Directory of Irish Farmhouse Cheeses
by Joanne White
When we toured through Ireland and Northern Ireland I had the opportunity to taste many cheeses along the way. Many of the cheeses listed here are not exported to the U.S. The photos with signs and prices are taken at Cheese, Etc., Trevor Irvine's stand at St. Georges Market in Belfast. If there is a cheese you think should be here, or one that needs updating, please Email me.
Abbey Brie
ABO Cheese Company
Co. Laois - Ballacolla
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Made by Pat Hyland (also known as Paddy Jack). They also make a smoked version and an Abbey Blue Brie. Abbey Brie is also called Paddy Jack's Abbey Cheese.
Ardagh Castle
Co. Cork - Ardagh
Raw Goat's Milk Cheese
Judy Wootton is the cheesemaker and she also makes a Norwegian-style gjetost goat's milk cheese.
Ardsallagh Farm
Co. Cork - Woodstock, Carrigtwohill
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
Jane Murphy makes both fresh and aged goat cheese. The fresh goat is offered in a variety of flavors. The aged cheese is a semi-hard grateable cheese.
Co. Cork - Kanturk
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Made by Cheesemaker Mary Burns
It's a semi-soft washed rind cheese with a pungent aroma. Ardrahan has buttery texture. The rind is golden orange.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
A washed rind, slightly stinky pate, with a few small holes. Pate is golden yellow creamy cast with an light peach/orange rind. The rind adds a slight bitterness. Nice balance.
Fivemiletown Creamery
Co. Tyrone - Fivemiletown
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A mild, creamy, soft, smoked cheese with streaks of blue. Fivemiletown make a non-blue, non-smoked version called Bally Brie.
Fivemiletown Creamery
Co. Tyrone - Fivemiletown
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A smoked cheese. The truckles are smoked using sustainably foraged oakwood from the Forest of Caledon.
Co. Cork - Watergate, Bandon
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A cheddar cheese available as an aged version called Vintage. Made by Andy and Margaret Mahon.
Bay Lough
Co. Tipperary - Clogheen, Cahir
Raw Cow's Milk
Made by Anne Keating
A hard-pressed cheddar which is bandage wrapped in it's larger version. Smaller versions are waxed. There is also an oak-smoked, garlic, and garlic & herb flavored version.
Beal Organic
Co. Kerry
Beale Lodge Organic Dairy Farm
Cow's Milk - Vegetarian
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Dark brown thick powdery cheese mite-y rind. The pate is gold and crumbly darkening to almost dark brown under the rind. The cheese has a clean acidity and slight Cheddary nature on the nose. Pate is intensely complex of salt and sharpness with smooth cellar-y notes. Slightly dusty but very clean finish.
Glyde Farm Produce (Thomas Family)
Co. Louth - Castle Bellingham
Raw Cow's Milk
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Creamy yellow pate with thick veins of blue molds. Thin harder rind with white molds. Gold hue to the pate darkens under the rind. Clean animal on nose. A lot of grainyness and acidity with a very very salty finish. Needs something to balance it like bread or fruit. Something sweet works well. Trevor Irvine's sign on it said "As good as Stilton!"
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
Boulabane
Co. Tipperary - Roscrea
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Michael Cantwell makes a semi-soft farmhouse cheese. The Cantwells are famous in Roscrea for their sorbet and ice cream.
Brid - See "Grace"
Burren Gold
Co. Clare - Ballyvaughan
Raw Cow's Milk
A Gouda-style cheese available plain, flavored (including a nettle version) and smoked. Cheesemaker is Ben Johnson who also runs a cheese shop.
Co. Limerick - Newcastle West
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Flavored cheddar style cheese made by Marion Cahill. Waxed rind. Flavors are: Ballyporeen (Irish herbs), Ardagh (wine), Cahill's Porter, Cahill's Whiskey, Cahill's Smoked Cheddar and a Cheddar with hazelnuts. One of Joanne's Great Cheese Finds.
Cais Rua
Fermoy Cheese Company
Co. Cork - Strawhall, Fermoy
Raw Cow's Milk
Cheesemaker is Frank Shinnick
A soft round flat brie-like cheese but with a washed reddish rind.
