By Hans Wieland
Many visitors on the Wild Atlantic Way will encounter farms, B&B’s and food producers established way back in the late 70s and early 80s by what many people then called the “blow-ins”, people from abroad or from Dublin for that matter, who in search of “The Good Life” found it on the Western seaboard.
They started growing vegetables, producing cheeses and other foods and slowly developed new businesses. Some of them have disappeared but many of them have grown into tourism and food businesses, coffee shops, market stall holders, food suppliers and adventure centres.
And of course there are many new editions of “good life” seekers: Think about the Italians in Sligo and their fabulous foods and ice cream. Think about the bakers from France with their delicious sourdough breads.
Think about the surfers converted to coffee shop runners, the young Irish coming back from their world trips to open vegetarian cafes with a sweet beat. And what about the new Oyster catchers, the Irish sea salt producers and the new seaweed harvesters and craft beer makers. Reading John and Sally McKenna’s food and travel guides gives you a glimpse into the history of many of those producers and hosts.
For Hans’ full column on organic living in the west of Irel
and, pick up a copy of this week’s Sligo Weekender- in shops now.
