Glendalough Cookoff - Dec 2024

This is the 3rd year for this event and it is the brainchild of Conor Gill (with assistance from Gerry Cobbe), both long time club members. It is becoming more popular and the cooking more competitive with each passing year.

It started on Thursday 5th Dec with the group heading out on a very wet and windy afternoon from the International Hostel Glendalough.

Coffee stop was at Dlish in Tinahely where the food portions were so large (a good complaint) it almost ruined the meal that evening. One of the group commented that they were so wet they left a trail of water on seats and floor.

That evening the restaurant in Lynhams Hotel Laragh was warm and cosy with festive decorations creating a nice atmosphere as 24 members sat down to enjoy an evening meal. After plenty of craic and banter everyone made their way back to their accommodation for an early night.

Next day, Friday, the weather forecast was not looking good. There was a yellow wind warning , storm Darragh was due to arrive midday. A small group led by Conor Gill decided to get in a walk before it arrived. Walking in the rain can be fun......well sometimes.

At 5.45pm it was all systems go. The spotless kitchen and utensils were put into overdrive. It was a hive of activity as 17 members began preparing their menus. The standard of cooking and menu would put many a restaurant to shame......this was serious business and those taking part were there to win. To be fair, all participants were winners....there was nothing you would not have loved to eat. Picking a winner was a genuinely difficult task.

The Judges selected the winners based on ;

Seasonal Presentation.

Creativity.

Factor Difficulty.

The Winners.

1st. Andrew Kennedy.

2nd. Nash Finnegan.

3rd. John McKenna.

This was followed by the Kris Kindle.

Conor has strict rules on this.....”It must not cost anyone money” and "give an item you don’t need or want”.

After everyone had their fill the kitchen once again became a hive of activity and in no time the kitchen was back to how we found it, spotless.....hostel rules.

A brilliant musical session then got underway, one of the best in a long time. We had our usual trio Teddy, Gerry & Conor who were exceptional. They were joined by Philip Maguire on his piano. Iain Ryan (son of the late Brendan Ryan) sang a song to the tune of “McAlpine’s Fusiliers” with reference to the DMTC. No doubt this will become a standard song at all future events.

Martin Reid (Smokie) Greg Duffy and myself also contributed to the singing. We also had a song from a young

Argentinian girl who worked in the hostel plus an American girl with Sioux/Irish ancestry. Teddy loaned a young German lad his guitar to play a tune and he was enjoying himself so much he was forgetting to give it back.

Teddy, being versatile, used this time to do backing on the harmonica.

Most were in bed by 2am., and slept through one of the worst wind storms experienced on the east coast in a long time. The electricity went down and we were in darkness till dawn with no facilities to cook breakfast.

There was a lot of damage caused and roads blocked with fallen trees but all made it home safely.

Between now and Christmas a visit to Laragh after dark is worth a visit to check out the lights.

Jim.