Ballyvolane House (our home) is the Georgina Campbell ‘Country House of the Year 2020’. We are chuffed to bits with this award and it recognises the hard work and dedication of our fantastic team working here with us. Thank you Georgina, we have been celebrating!

Citation from Georgina Campbell:

“Justin and Jenny Green are the current custodians of this gracious 1728 mansion. Surrounded by its own farmland and magnificent wooded grounds, it has wonderful gardens (domain of Justin’s father, Jeremy), a trout lake and salmon beats on the River Blackwater, it’s also known for contemporary charms - glamping (bell tents or the pig ark!), an atmospheric wedding venue and even their own gin, the famed Bertha’s Revenge. Justin and Jenny are an extremely hospitable couple, committed to continuing the standards of hospitality, comfort and food and drink for which this lovely and fun-filled house is renowned - and recent guests Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall obviously enjoyed it, as you can see from their framed letter of thanks in the drawing room.”

Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards 2020

Representing the four corners of Ireland, the winners of the 2020 Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards, in association with AIB, were announced at the awards lunch held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin on Sunday, 15th September 2019.

Celebrating 21 years in their current incarnation, the Georgina Campbell Awards recognise and honour Ireland’s standard-bearers in food and hospitality in Ireland with particular emphasis, this year, on the industry pioneers who put down quality markers a generation or more ago.

Celebrating generations of standard-bearers

According to Georgina Campbell, one of Ireland’s foremost food and hospitality writers, Ireland’s success in food, tourism and hospitality is a very exciting and ever-developing story. “I have been thinking a lot about the legacy of the wonderful Myrtle Allen - to whom the industry owes an enormous debt of gratitude and who we remember fondly at today’s event - and those of her generation who have laid down the unshakable foundations of quality. Many of these great people are still active and working alongside their children and often their grandchildren, and they are the pioneers of the genuine hospitality, sustainable food sourcing and innovation that Ireland is gaining a reputation for today,” said Georgina Campbell.

“Equally we can marvel at the wave of talented, skilled and motivated young people who are laying down new foundations and safeguarding the future for the generations to come. It’s a challenging time to be in food and hospitality right now, but it’s also a very exciting time and, in the main, standards are increasing at every level from ground-breaking new restaurants to casual dining destinations, street food trucks, cafés and bars. So much so, in fact, that selecting the shortlists for these awards was an even more demanding task than usual.”

Sustainability

Georgina added, “This year, in tune with our special recognition of the pioneers in Irish food and hospitality, we have also been looking particularly at sustainable development, and especially when it takes place within a family business. The ability to recognise the need for change and act creatively and sustainably so that they can not just survive, but thrive, is what marks out many of our most successful multi-generational businesses - some of which have re-invented themselves several times in recent decades.”

Room for improvement

Whilst the awards are a celebration of our best hospitality and finest producers, Georgina Campbell did express a note of caution. “When carrying out our independent and anonymous assessments around the country, we have encountered disappointments once again, and particularly with some 4- and 5-star hotels, where there really should be no excuses. There is a worrying lack of a sense of hospitality in some cases and poor training - or indeed no apparent training at all - and it is baffling that there are still issues with standards at ‘top’ establishments every year. Hotel prices are continuing to rise too, especially in the major cities and without any corresponding rise in standards, and it is disappointing to see us losing the competitive edge that was so hard won during the recession,” said Georgina.

Sourcing and provenance

Speaking at the awards, Georgina Campbell had praise for the improvements in sourcing policies, crediting Bord Bia’s Just Ask programme for the work it has done in this area. “Provenance is so important to consumers and establishments owe it to themselves, their suppliers and their customers to highlight the origin of the produce on the menu, thereby supporting Irish suppliers,” said Georgina.

The Awards were held in association with AIB for the first time and David McCarthy, Head of Hospitality & Tourism at AIB said: “Our message to hospitality businesses in a time of uncertainty with increased competitiveness, mounting cost pressures and slower revenue growth, is that it is now more important than ever for SMEs to focus on sustainability from a social, environmental and economic perspective.”

Amongst the many guests who attended the prestigious awards were Richard Corrigan, Darina Allen Michael Deane, Niall McKenna and Andy McFadden, all of whom are widely recognised as leading lights in the promotion of Ireland’s thriving food and hospitality industries.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Georgina Campbell’s Ireland’s rigorous programme of anonymous assessment visits is a year-round process and winners are nominated solely by an independent assessment team.

