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Kealy's named Seafood Circle Bar
of the Year
20.10.09
KEALY'S Seafood Bar in
Greencastle has scooped the prestigious title of
Seafood Circle Seafood Bar of the Year 2010.
The awards, organised by the Georgina Campbell
Guide, were sponsored by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).
According to the judges, Kealy's is "a friendly,
low-key little place where simplicity has always
been valued even if it’s just to pop in for a
daytime bowl of Tricia Kealy’s Greencastle chowder
and some home-baked brown bread or ‘James’s baby
brown scones’. If we did an award for seafood
chowder, Kealy's would take the prize." |
Tricia Kealy has been
running the multi award winning seafood
bar/restaurant beside Greencastle Harbour, since the
death of her husband James in 2007. The couple
trained together at Killybegs Catering College and
later ran the restaurant as a close working team.
This is first award for Tricia as sole proprietor
and head chef of the business.
"I'm over the moon. I had pretty big shoes to fill
and I was quite daunted at the challenge of taking
over the restaurant by myself, when James died. This
award is a great recognition of all the hard work
and effort we put in as a team," said Tricia, who
employs 15 full and part-time staff. |
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"I have wonderfully
loyal staff and customers. I have the same people
coming here for years and at this stage they are
more like friends than customers. To be honest,
without them, Kealy's just wouldn't exist." The
latest award is a double delight for the Greencastle
seafood eaterie which this year celebrates 20 years
in business. Tricia also paid tribute to her family
who gave her great encouragement to reopen the
premises after her bereavement.
Like her late husband, Tricia’s approach to seafood
is creative and balanced and can be seen in dishes,
which are "modern in tone but also echo traditional
Irish themes". Delicious local organic vegetables
are used with fish to make the most of both precious
resources. "Breads are a speciality - perfect
partners for Irish farmhouse cheeses, as well as the
famous chowder - simple, and delicious," added the
competition judges. |
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