Monaghan food and drink producers have brought a strong haul of medals home from this year's Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards in Dingle, with golds for businesses in Castleblayney, Emyvale and Monaghan town, and Carrickmacross chocolatier Tara Gartlan named Best in County for Monaghan.
The 19th Blas awards were announced in Dingle on Friday, 2 October, at the end of a four-day festival of Irish food and drink. The Anglo-Celt reports that more than 3,000 products competed across more than 200 categories. Back in August, nine Monaghan producers had reached the final stage: Carleton Cakes, Connolly Meats, Connolly Organic Eggs, Foraged & Infused, Grove Farms, IGWT Poultry, Lakeland Dairies, Silver Hill and Tara Gartlan Chocolate.
The Monaghan medal list
As reported by the Anglo-Celt:
- IGWT Poultry Services, Castleblayney: five awards, including gold for its Lidl Deluxe Fresh Irish Turkey Crown.
- Silver Hill Duck, Emyvale: four awards, including gold for its Specially Selected Roasted Confit Duck Fillet with Plum Sauce.
- Foraged & Infused (Andy's Bar and Restaurant, Monaghan): gold for its Rhubarb Gin.
- Connolly Meats, Scotstown: two silvers for its Airfryer Smoked Bacon Back and its Rind on Centre Cut Rasher.
- Lakeland Dairies: silver for Lidl Dairy Manor Butter, with two other products reaching the final stage.
- Tara Gartlan Chocolate, Carrickmacross: silver for its Hazelnut Praline Hot Chocolate and bronze for its Citrus Collection, plus Best in County for Monaghan.
- Carleton Cakes: bronze for its Simply Better Mini Fruit Cakes.
- Connolly's Organic Eggs, Carrickroe: bronze for M&S 6 Irish Free Range Large Eggs.
- Grove Farm, Smithborough: products named as finalists.
A record for a Monaghan gin maker
Kevin Redmond of Andy's Bar and Restaurant in Monaghan town told Northern Sound on the night that he was delighted with the national win for the rhubarb gin, calling it a great honour for himself, his family and his staff. According to Northern Sound, the result gives him three Blas golds in total, which it says puts him in the history books for holding the most gold awards in the competition's 19 years.
"It gives people confidence"
Tara Gartlan told the Anglo-Celt that the Blas logo can make a real difference to sales. Her Seasonal Collection won silver in 2025 and is now among the company's best sellers. "It's lovely to get that external affirmation for a product you've made, you've designed, and that you've done multiple tests on," she said, adding that the sticker "gives people a bit of confidence to buy your products blindly" if they have not heard of a producer before.
When the shortlist was announced, Pamela Kerr, Head of Enterprise at LEO Monaghan, told Northern Sound that having nine local producers in the final was "a wonderful reflection of the innovation, quality and dedication" in the county's food and drink sector, and said it added to Monaghan's reputation as a county with a proud food heritage.
Neighbouring Cavan also had a big night, with Rolling in the Dough taking Best in County there and Manor Farm in Shercock collecting eight awards. For more on local businesses, see our report on heating oil prices in Castleblayney and the new Carrickmacross community café.
