Local Food Hero
The Burns Family,
Duhallow, County Cork
The Burns family founded the Ardrahan herd of
pedigree Friesian cattle 80 years ago in Duhallow,
County Cork. Twenty-five years ago, another
generation began using their milk to make yoghurt
and cheese – in doing so, one of Ireland’s most
highly-regarded and widely-exported farmhouse
cheeses was created.
Mary Burns and her son Gerald
continue to breed al replacement
stock for the herd, producing milk
al year round to make this
aromatic washed-rind, buttery-
textured, semi-soft cheese –
indisputably one of the great
flavours of Ireland.
They also produce Duhallow, a mild
semi-soft cheese, and an innovative
product, Lul abye milk: cows milked
before daybreak have natural y high
levels of Melatonin, a natural
substance that regulates the human
sleep/wake cycles. Lul abye milk
is said to be one of the most natural
sleeping draughts in the world.
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