The folks at the Connemara Smokehouse are friendly – and imagine our surprise to find ourselves being served by a frenchman! They even smoke french crooner Pierre Perret’s fish when he comes to Ireland! The Smokehouse specialises in wild products and their range even includes smoked tuna – I was amazed to discover that tuna can be fished in Irish coastal waters but Nicholas explained that this is due to the famous mexican gulf…

On a rock arch is time for the rest. Brian grabs from wild salmon, Ballyconneely is on the label. This is the smokehouse of Roberts, the art because of their love for quality and old crafts as “guardians of the smoked fish” or even “Food Heroes” apply, such as fish chef Rick Stein says of the BBC. The salmon is delicious, the same Pinot Gri-gio. There are sandwiches with fresh Atlantic crab, stuffed Pou-let with tomato bread and strawberries for dessert.

Quality is a word that Graham gets passionate about. He feels that poor quality imported smoked salmon gives the process a bad name. “It puts people off when they try a slimy, rubbery product and it is more difficult to convert them back again.”
Getting people to try his products gives Graham a real buzz. “I love to see the effect it has on people when they try something new.

Describe where you live and work, and what is it you do. My name is Graham Roberts and I live and work in a small fishing village in Aillebrack near Ballyconneely in the beautiful setting of Connemara, County Galway Ireland. I live with my wife Saoirse and four children in our home overlooking the Atlantic. [...]

This Smokehouse is also well known for its other seafood delicacies such as Smoked Tuna and Gravadlax (raw cured salmon) and the products are available exclusively at the smokehouse itself.

Though tempted to throw down our towels and dive in, the water was a little too bracing. A few minutes’ drive away, smoked and marinated fish is cured in the traditional way at the Connemara Smokehouse.