The megalithic Portal monuments that lie majestically across our ancient landscape were built by Ireland’s earliest dairy farmers around 6,000 years ago. These farmers formed part of a much wider Atlantic maritime tradition of farming with our neighbouring countries. Their monuments acted as portals between worlds.
These first farmers who voyaged to Ireland quickly recognized the value of the incredible milk their cows were producing from the island’s lush green grass. It was these farmers who created one of the world’s oldest butter and cheese making traditions, so that they could capture this delicious, nutrient-dense food for the entire year. The archaeological evidence for these early dairy fats are found as trace elements in the Neolithic Pottery remains of the Céide Fields in North Mayo.
GATEWAY TO THE VERY BEST OF IRISH CHEESE AND DAIRY
SILKE CROPP
OUR IRISH SPOTLIGHT SUPPLIER -
CORLEGGY CHEESE BY SILKE CROPP
Finest Quality Raw Milk Handmade Cheeses
Corleggy means “little windy hill” and is where they make their award-winning Irish artisan farmhouse cheeses, handmade from wholly natural ingredients, in the traditional time-honoured way.
Established in 1985 by Silke Cropp, in Belturbet, Co. Cavan, every cheese is made by hand with production exceeding 10 tonnes per annum between goats', sheep & cows’ milk cheeses.
Corleggy is a family run business and Silke remains at the helm today.
Corleggy collect all their milk from three neighbouring farms using just morning milk for their production. The finest quality raw milk from locally grazed, grass-fed herds of goats, sheep & cows is handmade into hard & soft cheeses, which mature for at least 3 months. Silke believes in the slow food philosophy; it takes time for these wonderful cheeses to mature & develop. Each of their farmhouse cheeses is cared for individually with lots of subtle flavours, improving with maturity; their natural rind is nurtured, one of their cheeses noted characteristics. The only added ingredients are vegetarian rennet & salt.