Listowel Food Fair: Celebrating heifers, culinary heroes and farmers

By Caroline Allen

October 24, 2026 9:00 AM

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(l-r): Megan Bambury, committee member; Ger Mulvihill, social media content creator; Pat Murphy, CEO/executive director, Kinisla; Jimmy Deenihan, programme curator; Mary Buckley, communications director, Kinisla. Source: John Kelliher Photography

Not many food festivals involve awards for 'best factory heifer', but Listowel is determined to celebrate all stages of local food from farm to fork.

In this 31st edition of the Listowel Food Fair, the presentation of the award will take place at 9:00p.m on Monday, November 9. All are welcome to attend.

There will also be a seminar earlier that day at 7:30pm focusing on sustainability in farming.

Taking place in the Listowel Arms, it will be attended by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for forestry, farm safety and horticulture, Niall Collins.

The 31st Listowel Food Fair runs from Thursday. November 5 to Monday, November 9.

Other speakers at the free event will include: title sponsor Pat Murphy, CEO, Kinisla; Dinny Galvin, who will speak on generating your own electricity, and the west Kerry dairy farmers' sustainable energy community; and Dave Leahy, who will speak on bovine TB in north Kerry and west Limerick.

Listowel Food Fair

Long recognised for its close ties to food production, farming and agriculture, the Listowel Food Fair has its origins in the promotion of local agricultural and culinary traditions.

Listowel and its surrounding areas have a reputation for their lush landscapes and fertile land, making it an ideal location for the production of high quality food and beverages, the fair organisers said.Chief executive officer of Kinisla, Pat Murphy said the festival has grown into one of Ireland's best known food events, "celebrating the best of Irish food while recognising the contribution of the farmers, producers and businesses that are at the heart of our food industry".

(l-r): Kate O Dowd, operations manager; Rebecca Wilmot, operations supervisor; Katie O'Connell, loans officer; Denyse Shine, loans officer; Martina Kelly, teller; Eve Dowling, teller; Ulligak Klock, teller; Jimmy Deenihan, curator; Kenneth Leen, lending manager; Christy Killeen, secretary; Rita Quigley, treasurer; Megan Bambury, committee; Gerard Mulvihill, social media manager; and Sarah Bougattaya, marketing officer. Source: John Kelliher Photography

"Food and farming are at the heart of communities across Ireland and the food fair provides an important opportunity to recognise the people, skills and traditions behind our world class food industry.

"We are delighted to support an event that brings people together, champions local enterprise and showcases the quality and reputation of Irish food at home and abroad," Murphy said.Former Fine Gael minister, Jimmy Deenihan, who is the fair's programme curator, said the event is one of Ireland's longest running food festivals.

He said: "The Listowel Food Fair has developed over the years to be established as a national platform to promote the literary and culinary town of Listowel as a quality gourmet destination.

"It is a celebration of all elements of the Irish food chain from farm to fork and tide to table."

Aiming to offer something for all ages and appetites, the programme includes an opening night of live theatre performance at St. John’s Theatre ‘Bumbled’ on Thursday, November 5; the Listowel food trail and a harvest afternoon tea at the Kerry Writers' Museum.

Health is a big focus for the festival this year with a positive ageing seminar at Listowel Community Centre on Friday, November 6 at 7:00p.m, which will be attended by Minister of State with special responsibility for older people, Kieran O'Donnell.

Other speakers will include Dr. Niall Moyna, professor of clinical exercise physiology at Dublin City University, who will address positive ageing and the importance of exercise; Brendan Garvey, personal trainer and neuromuscular therapist, Julian Cascante, certified nutritional coach; Trevor Horan, general manager, Listowel Community Centre, personal trainer, online, and nutritional coach.

An autism seminar by Dr. Susan Crawford will take place at the Listowel Community Centre on Saturday, November 7 at 11:00a.m.

Celebrity chef, Rory O'Connell with his book 'The Joy of Food'. Source: Ballymaloe Cookery School

Other events will include a cookery demonstration in Garvey's Supervalu, Listowel, on Saturday, November 7 at 11:00a.m with celebrity chef Rory O’Connell of Ballymaloe Cookery School; an evening of gourmet food and fashion with style maven, Marietta Doran and Kerry GAA star and designer, Paul Galvin, that evening.

On Sunday, November 8, a live jazz lunch will take place at the Listowel Arms Hotel.

The much anticipated 2026 Listowel Food Fair awards will be presented, including:

2026 Listowel Food Fair food book of the year;

2026 Listowel Food Fair local food hero award;

2026 Listowel Food Fair best emerging artisan food producer award;

2026 Listowel food influencer and digital storyteller of the year award;

2026 Listowel Food Fair lifetime achievement award.

The Listowel food fair food and craft hall on Sunday at the Listowel Arms Hotel will feature a broad selection of local craft, design and artisan food producers.

On offer will be cakes, craft beers, mulled wine, gifts, gourmet food, jewellery, art, chocolate, jams, chutneys and breads.