News
Simply sensational tasting menu at the Cahernane

Guests were treated to a decadent eight-course dining experience at the luxury four-star Cahernane House Hotel on Friday night.

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel Killarney for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room from left were: Cara and Declan Fuller Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel Killarney for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room were John and Carmel Kennedy Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

TASTY: The team at the Cahernane Hotel in The Herbert Room pictured before guests arrived for their ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ experience. From left: Emer Corridan (General Manager) Cormac Vesey (Head Chef) Nicole Williams Maeve Fitzmartin Emilia Lesniak Roger McCarthy Thomas O’Connor Aileen Baltazar David O’Brien Darren Looney Jason Nolan Jordan O’Donoghue Ross Farrell Joanna Jarosz and Natalia Uroz Barrero (Pastry Chef). Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ were Andrew and Siobhan O'Regan from Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Emer Corridan (General Manager) with Cormac Vesey (Head Chef) pictured prior to guests arriving at the Cahernane Hotel for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ at the weekend were from left: Michelle O'Connor Jerry O'Connell Caroline O'Connor Jim Vesey and Cheryl Carmody from Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in the Cahernane Hotel were from left: Michael McDonnell Eileen Heffernan John Heffernan and Kim Heffernan from Tarbert. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room at the weekend were from left: Mags O'Donnell Abbeyfeale Joan Collins Knocknagoshel Margaret O’Brien Abbeyfeale and Kathleen Murphy Abbeyfeale. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel Killarney for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room from left were: Cara and Declan Fuller Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel Killarney for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room were John and Carmel Kennedy Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

TASTY: The team at the Cahernane Hotel in The Herbert Room pictured before guests arrived for their ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ experience. From left: Emer Corridan (General Manager) Cormac Vesey (Head Chef) Nicole Williams Maeve Fitzmartin Emilia Lesniak Roger McCarthy Thomas O’Connor Aileen Baltazar David O’Brien Darren Looney Jason Nolan Jordan O’Donoghue Ross Farrell Joanna Jarosz and Natalia Uroz Barrero (Pastry Chef). Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ were Andrew and Siobhan O'Regan from Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Emer Corridan (General Manager) with Cormac Vesey (Head Chef) pictured prior to guests arriving at the Cahernane Hotel for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ at the weekend were from left: Michelle O'Connor Jerry O'Connell Caroline O'Connor Jim Vesey and Cheryl Carmody from Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in the Cahernane Hotel were from left: Michael McDonnell Eileen Heffernan John Heffernan and Kim Heffernan from Tarbert. Photo: Don MacMonagle

Pictured at the Cahernane Hotel for ‘A Taste of Cahernane’ in The Herbert Room at the weekend were from left: Mags O'Donnell Abbeyfeale Joan Collins Knocknagoshel Margaret O’Brien Abbeyfeale and Kathleen Murphy Abbeyfeale. Photo: Don MacMonagle
‘A Taste of Cahernane’ saw guests enjoying a spectacular new menu prepared by the new Executive Head Chef, Cormac Vesey and his talented culinary team.
On arrival, guests enjoyed a Massotina Prosecco reception in the Drawing Room, which was kindly sponsored by ‘Classic Drinks’ before taking their seats in the 2-AA Rosette, Herbert Restaurant.
The evening provided Cormac Vesey the opportunity to showcase the new culinary offering at Cahernane and gave diners the chance to experience his food in an elegant and relaxed setting. Each of the courses were beautifully presented and executed and ultimately each dish was a celebration of the best locally produced seasonal produce.
The tasting menu began a with an Amuse Bouche of Duck & Crab Tartlet which was served with a Seaweed Tapioca. Next came an elegant Venison Tartare which was combined with smoked chestnut, fruity blackberry and golden beetroot and was paired with a fabulous red wine, Mourgues du Gres 'Galets' Rouge from the Rhône Valley.
A Smoked Gubbeen Ravioli with Wild Mushroom Consommé, Hen of the Woods was both interesting and surprising. The ravioli had a very delicate smoky taste which was perfectly complemented by the woody, earthy flavours of the wild, Hen of the Woods Mushroom. Diners had some unexpected table entertainment too as the Consommé, was poured from a ‘duck decanter’ which was designed and made by Irish tableware and cutlery brand, Newbridge Silverware. A buttery and creamy Chardonnay called Maison Edoaurd Delaunay Bourgogne Chardonnay was the perfect pairing wine for this dish.
The fish dish was Poached Monkfish served with Jerusalem Artichoke, Celeriac, Seaweed Butter and was paired with Domaine Gautheron Vielles Vignes Chablis. It was beautifully seasoned and balanced and tasted of the sea itself.
Next, came a sublime Dry Aged Beef served with Winter Chanterelle, Soubise and Potato Pavé. Chateau Ramage la Batissee Haut Médoc with its rich fruits and full body was the perfect accompaniment to the beef.
Caramelised Apple Terrine, Killahora Pom’O Sorbet was served with a dessert wine, Seifried 'Sweet Agnes' Late Harvest Riesling. The final dessert was a chocolate lover's dream as a rich Dark Chocolate Crémeux made with local Liberator Port ‘n’ Peat Whiskey came to the table. The sweet dish was evocative of the festive season with its indulgent flavours and rich whiskey hints, much to the delight of the maker of The Liberator Whiskey, Maurice O’Connell who was in attendance at the dinner with his wife, Francesca. The complete culinary experience finished with homemade Petit Fours, served with teas and coffee.
Culinary Signature
Cormac is putting his own culinary signature on the 2-AA Rosette Herbert Restaurant which is famous for serving up some of the finest cuisine in the southwest of Ireland, with the kitchen producing consistent, beautiful plates of food.
His focus on food provenance and seasonal ingredients lies at the heart of everything he does and is the cornerstone of his cooking.
“For me great food is made with great produce, it’s about knowing where it comes from, how it’s grown or produced. The passion and care that goes into creating premier produce is reflected in the final plate of food, so it’s essential that the raw materials that come into my kitchen are of the very highest standards. Cooking with the seasons allows me to find the best that nature offers, what could be better than locally foraged mushrooms or herbs picked just a few hundred metres from my kitchen door? Great food is a celebration of the seasons, it’s when the ingredients should be allowed to sing - even something as simple as in season mushrooms, winter cabbage or hand foraged herbs can be the star on the plate.”
News
Five questions to ask yourself before buying a stock
By Michael O’Connor, theislandinvestor.com When it comes to investing, nothing is certain. There are no perfect stocks to buy because there’s no way of predicting the future with 100% accuracy. […]

