One of Australia’s most recognised food and wine personalities, Lyndey Milan, was in Mayo recently filming for her new TV series, called Lyndey’s Taste of Ireland.
Lyndey, who was invited to film here by Tourism Ireland in Sydney in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, is the author of five best-selling cookbooks and a popular TV presenter in Australia on all things gastromonic. She is travelling around Ireland this month, seeking out culinary delights and hidden gems.
During filming in Mayo, Lyndey experienced the spectacular scenery as well as some of the quality artisan produce this part of Ireland has to offer at first hand. The programme will see Lydney visit the breathtaking Inishturkbeg Island in Clew Bay, as well as trying her hand at black and white pudding-making in Newport with award-winning artisan butcher Seán Kelly. To top her time in Mayo off, Lydney enjoyed some traditional Irish music at Matt Molloy’s in Westport.
This new TV series will air during the spring of next year on Foxtel (in Australia ) and on Living and The Food Channel (in New Zealand ), to an expected audience of in excess of one million viewers. Over seven 25-minute episodes – all filmed in various locations around the island of Ireland – Lyndey will eat, drink, and engage with the locals she meets along the way including chefs, restaurateurs, food producers, and home cooks.
Orla Saul, Tourism Ireland’s manager for Australia and New Zealand, said: “We are delighted to bring Lyndey Milan and her crew to film here in Mayo. Ireland is increasingly becoming known for its food, with a reputation for high quality, natural products used in both traditional and innovative dishes. The seven episodes filmed here will be seen by over one million people, helping to inspire ‘foodies’ and prospective holidaymakers around Australia and New Zealand to come and discover the culinary delights of Mayo and Ireland for themselves.
“Lifestyle programmes such as this are an excellent way for Tourism Ireland to get positive exposure for the island of Ireland in Australia and New Zealand. The recently announced growth in visitor numbers from Australia and New Zealand of 16 per cent for the first half of the year is welcome news indeed and is an encouraging basis on which Tourism Ireland, together with our industry partners, will build in 2012.”
