Fitzgerald’s Butchers in Pearse Square, Fermoy was recently awarded the Best in Ireland 2018 by John and Sally McKenna Guides and it goes without saying that proprietor Barry Fitzgerald is thrilled with the recommendation.
“Its brilliant. They are a very prestigious group and have a big following,” he told The Avondhu this week
In order to be a possible candidate for the award, you are usually nominated by someone, often a customer. Then you will get a visit from a representative of the group and they will decide on the verdict having visited the premises and seen it for themselves.
John McKenna himself called to Fitzgerald’s Butcher shop back in the middle of February and he spent some time in the premises, speaking to the proprietors. It was then announced that he had selected Fitzgerald’s to be awarded the Best in Ireland award and gave the butcher shop a glowing review.
Fitzgeralds have been trading since 1964 and gave their premises a facelift back in June. Since then trade has been booming and this award is the icing on the cake.
“If you are after the arcane and unlikely of the carnivorous universe – the beef heart; the short ribs; the ox tail; the pot au feu; the pickled tongue; the beef neck; the lamb sweetbreads; the lamb lap; the collar of pork – then it is all here, beautifully presented in a superbly designed butcher’s shop,” wrote John McKenna in his review of Fitzgeralds.
What is unique about Fitzgeralds butchers is that the beef is reared on their own farm in North Cork and is then processed in their own abattoir before arriving on the shelves. This is home-grown produce through and through.
John McKenna had even more praise for the butcher shop saying: “This continuum of skill and service is not something we should take for granted, for these family firms and family farms are the backbone of our carnivorous cuisine, and of our agricultural community. Fitzgerald’s shows both, at a confident, North Cork peak.”
This is the first time that Fitzgeralds have received this particular award but they have been recognised as quality producers in the recent past and are current finalists in the micro-business awards.
‘MEATING DEMAND’ IN THE SNOW
Barry told The Avondhu that they were very busy in the wave of the recent ‘Beast from the East’ and were only closed on Friday. “We never ran out of anything. Chicken got a tight alright but never ran out,” he said.
