The VISIT Sligo series meets Gaby Wieland, Neantóg Kitchen Garden School; Christine O’Hara, Coopershill House; and Michelle Howley, Pink Clover Café.
Sligo has a deep rooted connection with quality food which received a boost in recent years with the establishment of Sligo Food Trail and development of food experiences to delight the most jaded palate. Even the name of the county itself is derived from the Irish word ‘sligeach’ meaning ‘the shelly place’, a reference to the abundant shellfish growing in the rich waters of the Wild Atlantic Way. Today Sligo has a wealth of options for visitors keen to experience local food, through visits and experiences, select accommodation or simply enjoying excellent dining at restaurants and cafés at any time of year.
Historic Coopershill House in the village of Riverstown, at the end of a private mile long avenue, has welcomed guests for three generations. Dating back to the 1700s, the elegant Blue Blook property is run by Simon and Christine O’Hara who offer private rental to groups of up to a dozen visitors with optional catering. The River Unshin winds lazily through the magnificent 500 acre estate with ancient woodland and pastures teeming with wildlife, including native red squirrels and newly arrived woodpeckers. The O’Haras, whose family has lived at Coopershill for 250 years, are passionate about sustainability and have converted the farm to fully organic status. 150 fallow deer roam the pastures, adding a charming element to the landscape, and their famed venison is available for purchase onsite or through the website. Christina maintains a gorgeous old walled garden, full of flourishing fruit and vegetables, which is an attraction in itself. Coopershill is open to guests from April to October and the venison is available year round.
North of Riverstown near the charming seaside village of Mullaghmore, another enterprising couple have turned their enthusiasm for organic and wild food into a thriving business. Having originally moved to Sligo from Germany in the mid-1980s, Hans and Gaby Wieland have made their home in Cliffoney where they run Neantóg Kitchen Garden School. ‘Neantóg’ is the Irish word for ‘Nettle’, a nourishing, healing and energising plant, according to Gaby, whose qualities inspire their teaching.
Gaby teaches sourdough baking, fermenting and plant based cooking while Hans runs classes in organic gardening on their 10 acre farm. Classes are small and intimate with a maximum of 10 participants in each. Together they lead foraging walks for groups of all sizes sharing their extensive knowledge of wild plants and their culinary and medicinal uses. The tasting sessions at the end of each are the icing on the cake. Living a healthier, more sustainable life is their ethos and they are inspirational in wanting to share it with visitors. They love introducing tourists to Sligo, shining a light on lesser known areas where wildlife abounds and sharing their own deep knowledge of their adopted county. The Wielands welcome visitors from home and abroad, particularly from their native Germany.
Nearby Drumcliffe is famous the world over as home to the grave of poet W B Yeats bearing his self-penned epitaph “Cast a cold Eye On life, on Death, Horseman, pass by”. Beside the churchyard charming Pink Clover Café is attracting its own share of visitors drawn by the exceptional cooking and baking on offer all made from scratch by owner Ballymaloe-trained Michelle Howley. Her dedication to local suppliers and food provenance showcases the best the county has to offer – organic salad leaves from nearby Cliffoney, local egg and meat suppliers and even locally roasted coffee beans. The name itself has a Yeats connection – Pink Clover Club was the name of a raspberry and lemon gin-based cocktail the famed poet took a shine to during a dinner in New York. Not content with enjoying one as an aperitif, he insisted on drinking it throughout the entire meal. As an additional tribute to the bard, Michelle has created a kefir probiotic drink flavoured with raspberry and lemon. Visitors to Drumcliffe will find Pink Clover’s doors open all year round.
The culture of food is richly ingrained in Sligo and Sligo Food Trail is an excellent starting point for visitors. It’s an introduction to farmers markets, artisan food experiences, cafés and restaurants all around the county celebrating the joy of food to nourish your body while the scenery nurtures your soul.
