The social drinker

Amillion years ago, I went to school in Midleton in Co Cork. It was undoubtedly the happiest year of my unhappy schooldays, but the town of Midleton had very little to offer back then when it came to food, drink or anything else, except for the hulking distillery overshadowing the school’s cricket pitch.

The school’s food was execrable, but boarders were only allowed out once a week, when they invariably spent all their pocket money on sweets, biscuits or a bag of chips, which they enjoyed with a relish probably never equalled later in life.

Like the rest of Ireland, Midleton has changed completely. Today, it is unrecognisable; bigger, brasher and with many good restaurants and pubs.

Those restaurants and Midleton’s history as a long-established whiskey producer are being celebrated next month in the fun-sounding Feast Cork.

Jameson, as the owner of the local distillery, will feature large in the week-long festival of events; offering ‘apprentice’ courses on whiskey production, tours of the distillery, and cocktail-making classes. The excellent Wallis’ Bar will host a dinner, where several courses will be teamed up with whiskey cocktails.

Ballymaloe House will host an Irish Distillers Cocktail Workshop, followed by lunch. The ‘workshop’ will feature head gardener, Mags Coughlan and bar manager, Traford Murphy, who will encourage foraging for seasonal cocktail ingredients and garnishes, which sounds fun.

But it won’t just be whiskey — Ballyvolane House will host a gin distillery tour and tasting, followed by a long-table lunch on the dining terrace. This column does not often recommend events, but this sounds too good to miss. Feast Cork, September 2-9; for the full programme, prices and events, see feastcork.ie