Ballinwillin ‘butters up’ guests with good food and mindfulness
LAST weekend (June 8/9), Pat and Miriam Mulcahy welcomed visitors to Ballinwillin House and Farm in Mitchelstown, to celebrate the Old Butter Roads, enjoy some great food and, most importantly, take it nice and easy.
A diverse programme of events, which included an outdoor pop-up Bao Boi supper, an intimate long table dinner by Bryan McCarthy from Greene’s Restaurant and Cask in Cork, and a ‘ Slow at Work’ workshop by food writer Aoife McElwain was enjoyed by individuals from all over Ireland and beyond.
The award winning chef used organic farmed venison and wild boar from Ballinwillin as well as ingredients from the locality to create mouthwatering dishes for guests to enjoy during the weekend. Wines from the Mulcahy family’s vineyard in Hungary were matched with dishes.
One of the highlights was the unveiling of a new holistic garden which has areas devoted to mindfulness, meditation and forgiveness. Pat Mulcahy developed the garden in the grounds of Ballinwillin as a result of the mental and physical aftermath of the worst winter he has experienced since his move to Mitchelstown 40 years ago.
The garden is attracting attention from all corners and the Hungarian Ambassador to Ireland is due to visit later this month, and an invitation has been extended to celebrity chef Neven Maguire, who was struck by Pat’s passion when they met for the first time at the stunning Ashford Castle last month.
During the Saturday workshop with Aoife McElwain, author of ‘ Slow at Work – How to Work Less, Achieve More and Regain Your Balance in an Always- On World’, Pat shared his insights into mindfulness and revealed that he has been meditating since he was a child, albeit he was unaware at the time that was what it was called.
Pat has proven himself to be an innovator in the industry and has the only combined organic farmed venison, wild boar and goat farm in Ireland and the UK. His wife, Miriam, operates a B&B in the 18th Century house and courtyard wing, and the property is becoming increasingly popular for exclusive corporate events and unique holistic retreats.
An exclusive residential retreat designed to nourish the mind and body is currently in development and is expected to launch this autumn.
“Burn out is becoming increasingly prevalent in society,” Pat said. “There is a great atmosphere of tranquillity and peace here at Ballinwillin which guests often remark on, particularly those with demanding jobs and busy lives. We are very excited about developing new experiences that focus on good food, health and well being and we are collaborating with various partners in the industry to create a suite of unique retreats.”
Full details will be published on www.ballinwillinhouse.com later this year.