Cais Dubh
The Fermoy Natural Cheese Co
Co. Cork - Fernoy
Made by Frank and Gudren Schnick
Cais means cheese, Cais Dubh means Black Cheese.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Black Wax covered rind. Creamy light yellow pate. The rind is brown with an orange tint and slightly powdery on top in places. The pate has medium holes sprinkled throughout. Nose of the cellar and underlying warm animal. The pate is semi-hard. It is reminiscent of a Gruyere or Mountain-style cheese but very salty and with a sharp acidity on the finish. Needs to be paired with something meaty. Pate is smooth but it takes a while for it to dissolve away on the palate and leaves behind salt and acid.
(special thanks to Trevor Irvine for help on identifying this cheese)
Carlow
Co. Carlow - Ballybrommell, Fenagh
Raw Cow's Milk
Made by Elizabeth Bradley
A mellow edam style washed curd cheese made from the milk from a neighbor's single dairy herd. Available in plain and flavored versions.
Co. Cork - Carrigaline
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Made by Ann and Pat O’Farrell
The O'Farrells make three cheeses: an all-natural semi-soft cheese, one flavour ed with garlic and select herbs, and a new maple-smoked cheese.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Herbs & Garlic: The cheese is wax rinded in Green. Lots of small holes in the pate and some green specks. Creamy white color. Semi-hard pate likely meltable. Chewy texture coats tongue/mouth.
J & L Grubb
Co. Tipperary - Beechmount, Fethard
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Ireland’s first farmhouse blue cheese, it is a semi-soft blue cows’ milk cheese made on the dairy farm of Jane and Louis Grubb. The majority of the milk comes from the farm's Friesian dairy herd.
Co. Tipperary - Moyne, Thurles
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
A soft farmhouse goat log. Chulchoill is made by the producers of Cooleeney.
Clonmore
Co. Cork - Clonmore, Charleville
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
A small, dome-shaped semi-hard round cheese (gouda style) with a beige waxed exterior and a very white pate which has some small holes. The cheese is made from the milk of the Biggane's own free-range herd of goats.
Coolattin
Knockeen Dairy
Co. Carlow - Tullow
Raw Cow's Milk
A mature Organic Cheddar cheese made by Thomas & Fiona Burgess.
Coolea
Coolea Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Cork - Macroom
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Made by Dick and Helene Willems.
It's hard waxed rinded Irish version of gouda. Possibly made with with Raw Cow's Milk.
Co. Tipperary - Moyne, Thurles
Raw or Pasteurized Cow's milk (2 versions)
A handmade soft farmhouse cheese made by the Maher family with a white mold ripened rind. Made in the camembert-style.
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
Fivemiletown Creamery
Co. Tyrone - Fivemiletown
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
Made from milk from local farms it has a crumbly texture (almost like feta) when young. Mature cheeses are more creamy rather than crumbly.
Commeragh
Knockalara Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Waterford - Cappoquin
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
The Schliebitz family makes this Farmhouse Cheddar.
Corbetstown
Co. Westmeath or Co. Lough
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
Cheesemaker is Anne Holton
The cheese is semi-hard with a natural rind. Corbettstown is a variation of spelling I've seen. (Note: This cheese is no longer made, as of June 2008.)
Co. Cavan - Belturbet
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
"The milk is produced by a large herd of goats that graze the lush drumlins of County Cavan, close to the banks of the River Erne."
Joanne's Tasting Note:
A hard rinded cheese with a semi-soft pate with is a chalky gray/white cream color. Scent of fresh yogurt. Fresh bite of acid on the palate then a grainy-ness but also a meatiness to it. The rind adds a blue-ish piquant and more complexity.
Cratloe
Made by Sean Fitzgerald
Co. Clare - Brockhill, Cratloe
Pasteurized Sheep's Milk
Also called Cratloe Hills Gold. Made by Sean & Deidre Fitzgerald.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Golden yellow pate with a hard slightly crumbly texture. The rind is orange-brown. Scent of earth, warm grass and crème fraiche. A very pleasant clean scent. The flavor is Cheddar-like but milder and complex with a salty and warm butter finish. The cheese is well balanced with a slightly grainy pate and smooth flavor. Texture is meaty and full of flavor but also offers a subtlety. I think it would be nice sliced thinly or as a cheese flavoring for a dish. It has a slightly flowery element. Really good!
