A top Galway butcher's has struck gold in style for sensational sausages.
Finnerty’s, which can be found in the Eyre Square Centre as well as at its Oughterard HQ, collected three top awards from the recent Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland national competition held at The Curragh in County Kildare.
In a sizzling performance, their team’s traditional pork entry bagged the first gold medal in the Traditional Sausage section.
That was followed by two more for the pork and leek and pork and garlic creations in the Speciality Sausage shoot-out.
There was almost a fourth, as the pork and black pepper combo secured a Speciality silver.
A very happy boss Tommy Finnerty declared: “Around 300 of the ACBI’s 400 or so members took part. Making homemade sausages daily is a major part of their business and we were thrilled to be the only butchers to win three gold medals. We are so thankful to our long-serving staff in both our shops.”
Judging is done on the day by a panel of experts from inside the meat industry, with the awards handed out at a gala dinner.
“It is carried out very strictly," Tommy Finnerty added. "Everything is judged on flavour, texture, balance, appearance and overall quality.
“There are no shortcuts. What you put in comes out and we only use the best of pork belly. To me, a homemade sausage is like homemade bread. You just can’t beat it.”
A spokesman from the ACBI stated: “Judges praised the exceptionally high standard of entries in this year’s competition. The awards went to producers who demonstrated outstanding quality and skill.”
Thousands of customers have enjoyed a Finnerty’s sausage since Tommy’s dad, Roger Finnerty, opened his Oughterard premises in 1962. Tommy added the Eyre Square Centre outlet in 1995.
“We make roughly 600 each day and, as well as selling the sausages and sausage meat in our shops, we supply numerous other businesses including Renvyle House Hotel, Cashel House Hotel, Wildlands and Enjoy in Moycullen and Sullivan’s country grocer and Clancy’s Bar in Oughterard,” Tommy revealed.
