Neven's greenway trip brings him to Mullingar and Multy
Neven Maguire visits a number of foodie destinations in Westmeath in episode five of his series, Neven’s Greenway Food Trails, which is to be screened on Wednesday February 1 on RTÉ One (8.30pm)
The Royal Canal Greenway is familiar to people living in and near Mullingar. The canal was built more than 200 years ago, linking the docks in Dublin to the River Shannon in Longford.
The quality of engineering and workmanship means the locks and bridges are still in good condition today.
The railway age signalled the end of the canal and traffic dwindled until it was closed in 1961.
In 1974, a group of enthusiasts formed the Royal Canal Amenity Group to protect and restore the canal as a public amenity, and it was reopened in 2010.
Neven’s stopped in Multyfarnham, where he met chef and cookery instructor Kamalika Ranasingha, who runs the award-winning Multyfarnham Cookery School.
Kamalika shares her grandmother’s recipe for a flavoursome Sri Lankan tuna curry made with her own blend of Sri Lankan spices.
Multyfarnham Cookery School is located in the picturesque grounds of Multyfarnham Friary, a Franciscan Friary more than 700 years old.
Neven then takes a boat trip along the Royal Canal and is joined by Derek Whelan of the Royal Canal Amenity Group on a boat belonging to Waterways Ireland. Derek tells Neven about the history of the canal, and they cross the Whitworth Aqueduct, which was built in 1816.
Heading to Lough Owel, Neven meets Joe Brady of Lough Owel Organic Beef. Joe brings his food truck to the shore of Lough Owel and prepares a delicious burger for Neven. Joe runs a 60-acre organic cattle farm and uses various cuts of meat to make his burgers from fillet to chuck.
He minces the meat twice, giving an extra quality of consistency to the burgers, and doesn’t add herbs or spices. Neven enjoys a burger topped with goats cheese, onion and tomatoes.
Joining the cycle way at Mullingar, Neven makes his way to Athlone, where he calls in at Bon Chocolatiers to meet Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan. There, he learns how their luxurious chocolates are made and intricately decorated.
A little further north on the shores of Lough Ree is Wineport Lodge, where Neven meets head chef Darren Walsh. Darren shares his mouth-watering recipe for slow roast pork belly with a spice rub of oregano, coriander, mustard seed, caraway seed, onion powder, smoked paprika, lime and orange zest.
Before heading out on the Greenway, Neven visited Carton House, Maynooth for a luxurious breakfast. He meets executive chef Gary Rogers in ‘Kathleen’s Kitchen’, a restaurant in the old servant’s kitchens, which still has many original features such as cast iron stoves from the 1700s.
Gary shares his recipe for Eggs Royale.
Neven’s Greenway Food Trails is produced and directed by David Hare of InProductionTV and sponsored by Bord Bia.