Co. Cavan - Belturbet
Raw Sheep's Milk
Croghan (see Mine-Gabhar)
Co. Tipperary - Cashel
Pasteurized Sheep's Milk
Made by Henry and Louis Clifton Browne, of Crozier Dairy Products
Co. Cavan - Belturbet or
Co. Fermanagh
Pasteurized Sheep Milk's (or Goat's)
A pure white rindless fresh cheese. They used to make goat cheese now they are trying sheep. Fresh milk scent. Slightly sour flavor. A slight grainyness but melts away leaving a rather clean acidity.
Co. Tipperary - Moyne, Thurles
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Darú is a semi-hard handcrafted cheese with a natural rind. It is made by the Producers of Cooleeney.
West Cork Natural Cheese Company
Co. Cork - Schull
Raw Cow's Milk
Made by Bill Hogan & Sean Ferry
Very hard and quite sharp in aftertaste.
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
Dilliskus
Made by Maja Bindler of Dingle Peninsula Cheese
Co. Kerry - Kilcummin (Dingle)
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Maja also makes Beenoskee and Kilcummin.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
A round cheese made with dulse seaweed. It has a dark brown powdery rind. The pate is semi-hard with darker lines of burgundy brown seaweed throughout and some elongated holes. The pate is pale gold at the center turning almost a darker gold with a greenish hue under the rind. A stinky cheese smelling of animal and stable. The flavor is milder than the scent.
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
Co. Cavan - Corleggy, Belturbet
Raw Cow's Milk
Made by Silke Cropp
A natural aged hard cheese. The dark yellow rind is edible. Comes in flavored and smoked versions.
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
Smoked Drumlin
Joanne's Tasting Note:
The cheese is an interesting doughnut shape. Hard orange gold rind. The pate is creamy yellow turning to almost orange under the rind. Nose is smoke-y like bacon. Pate has a smooth meatiness and a slight grainy-ness on the finish. There is an intense acidity on finish and a slight softness to the pate. The rind is rather tough but I gather that in a younger cheese the rind would be more palatable.
Duhallow
Ardrahan Farmhouse
Co. Cork - Kanzuk
Cow's Milk
Joanne's Tasting Note:
A semi-soft cheese with a waxy shiny rind (but not waxed). Pate has a few smaller holes but is dense and smooth. Scent of clarified butter and warm sand. Mellow flavor. Texture is like cold butter. The cheese is rich and smooth on the palate with some bright acids on the finish. Dense texture.
Co. Tipperary - Moyne, Thurles,
Pasteurized cows milk
A soft mold ripened white cheese which originated in Dublin. Also made in flavored versions. Made by the producers of Cooleney.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Bloomy rind. Smells mushroomy like a brie. Slightly chalky center. Runs slightly under rind. Rind adds acidity and slight bitterness. Very mushroomy and creamy.
Made by Jeffa Gill
Co. Cork - Coomkeen, Durrus
Raw Cow's Milk
A semi-soft, rind washed cheese is made from the milk of local herds in West County Cork.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Some medium holes in the pate. Pate has a yellowish hue. Scent of warm butter – but a rather fresh scent. The pate is creamy with a great smooth acidity. Deep deep complexity with a distinctive saltiness that reminds me of seaweed in the sun.
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
Fivemiletown Creamery
Co. Tyrone - Fivemiletown
Cow's Milk
Very Special Thanks to Trevor Irvine of Cheese, Etc., in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, for help on sorting out some of the mysteries of this list. Trevor also has a wonderful cheese stand on the weekends at St. George's Market in Belfast. You can email Trevor Irvine, but he does not have a website yet.
West Cork Natural Cheese Company
Co. Cork - Schull
Raw Cow's Milk
A Swiss-style hard cheese made by Bill Hogan. "An extra-hard cheese, with a flavor of hazelnuts and an aromatic aftertaste."
Bandon Vale Cheese Ltd.
Co. Cork - Watergate, Bandon
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A red leicester cheddar cheese. Made by Andy and Margaret Mahon.
