Farmers' Markets

George's Market, Belfast

Colorful stalls, recipe swapping and a cheeky haggle over fresh fruit – the Irish farmers' market isn't just a place to pick up artisan cheese, it's a cultural event in itself

Rich steaming hot apple juice made from local organic apples from Fermanagh, glistening oysters caught fresh off the coast of Galway served with crisp white wine, and an abundance of farmhouse cheese and local salamis – the Irish farmers’ market is a bedrock of local life. This is where you can try real authenticIrish food with an artisan twist.

“Farmers’ markets make an incredibly important contribution to the Irish food scene; local people growing and selling their produce is a completely different shopping experience that reconnects people with food,” reveals renowned celebrity chef and cookery school owner Darina Allen.

• 

  George's Market, Belfast

The bottom line is that when you buy something at a farmers' market in Ireland, chances are that the person who's grown it is nearby, if not right in front of you. “Hours can be spent wandering from stall to stall meeting proud local producers who can tell where and when your vegetables were picked, and how to cook them to perfection,” says Grace Cox fromLoveIrishFood.ie. “You might start out with a small bag, but you'll find you can leave with it filled to the brim.”

Craft stalls often sit alongside food, and natural soaps, handmade jewelry and art have also been spotted as the original concept of a farmers' market has grown and broadened to become a term that also includes “food markets”. The good news is that all around the island, on any given day, there’s a market going on, whether in a big city Victorian space, or a small village gathering. Either way, you can expect a heady buzz of scents, sounds and tastes.