Cork Food Stories with Clara Cooney

25th of May 2023

Conor Sheehan of Finnow Farm

On the third episode of Cork Food Stories Clara talks to Conor Sheehan owner of Finnow Farm, a third-generation farm that has gone from dairy farming to now producing premium Wagyu beef and his own organic barley. His plans for the future creating a forest walk for the public and planting a thousand truffle trees. Listen now to hear Conors story. On the third episode of Cork Food Stories Clara talks to Conor Sheehan owner of Finnow Farm, a third-generation farm that has gone from dairy farming to now producing premium Wagyu beef and his own organic barley. His plans for the future creating a forest walk for the public and planting a thousand truffle trees. Listen now to hear Conors story. FB: Finnow Farm The Gourmet Grocer Clara Cooks Insta Finnow Farm Wildfarmed flour The Gourmet Grocer Clara Cooks Hashtags #corkfoodstories #corkfoodies #podcast #redfm #thegourmetgrocerriverstick #claracooks #storyoffood #irishfood #irishfoodproducers #supportcorkfood #eatwellbewell #irishfarming #irishagriculture #waygu #selfsufficientfarming #progressivefarming

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11th of May 2023

11th May 2023

On the second episode of Cork Food Stories Clara talks to Chris Fahey owner of Wildflour Cork based in Innishannon. From an early age, Chris had a passion for food and opening his own business. Originally from Tipperary, Chris moved to Cork at the age of 17 and after a number of years working in different food establishments in Cork he began his baking journey and started the well-known bakery in Inishannon Wildflour, providing amazing sourdough and pastries to the people of Cork using flour from wildfarmed owned by Andy Cato originally Groove Armada Dj. Listen now to hear his story.

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27th of Apr 2023

Jason Bryan of Valley View Farm

To kick off this series of Cork Food Stories Clara talks to Jason Bryan of ValleyView Farm in Riverstick. Jason was brought up on a dairy farm in Fountainstown and at the age of 16 he turned his hand to growing potatoes on the farm. He knew from then there was a business in this and after meeting his wife Helga they acquired land in Riverstick and started their own farm. The potato business flourished and soon enough hens were brought into the picture by his eldest son Dylan where they now also have a very successful free-range egg business selling to many stores around Cork and beyond. They also do seasonal veg and have their very own honesty shop on the farm where anyone can go and purchase directly from them. 5 kids later and Jason and Helga are creating a wonderful sustainable business for their family. Listen now to hear Jasons story.

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15th of Jul 2021

Loretta Kennedy MamaBear Foods

In this weeks episode Clara is talking to Loretta Kennedy from MamaBear Foods about her life around food, her career to date and taking a leap of faith creating her very own tomato ketchup for her kids to now where her products are available across many stores in Ireland. A great story of a mum wanting a better product for her kids and turning it into a business.

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1st of Jul 2021

Jason Linton of The Cottage Garden Kinsale

In this weeks episode, Clara is talking to Jason Linton owner of The Cottage Garden in Kinsale. Jason arrived on our shores in 2010 to study permaculture. He is a lover of all things health, yoga and living a life of sustainability. Jason turned his passion into a career where he wanted others to be able to get the best fresh plant products directly to their door. In 2017 he set up The Cottage Garden, a fresh food delivery service using the best of Irish produce currently covering Cork with an aim to go national over the coming years.

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17th of Jun 2021

Jenny Twomey and Jill O’Brien of Green Towers Ireland

In this week’s episode, Clara talks to Jenny Twomey and Jill O’Brien from Green Towers Ireland, which are Aeroponic towers to grow your own greens in your kitchen, a fabulous story of Jenny bringing the first grow tower into Ireland for home use and how she and Jill saw a gap in the market and have a growing business from residential towers for your kitchen to more restaurants taking up the opportunity and to building tower farms around Ireland. Find out more about Green Towers Ireland here. Check out host Clara Cooks’ website to get some great recipe ideas!

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3rd of Jun 2021

Siobhán Quirke Ó hAilpín of The Quirkey Kitchen

Clara is talking to people who have started their food business in the past few years. First up is Siobhán Quirke Ó hAilpín, married to GAA legend Seán Óg, after a very successful career in finance and food, Siobhan started the Quirkey Kitchen last year based in Innishannon selling beautiful coffee and treats out of a french converted Citreon HY where she also is available for hire for private events. Find out more about host Clara Cooney and get some great recipes on her website here.

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29th of Apr 2021

Brian Murray from The Glass Curtain.

On this weeks Podcast Clara chats to Brian Murray, Head Chef and owner of The Glass Curtain, based in the building of the iconic Thompsons Bakery on McCurtain Street in Cork. Brian opened the doors of the Glass Curtain in December 2019 and recently won the Cork Business Award as the Best Restaurant in Cork. Prior to this, Brian had travelled the world cheffing in amazing locations with some of the worlds top chefs but his dream was always to return home and set up a restaurant that would showcase the amazing produce we have here in Cork by local producers.