Co. Louth - Dunleer
Raw Cow's Milk
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Yellow gold smooth pate with a brown and slightly puckered rind. Grebe Brethen is semi-hard like a mountain-style cheese. Scent of warm butter with flowers and fresh grass a strong element. Pate is slightly grainy on the palate and toothy/meaty. I don’t find the flowers or grass as a flavor. The pate is light and buttery with lots of salt. It is a very mild cheese. The nose suggests more complexity than the flavor offers.
Glenogra
Oisin Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Limerick - Kilmallock, Glenosheen
Pasteurized Cow’s Milk
A washed rind cheese made from organic milk from a neighboring farm. Made by Rose & Rochus van der Vaard. They also make a cow's milk cheddar.
Co. Tipperary - Moyne, Thurles
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
A soft white creamy mold ripened cheese. Made by the producers of Cooleney. Also called Gortnamonna
Moon Shine Dairy Farm
Co. Westmeath - Lough Ennell, Ladestown,
Mullingar
Organic Goat's Milk
Organic goat cheese made paying attention to the cycles of the moon. They use the Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar. Moon Shine Dairy Farm also make: Una - a soft cheese with sundried tomatoes, olives, herbs resting on it's surface, Brid - a soft cheese with a blend of nettles and chives and Aine - a soft cheese with cracked pepper corns tossed through it.They plan to make a cheddar in 2008.
Co. Cork - Schull
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A Washed Rind Cheese made by Tom and Giana Ferguson in West County Cork
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Orange brown rind with some white molds. Light gold pate with some small to medium. Very warm animal on nose. Intense saltiness and acidity. Flavors of mushrooms and stable yard (especially with rind). Also offered in a smoked version. Try my recipe for Fried Gubbeen.
Hegarty Farmhouse Cheddar
Whitechurch Foods
Co. Cork - Whitechurch
An aged Cheddar made by Dan Hegarty.
Kerry Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Kerry - Coolnaleen, Listowel
Raw Cow's Milk
Cheesemaker is Sheila Broderick.
Waxed rind semi-hard cheese. Available in flavors including nettle & hazelnut.
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Galway - Ballyshrule, Ballinasloe
Made by Marion Roeleweld
Goat's Milk
A Goat Gouda. There variations of Killeen Farmhouse Cheese: goat's, plain cow's, and herb and garlic, but the goat's cheese is made from the milk of Marion Roelewald's herd.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Harder gold rind with a waxy appearance. The pate is white cream colored and has medium sized holes. The pate smells strongly of fresh goat’s yogurt and smells slightly acidic. The rind smells of warm goat. Slightly grainy and chewy in the mouth. Hints of flowers and golden pasture are followed by warm butter and then the slightly salty goat yogurt on the finish. Much milder acidity than the nose suggests and more salty than expected as it lingers on the finish.
Killorglin
Co. Kerry - Killorglin
Raw Cow's Milk
Wilma O'Connor makes a gouda-style cheese with the milk of their Fresian herd.
Killshanney
Co. Clare - Lahinch, Ennis
Raw Cow's Milk
A gouda-style semi-hard cheese made by Peter Nibbering.
Knockalara
Co. Waterford - Cappoquin
Pasteurized Sheep's Milk
The Schliebitz family makes two other cheeses from the milk of their Friesland sheep: Waterford Feta and Dromana (as well as flavored versions).
Knockanashee
South Sligo Cheese Co.
Co. Sligo - Achonry, Ballymote
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
The cheese is also called Knockanashee Cais Ban and it's a fresh curd cheese designed to melt without becoming stringy.
Co. Waterford - Ballyneety, Knockanore
Raw Cow's Milk
"A hard-pressed, mature farm-house cheese made with raw cow’s milk from the Lonergan’s own Pedigree Friesian herd." They offer plain, smoked and flavored cheese.
Knockdrinna Meadow
Co. Kilkenny
Sheep's Milk
Helen Finnegan makes, a ewe's milk cheese from Kilkenny - she also makes a goat's milk cheese called Knockdrinna Gold.
