Donegal wins big at leading hospitality awards ceremony

Celebrating Ireland’s gold standard champions of the food and hospitality industries, the winners of the Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards 2024 were announced this month.

Two of the top awards went to Donegal and were announced by leading food and travel writer, Georgina Campbell and well-known Irish chef, Richard Corrigan at a gala event in Dublin. Ireland’s Best Bread Award 2024, sponsored by Flahavan’s, was awarded to Castle Grove Country House, Letterkenny. And Neighbourhood Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year 2024, The Lemon Tree, Letterkenny.

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Georgina said of the winners: “Castle Grove Country House: Simple as it may sound, The Irish Bread Award is one of our most important accolades.

“Originally the idea of Donegal native and former Director General of Bord Fáilte (now Fáilte Ireland) Matt McNulty - a man with great respect for all aspects of Irish heritage and culture - it recognises the value of this delicious mainstay of the Irish table, and reminds us that doing the small things well can have a big impact.

“This is very much the case at Castle Grove Country House, the beautiful period house overlooking Lough Swilly, where, instead of following the current practice of offering a selection of different breads to guests – they present just their delicious house bread, Guinness & Soda Bread, which is simple and memorable for its ‘just-baked’ freshness and texture as much as its flavour. Raymond and Mary Sweeney opened Castle Grove to guests in 1989 and it has always had a name for its food – especially seasonal produce from their own gardens and from the region.

“Now managed by their daughters, Irene and Karoline – who is a leading light in the ongoing promotion of the region as a food destination, through the developing Food Coast Donegal initiative - their philosophy is alive and well. And the bread is just right.

The Lemontree won the fine dining award - Chris Molloy with Georgina Campbell and Richard Corrigan. Photos: Paul Sherwood

“The Lemontree: A Letterkenny favourite since 1999, this family-run restaurant celebrates 25 years in business this year although it has been in a spacious new setting near the original premises since 2017.

“To the relief of its many fans, it was a case of “same staff, same food, just new location” – and that really sums up the enduring popularity of The Lemon Tree, as, along with the special attraction of being so much a family affair (it’s run on an everyday basis by a number of multi-talented Molloy family members), it is a byword for consistency. There’s no showing off about the smartly understated decor – the beautiful food comes first of course, but after that it’s all about the customers here and diners enjoy watching Euro-Toques chef, Christopher Molloy, and his team at work preparing and serving the excellent modern meals that proudly showcase the local Donegal produce they hold in such high esteem.

“A local food ambassador for many years, Chris represented the Wild Atlantic Way in the former Fáilte Ireland Food Champions programme and is a keen supporter of the Food Coast Donegal regional initiative – a developing food and hospitality business collaboration, of which we are sure to hear more. And, as a growing number of diners continue to discover the ‘fine dining without the fuss’ that they do so well at The Lemon Tree, this fine restaurant’s well-deserved place as a Donegal legend is secure.”