By Michael O’Connor, theislandinvestor.com
When it comes to investing, nothing is certain.
There are no perfect stocks to buy because there’s no way of predicting the future with 100% accuracy.
The truth is, investing is hard, and building a portfolio of top stocks that beat the market is something that even financial professionals have trouble doing consistently.
For most people, investing in index funds is the perfect hands-off approach, providing broad exposure to the stock market at a very low fee. Even my own personal portfolio is made up of roughly 70% ETFs despite the fact I invest in the market for a living.
But I believe some stock picking is a good strategy for many hands-on people.
Taking a small portion of your overall portfolio and diligently selecting a small number of companies to invest in gives you an opportunity to learn about the investing process and fully understand the businesses you are investing in, which helps to build conviction in your positions.
From a psychological standpoint “collector’s instinct” kicks in, enabling people to participate and invest more money over time.
Lastly, for Irish investors, there are tax benefits to consider. If you invest in individual stocks, you are taxed at the CGT rate of 33%, and the first €1,270 of your gains are exempt from CGT each year. When investing in index funds or ETFs, you are taxed at the exit tax rate of 41% with no annual exemption.
For those interested in picking individual stocks, here are five questions you should ask yourself before investing in any company.
Do I understand the business?
Too many people invest in businesses they don’t understand because it ‘sounds good’. If you have no idea how the company works, you won’t have the conviction needed to hold onto the stock when an inevitable downturn comes.
Can the balance sheet withstand severe, temporary adversity?
This seems obvious, but so many people invest in companies without understanding how much money a company holds and who they owe money to. Economic cycles are guaranteed. You must ensure that the company has enough cash-on-hand to avoid becoming obsolete when activity slows.
Will the company benefit from long-term trends?
Make sure the company will remain relevant into the future. If the stock is cheap now, it may be cheap for a reason.
Is the company enjoying profitable growth?
Not growth at all costs, but a combination of sustainable growth and value. All this information can be found online at sites like stratosphere.io.
What are the risk factors?
Is the company trying something new and untested? If yes, who are its competitors and how successful are they? If other players are more established, this company may have a tough time breaking into the market.
News
Ballyspillane staff open up mental health conversation
By Michelle Crean “Hello, How Are You?” that’s the question staff at Ballyspillane Community Centre will be asking next week as part of a new campaign. It’s all in partnership […]

By Michelle Crean
“Hello, How Are You?” that’s the question staff at Ballyspillane Community Centre will be asking next week as part of a new campaign.
It’s all in partnership with Mental Health Ireland (MHI) and the centre will host an information/coffee morning on Thursday next (March 30) at 12.30pm at their centre and all are welcome to attend.
The campaign initiated by MHI identifies the need for positive engagement and connections with the people around us.
It asks people to engage in open conversations about mental health and prompts us all to ask the question “How Are You?”
The word HELLO is a useful acronym to guide everyone through such conversations, H: Hello, E: Engage positively with the person, L: Listen actively, L: Learn about the person and O: seek options to assist the person if required.
“We all need a listening and compassionate ear sometimes to get us through some challenges in our lives and I think the pandemic has opened a new way of looking at the world, where we can all recognise the challenges that people experience more readily,” Derek O’Leary, Manager of Ballyspillane Community & Family Resource Centre, said.
“Our team here are in the business of supporting families and individuals across the Killarney area and beyond and see the challenges that people face first hand. We also see the positive impact that a caring person can have in such circumstances and this campaign that encourages positive engagement, regarding mental health is a great reminder to us all, the role we can play is assisting others who are struggling.”
Ballyspillane Community & Family Resource Centre provide a suite of support and intervention services including family supports, social prescribing/community connection services and physiotherapeutic services across the Killarney municipal area and beyond.
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