Irish Cheese Awards 2024
The Irish Cheese Awards is the only competition dedicated entirely to Irish cheese. Held every two years, the awards are open to all Irish cheese producers and aim to celebrate excellence, encourage quality, and promote Irish Farmhouse cheese to a wider audience. Judged by an expert panel from Ireland and abroad, the awards offer valuable feedback and industry recognition.
The 2024 awards took place on 24th April at Kilshane House, Co. Tipperary, following a full day of judging over 170 cheeses at Teagasc, Ashtown. Seventeen categories were awarded, with new entrants joining established producers in taking home gold. The Supreme Champion for 2024 was awarded to Hegarty’s Cheese for their Templegall Extra Mature, marking their second consecutive win. Other major honours included the New Cheese Award to Rockfield Dairy’s Cloonbook, and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dick and Helene Willems.
Organised by CÁIS and supported by sponsors including Teagasc, Sheridans Cheesemongers, Irish Cheese Direct, and Bord Bia, the Irish Cheese Awards continue to shine a spotlight on the strength and diversity of Ireland’s cheese sector. The full list of winners can be seen below.
2024 Winners by category:
Supreme Champion
Templegall Extra Mature – Hegarty Cheese
1 – New Cheese
Gold: Mayo Cloonbook - Rockfield Dairy/Velvet Cloud
Silver: Wicklow Cáis an Phúca - Hollywoord Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Tommette de Chevre - Barbavilla Dairy
2 – Raw Milk Cheese
Gold: Templegall Extra Mature – Hegarty Cheese
Silver: St Told Ash Log - St Tola Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Sliabh an Iarainn - Leitrim Hill Creamery
3 – Fresh/Soft Cheese (buffalo, cow, sheep, mixed milk)
Gold: Sliabh an Iarainn - Leitrim Hill Creamery
Bronze: Macroom Bocconcini - Macroom Buffalo Cheese
Bronze: Macroom Bocconcini - Macroom Buffalo Cheese
4 – Fresh/Soft Cheese (goat milk)
Gold: Wicklow Pócan - Hollywood Farmhouse Cheese
Silver: Carraig Bán - Dart Mountain Cheese
Bronze: St Tola Fresh Crottin - St Tola Cheese
5 – Soft Cheese (flavour added)
Gold: Bricín (garlic and herbs) - Dingle Farm
Silver: Dottie and Dora Soft goat Cheese: Peppercorn - Dottie and Dora
Bronze: Ardsallagh Cranberry Roulade – Ardsallagh Farmhouse Cheese
6 – Soft/Semi-Soft Bloomy Rind Cheese
Gold: St Told Original Log - St Tola Cheese
Silver: St Told Ash Log - St Tola Cheese
Bronze: Aghaslane - Leitrim Hill Creamery
7 – Washed Rind Cheese
Gold: Durrus - Durrus Cheese LTD
Silver: Durrus Óg - Durrus Cheese LTD
Bronze: Milleens - Milleens Cheese
8 – Blue cheese
Gold: Young Buck - Mike's Fancy Cheese
Silver: Wicklow Blue - Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese
9 – Smoked Cheese
Gold: Smoked Provola - Barbavilla Dairy
Silver: Irish Oakwood Smoked Raw Milk Cheddar - Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Burren Gold Smoked Cheese - Burren Gold Cheese
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dick and Helene Willlems - Coolea Farmhouse Cheese
10 – Hard Cheese Flavour Added
Gold: Killeen Goat with Fenugreek - Killeen Farmhouse Cheese
Silver: Kylemore Blossom – Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Carrigaline Dillish Seaweek Cheese - Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese
11 – Hard Cheese (under 6 months)
Gold: Goat's Milk Cheese - Boyne Valley Farmhouse Cheese
Silver: Rathkenny - Boyne Valley Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Killeen Goat Mature - Killeen Farmhouse Cheese
12 – Hard Cheese (over 6 months)
Gold: Coolea Matured - Collea Farmhouse Cheese
Silver: Sheep's Milk Cheese - Cáis na Tíre
Bronze: Coolfin - Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese
13 – Farmhouse Cheddar (over 12 months)
Gold: Mount Leinster Clothbound - Coolattin Cheddar
Silver: Coolattin Mature - Coolattin Cheddar
Bronze: Hegarty's Cheddar - Hegarty's
14 – Retail or Creamery Cheddar
Gold: SuperValu Signature Tastes Vintage Red Cheddar made by Bandon Vale Cheese
Silver: Aldi Ardagh Additions Irish Flavoured Slices Black Pepper made by Carberry
Bronze: Dunnes Stores Simply Better Extra Mature Drinagh Cheddar made by Brandon Vale Cheese
15 – Retailer Class: soft/Semi-Soft
Gold: Cashel Blue - Aldi Specially Selected
Silver: Gubben Cheese - SuperValu Signature Tastes
Bronze: Gortnamona Cheese - SuperValu Signature Tastes
16 – Retailer class: Semi-Hard/Hard
Gold: Killeen Goat's Cheese - Dunnes Stores Simply Better
Silver: Irish Farmhouse Coolea Mature - Dunnes Stores Simply Better
Bronze: Irish Farmhouse Cáis na Tíre - Dunnes Stores Simply Better
17 – Retailer Exclusives
Gold: Sheridan's Cheesemongers Drunken Saint collaboration with Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese
Silver: Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Cáis Óir Grilling Cheese made by Proper Dairy Co/supplied by Horgan's
Bronze: Sheridan's Cheesemingers Bookers Vintage made by Carbery and matured by Sheridan's