THE STORY
Understand the story behind HOW and WHY I have created the incredible Irish influenced dishes on your menu.
Yellow meal cake, silver Hill duck and endive
inspired by an ingredient eaten by the Irish people during the Irish potato famine 1845–1852, during this time it’s believe 1 million Irish people died. It’s estimated that as a result of the famine and people leaving Ireland in the hope
Of a future that there were 2 million Irish refugees around this time.
During the Irish potato famine the Native American tribe Choctaws donated corn to Ireland to help feed the starving Irish population. In 2015 there was a monument erected called kindred Spirits which pays tribute to their incredible generosity. During the pandemic Ireland sent a sizeable donation to the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation, cementing a long lasting friendship.
This dish pays homage to our gratitude to the Choctaws remarkable act of kindness and understanding.
Queen Meabh (Maeve)
A warrior Queen. Known for for ambition and strength. Queen Meabh the daughter of the high King Eochaid Feidlech. She became the Queen of Connaught in Irish folklore.
It is theorised that she is the inspiration for the fairy queen Mab found on William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet.
On some of the pewter water goblets we have in Myrtle Restaurant it depicts the famous competition that Queen Meabh had with her husband Ailill Mac over who held the most personal wealth and it eventually came down to a prize bull that x
Ailill had Queen Meabh sent her closest to go to her neighbour rumoured to have and even more impressive bull thus meaning she would be the winning. This was named the Cattle raid of Cooley as it wasn’t as simple as it seemed and resulted in a war. It is rumoured that Queen Meabh eventually won the bull and both bulls were foolishly placed in the same field a fight ensued and both bulls died.
Supposedly, she is buried upright facing her enemies in Ulster. Her home in County Roscommon.
