Cong in the running to be named Ireland's top 'foodie' destination

THE Restaurants Association of Ireland has announced the top 10 finalists in the Foodie Destinations competition 2016, and the picturesque south Mayo village of Cong is among them.

Previously known as Foodie Towns, the Foodie Destinations competition is searching for Ireland’s premier ‘food destination 2016’.

The Foodie Destinations initiative was formed as part of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2014 but proved to be so popular that it became its own entity in 2015. Its aim is to celebrate Ireland’s unique and wonderful food offerings and to encourage local food tourism initiatives across the country.

Applications for this year’s competition were received from all corners of the country and on both sides of the border. For the first stage of judging, applications are thoroughly assessed by an independent panel of judges.

Listed alongside Cong in the top 10 are: Boyne Valley, Derry, Dublin Coastal Village (Howth, Malahide and Skerries), Kilkenny, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo, The Burren, and the Loop Head Peninsula.

Each of the 10 finalists will now receive a pre-arranged visit by a pair of independent assessors in the coming weeks. This assessment will be combined with a national public voting campaign where the public can choose their winning foodie destination out of the 10 finalists, which can be done through www.foodiedestinations.ie. Both components will carry equal weight in the overall score. The winning town/destination will be crowned ‘Foodie Destination of Ireland 2016’ in September.

The Foodie Destination of Ireland award recognises a destination that actively promotes itself through joint promotional activities such as food festivals, gourmet trails or farmers’ markets as well as great dining experiences.

The winning Irish destination will have established a local producer/supplier network which is utilised and promoted by local businesses. Plans for future growth and investment into the food and hospitality industry at a local level will also be taken into consideration by judges. Education, training, development and employment will be key components of the ultimate foodie destination.

A national public voting campaign begins today (Thursday, August 18), with each of the 10 finalists canvassing the country to vote for them. Online voting will take place via www.foodiedestinations.ie from now and will end at 12 noon on Friday, September 9. The final decision will be made by combining the judges’ votes with the public vote that carry equal weight – each of these components account for 50% of the overall mark a destination receives.