Lucinda’s Ireland

Further west at Bunowen Pier, Graham and Saoirse Roberts run the Connemara Smokehouse, one of the best smokehouses in the country. They are a charming and enthusiastic couple who work very hard in carrying on the tradition of producing smoked salmon which was started by Graham’s parents in 1979.

“We do traditional smoked salmon and also smoked tuna which is very popular. It is line caught and environmentally friendly,” said Graham.

They also do smoked mackerel, plain or peppered, as well as gravad lax, and roast and honey roast hot smoked salmon. Another product is a smoked tuna mousse from Graham’s grandmother’s recipe which he has “tweaked a bit”. It involves cream so has a short shelf life and is only available at the smokehouse.

Eight people work at the Connemara Smokehouse. “They have young families, so that’s 30 people benefiting in a positive way by what we are doing. Nobody’s ever going to be wealthy doing what we do, but you can make a living doing something you enjoy in the long term.

“Ten years ago people had lost the run of themselves, which thank God was never the way I was brought up. My two older boys come down to the smokehouse during the summer, and my daughter helps out in the shop. They learn that if they want pocket money they have to do something for it, but again it’s a nice gentle way of bringing them into it without saying ‘it’s a family business you have to work in it’, it’s their choice. That’s how it was for me as well and it’s something that I’ve always loved doing,” Graham explained.

www.smokehouse.ie/shop

Sunday Independent by Lucinda O’ Sullivan

Connemara Smokehouse was invited along to take part in the Confrérie Des Fin Gousier D’anjou at Claregalway Castle.  To showcase Galway & County Best in the West. Graham demonstrated hand-slicing on the night where guests got to sample Connemara’s Finest Organic Smoked Salmon.

The delegation consisted of 7 people 14 memebers of the college Docte accompanied by 7 knights wearing thier collar preceded by two trumpeters of the Brotherhood.

Four hundred bottles were offered at four moments: more than two hundred guests including five importers in Claregalway Castle, where the Mayor of County Galway, Thomas Welby, and five local personalities (Alan Farrell, Seamus Shierdan, Dr. Eamonn O’Donoghue, Dr. Noel Flynn & Gerry Flynn) were inducted by Fins Gousiers.

Appelations:

Anjou Blanc/Rouge, Anjou Village, Anjou Village Brissac, Chinon, Saumur Champigny, Savennieres, Savenniere Roche aux Monies, Coteaux du Layon, Coteaux de l’Aubance, Rose de loire, Crémant de Loire, Chaume & Sauvignon.

Click to view more…

Here at Kai we are always looking for the best quality products to use in the kitchen. We don’t just use the best quality products regardless of source or content, but we are committed to finding the best natural, organic and locally sourced produce.

There is a growing number of smokehouses throughout the country ands we are lucky to have one of the finest production facilities just out the road.

The family run Connemara Smokehouse has been in operation by the Roberts family since 1979, and is now run by husband and wife Graham and Saoirse.

Grahams parents, John and Bridget founded Connemara Smokehouse with a smoking kiln that was first commissioned in 1946—and it’s still smoking today.

Situated on Bunowen Pier, just outside Ballyconneely the company encourage visitors to tour their facility and learn about its products and the process of smoking.

The smokehouse is one of the few remaining smokehouses that specializes in smoking wild Atlantic Salmon, along with tuna, herring, cod and mackerel.

Connemara Smokehouse Smoked Mackerel fishcakes at Kai Restaurant, Galway

Graham Roberts hand-fillets each fish to ensure quality and consistency is upheld with all of the companys products.
Sea salt and beechwood smoke create the flavour and texture in all the smoked products.
In the restaurant we use the smoked mackerel for fish cakes which is often seen on the lunch boards. We also use the smoked salmon in many of our dishes.
We believe that by supporting traditional companies that have standards as high as ours, and an ethos of quality we can work together to offer the best finished product to our customers.

If you want to find out more about the Smokehouse make sure to visit them in Connemara, or check out their website on www.smokehouse.ie

Have a look at the Nationwide feature on Connemara Smokehouse to get a real sense of what goes on there…

Kai Restaurant 18/07/2012

Connemara Smokehouse provides some seafood delights in the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2012 in Galway.

Graham provides from his range of Smoked Salmon, Smoked Tuna and Smoked Mackerel. Connemara Smokehouse were choosen as one of the Local Producers to provide for the sailors, supporters and all inbetween.

Connemara Smokehouse at Volvo Ocean Race Galway 2012

Easter is nearly upon us.

Get your orders in to avoid disappointment.

The hot favourites for this Easter, Organic Gravadlax and Traditional Smoked Salmon.

Our little ones have also been busy painting their eggs for Easter and check out Marek’s egg painting of the Smokehouse, so cool…

Smokehouse

Animal Eggs