Lavitstown
Co. Kilkenny - Lavistown
made by Helen Finnegan at Knockdrinna
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
The milk comes from cows on the Lavitstown property. Photos of top and pate.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Mottled gray and brown semi hard rind with some lighter brown and creamy molds. Pate is cream colored in the center and semi hard with some small holes. Turning darker golden cream under the rind. Smells of forest floor and walnuts with a hint of acridity and crème fraiche. Pate tastes of crème faiche with a lot of minerality and tannin. It’s texture is almost like cream cheese in the mouth, buttery with a slight grainy-ness. There is high acidity in this cheese which is best tempered but some good bread. With the right bread it turns buttery and almost finishes with a sweetness and even some broiled citrus notes.. On it’s own the finish is a bit bitter. Nearer the rind it is actually more even and balanced with less bitterness. I really liked the complexity of this cheese and loved it with the French whole wheat bread that they also sold.
Co. Tipperary - Moyne, Thurles
Raw Cow's Milk
A strong and distinctive flavor when it is mature. Made by the producers of Cooleeney.
Co. Cork - Eyeries, near Allahies
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A Washed Rind cheese made by Quinlan Steele.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
A Semi-hard cheese with a medium gold rind with gray and white mold. The pate is a creamy yellow white, turning gold nearer the rind. There a few medium holes in the pate. The nose is of stable yard and a bit of rancid butter with cellary notes. In the mouth there is a definite element of cellar with room temperature salted butter. The pate has a meatiness and slight graininess but also has an underlying creaminess which lingers. The finish is slightly sweet.
Co. Offaly - Killeenmore, Tullamore
Raw Sheep's Milk
The cheesemakers are Beni & Elfie Gerber. The soft flavored version is called Pastorello and the aged version is called Hobelkase.
Croghan Goat Farm
Co. Wexford - Ballynadrishogue, Blackwater,
Enniscorthy
Raw Goat's Milk
A Soft White goat cheese made Spring to Autumn. The cheese made from the 100 milking goats kept by Anne and Luc Van Kampen on their farm. The farm is currently for sale (June 2008).
Mont Bellair
Ballyard Food Company
Co. Offaly - Ballycumber, Tullamore
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A dutch style cheese. Made by Pam Stones.
Mount Callan
Co. Clare - Drinagh, Ennistymon
Raw Cow's Milk
Cheese is made by Lucy Hayes (who is Australian) from the milk of their herd of Montbelliard cows. A cheddar style cheese only made in the summer months. Also called Mt. Callan.
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
A hard cheese with a golden yellow pate and a dark brown rind. The rind has a cheese mite-y powdery appearance. The pate has medium and small holes throughout. The cheese has still enough moisture that it is not crumbly but breaks unevenly and easily. The rind has a hint of ammonia but the pate has the distinctive cheddar- like scent of aged butter with just a hint of warm animal underlying. In the mouth the cheese is complex, starting meaty and slightly melting then a full force of of acidity and dryness hits, with a bit of sharpness. This center flavor is deep and consuming. The finish is of salt and a lingering slightly tongue biting acidity.
Co. Offaly - Clareen, Birr
Cow's Milk
Made by Ralf Haslm
They make an organic gouda type cheese which is available young or aged and in flavored versions from the milk of their own herd.
Bandon Vale Cheese Ltd.
Co. Cork - Watergate, Bandon
Made by Andy and Margaret Mahon Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A gloucester-style cheddar cheese.
O'Neill's Cheese
Ryefield Farm
Co. Cavan - Bailieboro
A fresh goat cheese made in plain and flavored versions. They also make Boilie (cheese preserved in olive oil).
Fivemiletown Creamery
Co. Tyrone - Fivemiletown
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
A fresh goat cheese, available plain or rolled in mustard seed or chives. Fivemiletown also make Boilíe goat's cheese which are tiny cheeses preserved in olive oil.
Fivemiletown Creamery
Co. Tyrone - Fivemiletown
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A smoked cheddar cheese. Fivemiletown Creamery also make a non-smoked cheddar known as Irish Cheddar.
Oisin
Co. Limerick - Glenosheen, Kilmallock
Pasteurized Goat's Cheese
Made by Rose & Rochus Van der Vaard
They make both a fresh goat log and a goat's blue cheese.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Goat's Milk Blue: A rindless cheese with a good acidity and balance. Minerally with a hint of goat yogurt on finish. Slightly sour finish. Chalky white appearance and texture. Cracker/bread needed to show it well.
Co. Wicklow - Glen of the Downs, Bray
Pasteurized Goat's Cheese
Plain and flavored fresh goat's cheese and goat yogurt.
