cheesed off

There is more to Irish cheeses than cheddar (and technically speaking cheddar is not even that Irish...). While you might not find them in your average supermarket, if you head to any farmers market around the country you'll be surprised by the variety of great cheeses made in Ireland by small producers with tasty recipes - and usually at much better value than those cheeses you will find in the supermarket.

Here are my favourites - that I buy at the Gorey's farmers market on Saturdays:

-Clonmore

is a very tasty hard(ish) goats cheese made in county Cork.

-Gubbeen, made in West Cork

is a cow's milk cheese, creamy and great to eat with chutneys. There is also a smoked version.

-Mature sheep cheese (such as Cratloe Hills)
if you like manchego, you'll love this.

-Carlow cheese
based in Fenagh, they make cheddar-type cheeses with unusual flavours, such as nettle and sundried tomatoes, chilli, etc...

-if you are into blue cheese (not my case): then try Wicklow Blue or Cashel Blue.

Wicklow has a whole range of its own cheeses. Wicklow Baun is a brie-type cheese and Old MacDonnells farm in the Glen of the Downs makes not only probiotic yogurt but also soft spreadable sheep cheese.

If you want to investigate for yourself, this is a very useful site, if you are interested in learning a bit more about great cheeses made in Ireland: http://www.irishcheese.ie/

Nollaig Shona!