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15th of Apr 2021

Justin Green from Ballyvolane House

On this weeks podcast, Clara talks to Justin Green from Ballyvolane House in Cork. Ballyvolane is a historic Irish country house, family-owned and run, situated near Fermoy in Co. Cork with idyllic landscaped gardens, wooded grounds, glamping tents, tree houses and a gin distillery. Clara talks to Justin about growing up there as a child when it was a working farm to turning it into a successful business and growing that business to what it is today with his wife Jenny. They also talk about Bertha Revenge Gin that is distilled on the grounds in a converted barn using whey from a Cork cheesemaker

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1st of Apr 2021

Tony Speight of West Cork Coffee

On this weeks Podcast, Clara talks to Tony Speight from West Cork Coffee. All about how he went from being an electrical engineer to building his first Coffee roaster in 2004 as a hobby and from there creating West Cork Coffee, roasting and supplying speciality Artisan Coffee both wholesale and retail. www.westcorkcoffee.ie Find out all about host Clara’s business and get some fab recipes on claracooks.ie

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18th of Mar 2021

Denis Good from Good Fish

On this weeks podcast Clara talks to Denis Good from Good Fish. Denis was born and raised in Currabinny near Crosshaven in County Cork where he still lives today. Clara talks to Denis about his days as a boat builder to being out in the high seas as a fisherman to starting his first Fish shop in 1988 to now growing his business as a very successful supplier both nationally and internationally with his son Donagh. You can find out all about Good Fish on www.goodfish.ie and the locations of their 5 stores in Cork where you can get amazing fish produce. Find out all about host Clara’s business and get some fab recipes on claracooks.ie

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4th of Mar 2021

Ernest Cantillon

On this weeks podcast, Clara talks to Ernest Cantillon a well-known Cork businessman. They chat about starting out at the young age of 22 with his first pub, his years in the bar and restaurant trade, his passion and involvement in the Cork Simon Community, his events company and also the success of his business Kinsale Spirit Company with his partners Tom O’Riordan and Colin Ross.

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18th of Feb 2021

Orla McAndrew of OM Catering

On this weeks Podcast, we talk to Orla McAndrew of OM Catering. Orla is from Donoughmore in Co. Cork and started her wedding and event catering business in 2018. Over the past year, Orla has changed her business adding some excellent services for in-home dining and freezer meals made from the best produce by Corks finest producers. Listen to Orla’s story on how she got started, her passion for food and how her business has grown over the past few years.

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3rd of Dec 2020

Tom Durcan of Tom Durcan Meats at The English Market

Clara Cooney of Clara Cooks speaks with Tom Durcan from Tom Durcan Meats at the English Market. She listens to his story from where it all began when his Dad got him a job at a young age at Kidneys Butcher Shop in Carrigaline. A butcher Clara used to frequent as a child with her Mum regularly. After a wonderful opportunity in Denmark smoking and curing meats he then took a leap of faith at 22 years of age opening his own shop. Now a family run business, Tom is one of the best suppliers of the finest quality meats, an award-winning butcher who made fame with his wonderful spiced beef! A wonderful story from another wonderful Cork Supplier. Check out Tom Durcan Meats on Facebook and Instagram

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26th of Nov 2020

Roughty Foodie at The English Market

This weeks podcast we are talking to Margo Ann Murphy who owns the Roughty foodie in the English Market, originally set up by Michael Murphy in the 1960s as the Roughty Fruit King now 3rd generation family business where Margo took over the business in 2011. They supply fresh farm seasonal fruits and vegetables from local producers however they are mostly known for supporting small local businesses with a variety of delicious non-perishable foods. They stock an array of artisan food from producers based in Ireland’s most rural communities. The stall is a platform for them to showcase their amazing products, which include homemade preserves, chutneys, farmhouse cheeses, raw Irish honey, free-range eggs and West Cork flowers. Listen to Margo talking about her passion from her childhood right through to today, a big believer in teaching them young and supporting local.

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18th of Nov 2020

Brian & Thay of Cork Rooftop Farm

On the rooftop of a building on Dalton’s Avenue, overlooking the Coal Quay and Cornmarket in the middle of Cork City, a little slice of Eden is taking shape: An urban farm unlike anything seen in Cork before, or anywhere in Ireland for that matter. The Covid-19 crisis has changed all our lives dramatically, but Brian McCarthy, 33, from Bishopstown, and his Brazilian partner Thayane ‘Thay’ Carlos took the opportunity to create something positive, not just for himself, but also the community at large. Clara speaks to Thay & Brian of Cork Rooftop Farm  

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17th of Nov 2020

Introduction to Cork Food Stories with Clara Cooney

Welcome to the Cork Food Stories Podcast with Clara Cooney of Clara Cooks in association with RedFM! Every Thursday Clara will be bringing you stories from fascinating individuals who are helping to keep Cork the foodie capital of Ireland!

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