Ice Cream Party in Dublin

Yesterday, we had a party in Powerscourt Centre, to celebrate the first Murphys Ice Cream scooping cabinet in the capitol, and I think it was quite a success, due in no small part to our wonderful team (Niamh, Claire, Sinead, JP and Gary), our brilliant designer Kevin, and the folk at Powerscourt Townhouse Cafe. Certainly one of the high points for me was when JP brought two Kerry calves, which absolutely delighted children and adults present, and I was especially happy that our farmer Colm managed to make an appearance. 

It was a crazy day, including a tasting at Morton’s on Hatch Street, dropping into the studio to visit with the brilliant team at the Emergency on Newstalk, and trying to keep our little Róisín happy. The party itself flew by, and I only wish I could have split myself in 3 to chat with everyone who came. 

I hope that having the scooping cabinet will please our Dublin customers, and anyone who is interested in our ice cream should visit Powerscourt Centre. It’s our policy to give out free tastes, so don’t be shy!

Murphys in Dublin

powerscourt We’re just about up and running in Powerscourt Centre, where we will have the first Murphys Ice Cream scooping cabinet in the capitol. It’s a collaboration with Jay Burke’s Powerscourt Townhouse Cafe, and while we’ve been selling 500ml tubs in Dublin for a while now, it will give our Leinster customers a chance to have a scoop of Murphys without driving all the way to Kerry!

We have a launch party this afternoon, and if you’re a fan of Murphys and in Dublin, click here.

An Irish Treasure

 I’m back from Galway, where I went for the relaunch party of McCambridge’s fantastic food emporium on Shop Street in the city centre. They have redone the shop, and it looks fantastic (and I’m not just saying that because there is a Murphys Ice Cream scooping cabinet in the heart of it). Galway is always wonderful, and between the Volvo Ocean Race and the party, there was an extra-special buzz.

McCambridges is a Galway stop that no foodie should miss, and it is well worth a detour. The McCambridge family’s love of food is obvious, and their pride in Irish foods is inspiring, with loads of local treasures and interesting nibbles. There is a new cafe and even tables outside to savour their delicacies.

There are few retail businesses in Ireland that blow me away, and this third generation business is one of them. Check it out!

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It’s Official – Murphys in Galway

mccambridges All eyes are on Galway at the moment, with the Volvo Ocean Race arriving into town and the great news that the Irish/Chinese yacht, the Green Dragon, finished third into Galway, after a very difficult start. Congrats to the whole team, and I sure wish I could have been there, for the party at 4am, when the boat arrived!

mccambridges2I will, however, be heading up to Galway very soon, because we’re proud to announce that there is now a Murphys Ice Cream scooping cabinet in McCambridge’s fantastic food emporium on Shop Street in the city centre (that’s Natalie McCambridge with Sean in the photo above). 

There will be a grand opening on the 3rd of June. I’ll announce the specifics on Facebook and Twitter, and I hope that anyone in the Galway area will be able to join us for the fun.

In the meantime, if you’re in Galway, stop in for a taste!

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A West Cork Jaunt

West Cork I had a long but enjoyable day today in West Cork, visiting customers and chasing down a few leads. It’s really a remarkably beautiful part of the country. My first port of call was Barleycove Beach Hotel in Goleen. Under new ownership, it looks like it will be a tasty port of call for anyone travelling the area, with a chef trained in a Michelin starred restaurant and a real commitment to fresh, local ingredients. I can tell you the ice cream ain’t bad, either ;-). Below is a little video of Martin, the owner, and the blue flag beach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04jNg38RgJk

I ended up in Kinsale, visiting the new Blue Haven Gourmet Store, that stocks our ice cream.

I also met with someone about a scooping cabinet. So, there’s a possibility there will be Murphys ice cream cones to be had by this summer in Kinsale!

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Perfect Place for Luas Snacking

mortons Perhaps the prettiest food shop I’ve seen in Dublin is Morton’s new shop on Park Place, Hatch St. Just around the corner from the Harcourt Luas stop (in fact it’s on the other side of that facing stone wall), the shop is not located in a great position for being noticed, since you have to walk around the corner, but it’s definitely worth a look, especially if you’re feeling hungry around lunch time. Anyone who knows the original Morton’s shop in Ranelagh, will know they take their quality seriously and have enough variety of tasty treats to delight any foodie. Give it a visit, if you’re in the area, and grab something to nibble on the way home!

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Lunch in Tralee

frenchflair If you find yourself in Tralee around lunchtime, there’s an excellent place to get a sandwich or other nibbles on Courthouse Lane in the middle of town. It’s called French Flair, and they not only make their own bread but have a good selection of cheeses, meats, etc. They have a good wine selection, as well as chocolates and other gourmet nibbles.

They have added a new cafe, and although I didn’t have time to sample their wares, it looks cute and comfortable.

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Lunch in Kinsale

dsc_2202 I’m just back from Kinsale, where I was one of the speakers at a Soho Solo Ireland event.

dsc_2205I really like Kinsale. For all of the chains that have been creeping in many places, it’s still full of boutiques and interesting bites of food. We ate lunch at Cucina on Market Street, and I can certainly recommend it.

The crab tart special was very yummy and came topped with Caesar salad (photo above).

I do feel for anyone trading in that town, though. The streets are still dug up (how long has it been?), and it must be quite a challenge to keep going.

After our experience in Killarney, I know what that kind of disruption is like. Best of luck to all of them!

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