Poulcoin
Co. Clare - Kilnaboy
Raw Goat's Milk
Cheesemaker is Anneliese Bartelink. She also makes a cow's milk cheese.
Ring of the Rath
Knockeen Dairy
Co. Carlow - Tullow
Raw Cow's Milk
Semi-hard organic cheese matured for one month. Made by Tom & Fiona Burgess.
Riverville
Riverville Foods
Co. Clare - Riverville, Craughwell
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Made by Robbie & Anne Gannon
A gouda style cheese. Also available flavored or smoked.
Carrigbyrne Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Wexford - Adamstown
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Made on the Berridge Family Farm.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
A bloomy rind cheese with a few small holes in the pate. Creamy white pate which is a tiny bit darken under the rind. The cheese has a mushroom-y scent. It is very rich. Flavor of fresh churned butter with underlying buttered mushrooms. No caramelized flavor. Fresh rind adds complexity with little bitterness (almost no bitterness).
St. Brigid’s
Fermoy Cheese Company
Co. Cork - Strawhall, Fermoy
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Cheesemaker is Frank Shinnick
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Yeasty scent with clean warm animal underlying. Pate is light yellow darkening to bright gold under the rind. It is a semi-hard cheese with hard gold rind. Stinky and salty in the mouth but smooth with a long salty finish. The acids linger.
St. Canice
ABO Cheese Company
Co. Laois - Ballacolla
Pasteurized Goat's Milk
A versatile, sharp goat’s cheese.
St. Gall
Fermoy Cheese Company
Co. Cork - Strawhall, Fermoy
Raw Cow's Milk
Cheesemaker is Frank Shinnick
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Hard/semi-hard cheese with a hard brown rind. The pate is light gold with some medium sized holes. Fruity scent with underlying flowers and fresh milk. Very smooth pate with a distinct fruitiness (reminiscent of an Alpine cheese). Good acidity and balance. This cheese is well-made and has a salty finish.
A Slow Food Raw Milk Cheese Presidia Member.
St. Gall (Mature - purchased at Sheridans Cheesemongers in Galway).
Joanne's Tasting Note:
As semi hard cheese with a creamy gold pate with some tiny holes It has a pressed darker gold rind which hints towards orange-gold. The pate turns darker gold just under the rind. Scent of fresh pecans or ground nuts or even cocoa beans. Pate has a tooth and hint of milk chocolate with pecans. It lingers in the mouth leaving some butter and then on the very end of the finish a definite acidity. Very approachable and mild. It is easy to eat on it’s own, but might be nice paired with a chutney.
St. Killian's
Carrigbyrne Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Wexford - Adamstown
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A Camembert-style cheese, made on the Berridge Family Farm.
Inagh Farmhouse Cheeses
Co Clare - Inagh
Raw Goat's Milk Organic
Made by Siobhan Ni Ghairbhith
Hard Pressed Cheese with a wrinkled cream-white orange rind. "A cheddar style goats’ cheese with a marbled pale complexion and a sweet, tangy nutty flavour." They also make logs of fresh and aged organic goat cheese and feta.
Una - See "Grace"
Wexford Cheddar
Co. Wexford
Various producers
Wicklow Blue
Co. Wicklow - Arklow, Curranstown
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
Made by the Hempenstall family
They also produce Wicklow Baun, and a creamy blue and white goats brie-type cheese made from locally produced goats milk.
Joanne's Tasting Note:
Elongated slits of green/blue mold in a darker yellow pate with a bloomy white rind. Scent is of fresh white mushrooms with an underlying hint of ammonia. Pate is smooth and rich with just a touch of bitterness. It is very creamy on the palate with a slightly salty finish. Mushrooms feature on the finish. A very likeable and approachable blue. Nice.
Green Pastures
Co. Donegal - Convoy
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
A soft farmhouse cheese.
Resources:
CAIS: The Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers Association
Trevor Irvine of Cheese Etc & Silke Cropp of Corleggy at the Irish Fine Cheese & Wine Society.
Maggietheveggie.com has a great list of contact info for Irish Farmhouse Cheese.
Bridgestone Guide - has a searchable database of profiles. Try searching for "cheese". They have a few I have not listed here.
On the Pig's Back - have a stall in the English Market, Cork, Co. Cork.