Strong Donegal Presence at Féile na Tuaithe

Fourteen craft and food producers from across Donegal will showcase their crafts and products at the annual Féile na Tuaithe festival this weekend. Taking place in Turlough Park, Castlebar this two-day family festival celebrates all that’s good about country life and traditions of bygone days. The participating craft and food producers have been working very closely with Donegal’s Local Enterprise Office to perfect their product display ahead of this weekend’s event. In total, seven creative craft businesses and seven food businesses will represent Donegal at the festival, setting up their stalls in the Food and Craft Retail Marquees located on the front lawn of Turlough Park.

The local artists, craftspeople, designers and food producers travelling to Castlebar include Barry Sweeny, Teresa McHugh, Jim McIntyre and Jone Cari, who are members of Local Hands, a group of local artists and crafts persons based in Ballyshannon. Other creatives representing Donegal include Batik artist Fiona Higgins, Karen O’Kane of Koko Designs, and Lorraine O’Carroll of Pennisula Pottery. The food businesses heading to Féile na Tuaithe are Linda McClean of Mallow Mia, Claire Duffy of The Legumerie, Carol Banahan of Carol’s Stock Market, John Shine of Shine’s Seafood, Charlene Curran of Simply Yum, Maire Bonnar, producer of hand-made artisan chocolates and Andrew McElhinney of O’Donnells Bakery.

Ursula Donnelly, Deputy Head of Enterprise at  title Donegal’s Local Enterprise Office said: “The Féile na Tuaithe festival is another exciting opportunity for food and craft businesses in Donegal to showcase their work to a wider audience. There are fourteen craft and food producers travelling to Castlebar this weekend with and the Local Enterprise Office.  in Donegal currently supports six of them, so it’s an exciting time for food and design in the county. These businesses are great ambassadors for Donegal and we wish them the very best of luck at Féile na Tuaithe this weekend.”  

Visitors to Féile na Tuaithe can watch and participate in craft and traditional skills demonstrations, enjoy family games and puppet shows, relax with music and dance, and do a bit of browsing or shopping from a variety of food and craft retailers. The Museum galleries and the Folklife collection provide inspiration for two days of living traditions. For more information on Féile na Tuaithe festival visit www.museum.ie or email feile@museum.ie. For more information on the Donegal food business contact Eve – Anne McCarron and craft producers contact  Grace Korbel, Local Enterprise Office on 074-9160735 or visit www.localenterprise.ie/donegal.