Foodie enthusiasts flocked to Enniskillen Castle over the weekend to enjoy the second year of Festival Lough Erne. This year, visitors to the event also had the opportunity to explore the newly refurbished Enniskillen Castle Museums site which provided the perfect backdrop for the Festival.
The two-day event attracted both locals and visitors to the area and offered a full programme of activities, including a Food Hall offering a range of delights from Balsamics to Bacon and Cheese to Chocolate to name but a few. In addition local chefs, including Noel McMeel from Lough Erne Resort and Joe Kelly from the Belle Isle School of Cookery, imparted their extensive knowledge and this year were joined by Chocolatier and Pastry Chef Stephen McFarland along with chefs from the Killyhevlin Hotel, Westville Hotel and The Tap House who all gave wonderful demonstrations. Local broadcaster Bryan Gallagher compered the event.
There was also a fabulous range of entertainment on stage each day with the music resounding over the entire venue. As the crowd gathered in the courtyard of the Castle, they were joined by a range of Super Heroes and street entertainers to keep the children occupied.
Meanwhile, out on the water there were Canoe Taster Sessions with the Erne Paddlers, and Row the Erne club was offering boat trips on the lake.
Back at the venue the National Trust, the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark and the Lough Erne Heritage Group all offered additional stands and information provision while the local Devenish Bar provided a full bar service overlooking the River Erne.
The Chairperson of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Mary Garrity, who attended the event with her family said, “I was delighted to come along and support this event. It was a marvellous showcase of local food producers, culinary talent and local eateries and great to see such a hive of activity inside this historic site. I very much enjoyed sampling some of the culinary delights created by our guest chefs and also visiting the wonderful food and craft stands. I hope this event will become firmly established in our calendar of events, attracting visitors to Enniskillen and the wider region”.
Festival Lough Erne was organised by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council with the assistance of Food NI, and is part funded by the Council, as well as Tourism NI and Waterways Ireland.