GEORGINA CAMPBELL IRISH FOOD & HOSPITALITY AWARDS IN ASSOCIATION WITH AIB

2020 List of Winners and Highly Commended Winners (denoted by county and business name)

NATURAL FOOD AWARDS (Poultry | Fish | Vegetables | Dairy | Drinks)

CARLOW Carlow Free Range Chicken KILKENNY Goatsbridge Trout Farm LOUTH Drummond House Garlic TIPPERARY Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers CORK Longueville House Beverages/Longueville Apple Brandy

GEORGINA CAMPBELL ‘HOSPITALITY HERO’ AWARD for services to Irish Food & Hospitality

BELFAST: Michael Deane

HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Winner: WEXFORD Marlfield House Hotel Highly Commended: LIMERICK No. 1 Pery Square and MONAGHAN Castle Leslie

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Winner: KILDARE Aimsir Highly Commended: CAVAN MacNean House & Restaurant and DUBLIN Liath CHEF OF THE YEAR

Winner: DUBLIN: Mickael Viljanen, The GreenHouse Highly Commended: DUBLIN Andy McFadden Glover’s Alley and BELFAST Stephen Toman OX

‘TASTE THE ISLAND’ INNOVATION AWARD sponsored by Fáilte Ireland

Winner: GALWAY Tartare Highly Commended: LEITRIM W8 Centre & Osta@W8 and GALWAY Killary Lodge & The Misunderstood Heron

“JUST ASK” RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR AWARD sponsored by Bord Bia

Winner: WEXFORD The Wilds Enniscorthy Highly Commended: MAYO Flanagan’s Gastro Pub and CORK Dunmore House Hotel

A TASTE OF THE WATERWAYS AWARD

Winner: WESTMEATH Wineport Lodge
Highly Commended: LEITRIM The Cottage and TIPPERARY Larkins SEAFOOD RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Winner: DUBLIN King Sitric Fish Restaurant & Accommodation and East Café Bar Highly Commended: SLIGO Eithna’s By the Sea and CLARE Vaughans Anchor Inn

OUTSTANDING GUEST EXPERIENCE

Winner: GALWAY Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites Highly Commended: WICKLOW BrookLodge & Macreddin Village and Galway Quay House

HOST OF THE YEAR

Winner: DONEGAL Castle Grove - Mary Sweeney Highly Commended: LONGFORD Viewmount House - Beryl Kearney and DONEGAL Glen House - Sonia McGonigle BUSINESS HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Winner: DUBLIN The Shelbourne Highly Commended: KERRY Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa and SLIGO Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa
WINE & DRINKS EXPERIENCE

Winner: DUBLIN Chapter One Highly Commended: CORK Paradiso and GALWAY Sheridans Wine Bar

PUB OF THE YEAR

Winner: CLARE The Roadside Tavern Highly Commended: MAYO Tavern Bar & Restaurant and KILDARE Ballymore Inn

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Winner: ARMAGH Killeavy Castle Highly Commended: KILKENNY Restaurant Lady Anne and DOWN No. 14 The Georgian House

FAMILY FRIENDLY HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Winner: KILKENNY Newpark Hotel Highly Commended: MONAGHAN Hillgrove Hotel and KILDARE Killashee Hotel PET FRIENDLY DESTINATION OF THE YEAR

Winner: MAYO The Lodge at Ashford Castle Highly Commended: GALWAY Ardilaun Hotel and DERRY Warehouse No 1 Bistro & Café

HIDEAWAY OF THE YEAR

Winner: KERRY The Hideaway at Dromquinna Manor Highly Commended: ARMAGH Newforge House and DERRY Ardtara Country House

ATMOSPHERIC RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Winner: DOWN Overwood at Balloo House Highly Commended: LIMERICK 1826 Adare and CORK Greenes Restaurant at Hotel Isaacs ETHNIC RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Winner: DUBLIN GRANO Highly Commended: DUBLIN Ananda and GALWAY Wa Café

CASUAL DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Winner: BELFAST James St. Highly Commended: CORK Jacques and DUBLIN Dunne & Crescenzi

CAFÉ OF THE YEAR

Winner: WATERFORD GROW Café Highly Commended: TIPPERARY Country Choice and WEXFORD Kelly’s Café STREET FOOD OF THE YEAR

Winner: CORK The Garden Café Truck Highly Commended: DOWN The Hatch Castlewellan and DUBLIN The Market Kitchen

COUNTRY HOUSE OF THE YEAR

Winner: CORK Ballyvolane House Highly Commended: SLIGO Coopershill House and SLIGO Temple House

GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR

Winner: CORK Perryville House Highly commended: DUBLIN Pembroke Townhouse and KERRY Teach De Broc

B&B OF THE YEAR

Winner: WATERFORD Glasha Farmhouse Highly commended: CLARE Sheedys Doolin and CLARE Fergus View