Georgina Campbell
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As relocations go, the move of Liam and Justina Gavin’s modest but deservedly popular Drumanilra Farm Kitchen in Boyle to smart new premises in Carrick-on-Shannon - where the reimagined business opened in late 2021 as Honestly by Drumanilra Farm - was pretty dramatic. And there’s plenty more to come.
It’s still all about great farm produce at Honestly by Drumanilra Farm, and - while the restaurant and farm shop may seem like a more or less mainstream business - there is no enterprise like it anywhere in Ireland.
The story goes back to 2012, when the couple relocated to Ireland with their young family to take on a 40-acre farm overlooking Lough Key that Liam had inherited from an uncle. He had enjoyed many working holidays with his uncle as a youngster and the couple set about revitalising the farm with gusto, including organic conversion which was completed in 2015.
Honestly by Drumanilra Farm is just one part of this wonderful family enterprise. Simple wholesome food is what they’re known for and their own rare breed meats, notably Dexter Beef and outdoor-reared pork, are the starting point for the handmade organic burgers and hot dogs that brought people from miles around to seek them out in Boyle - and they’re also central to the wider menus offered in Carrick-on-Shannon by chef Aidan Kelly (who is blessed with a passion for all things organic) and the team.
Aside from the organic ingredients that the Gavins produce themselves - and they have sheep and poultry as well as the cattle and pigs - the ingredients they use are organic and locally grown and sourced wherever possible.
Seasonally driven menus are carefully designed to have wide appeal - starters offer everything from sweet & sticky organic chicken wings to sharing platters with house hummus & breads & nachos.
Dexter beef and organic lamb from their home farm supplies meat for the burgers and vegans will be happy with the plant-based versions.
They also have a farm shop onsite, which stocks their own organic meats and some from other local organic producers, locally grown organic vegetables, and a deli range including Irish farmhouse cheeses, freshly baked breads and charcuterie.
Simple deliciousness is what brings people here (and will bring them back), but it’s also rewarding to be part of a Grand Plan.
The Gavins’ mission with the Drumanilra project is ‘to reconnect people with local, organic, wholesome, sustainable food, rooted in place and assured provenance, grown by us and other like-minded producers’ - and to do this on a scale which could transform agriculture and hospitality in the region (and perhaps beyond it) to a more sustainable model. They are providing a route to market for organic and sustainable suppliers, supporting the rural economy and, more widely, this intrepid couple is at the forefront of regenerative farming and research into a more sustainable, healthy, organic food landscape for Ireland.
Look out for more from Drumanilra, in Strandhill, Co Sligo and back in Boyle, where exciting plans may soon include a small hotel. One thing is certain - wherever you see the Drumanilra brand it will be a guarantee of superb food with impeccable provenance and sustainability credentials. Just what we all need right now.
