Local Food Hero
James McGeough,
Oughterard, County Galway
Inspired by his training in Germany, James McGeough
A young man of great energy (he supplied 25,000
returned to the family butchery and began handcrafting
servings of this delicacy to the Ryder Cup Banquet in
salamis and sausages. Soon he began making a
2006), he is happiest when developing new ideas.
more exciting range of products, adding modern
And his creations are certainly a connoisseur’s delight,
interpretations of the ancient crafts of curing and
from air-dried and lightly-smoked ham, turf-smoked
smoking meats. McGeough’s creative efforts have been
beef, and air-dried pork cured in red wine and flavored
rewarded with awards from the Irish Craft Butchers for
with wild juniper berries and orange rind, to whiskey
his specialty meats and from the Irish Food Writers’
salami, cured sausages with Mossfield organic cheese,
Guild for his air-dried Connemara hill lamb.
and a range of pâtés and fresh specialty sausages. His
fantastically diverse products are, unsurprisingly, used
by many leading restaurants all over the country.
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