ireland's black pudding festival grows in popularity

Ireland's fourth Black Pudding Festival next month will feature a unique community event as part of Northern Ireland's Year of Food and Drink 'Love NI Meat', the theme for the month of August.

A highlight of the month-long festival, launched by award winning county Fermanagh butcher Pat O'Doherty in 2012, will be a major community event at the prestigious Castle Archdale Country Park, near Enniskillen, where O'Doherty's popular butchery business in based. Castle Archdale is a popular tourism and leisure centre for US and European visitors on the picturesque Lower Lough Erne.

The day-long event at Castle Archdale takes place on 12 August and will showcase varieties of black pudding from around the world for sampling. Leading chefs will demonstrate dishes using the puddings. In addition, there will be traditional Irish music performances.

The month-long Black Pudding Festival is also being backed by the local council and by leading chefs and restaurants across the county which will be featuring pudding on their menus. Supporters include Noel McMeel, head chef at the five-star Lough Erne Hotel and Resort in Enniskillen.

Pat O'Doherty, the developer of the multi-award winning Fermanagh Black Bacon and Traditional Fermanagh Corned Beef, says:

"The Black Pudding Festival is really gathering momentum across Fermanagh. It's immensely encouraging to see tourism organisations getting behind the event I launched four years ago to showcase the flavour and versatility of the puddings."

The festival reflects his longstanding interest in the history of food particularly beef and bacon, a fascination that has led him to spend hours in the archives and has resulted in the revival of two products steeped in history - Fermanagh Black Bacon, a dry-cured bacon with spices that's based on a technique dating back generations, and Traditional Fermanagh Corned Beef.

He will have black puddings from 20 nations on show at the event, which will also feature and opportunity to local people to enter their own puddings in a 'cook off' competition.

"I am really keen to draw out as many different black pudding recipes as possible because virtually every community has its own using different ingredients and way of making the puddings," he says.

"Many families in Ireland have their own recipes. We'll select the best and give their owners a chance to cook live on stage. The winner will then receive a special award," he adds.