Irish Cheese Awards 2021 
The Irish Cheese Awards is the only competition dedicated entirely to Irish cheese. The awards is a biennial event and entries are open to all cheese producers in Ireland. The awards are a chance to celebrate Irish Cheesemakers, continue to increase quality across the sector with feedback from esteemed judges and promote Irish Farmhouse cheese to a wide audience.
The 2021 Irish Cheese Awards took place on November 9th in Killruddery House, Bray. The event attracted a host of cheesemakers, judges, cheesemongers, trade representatives, restaurateurs, buyers and cheese lovers.This year, there were over 217 entries from 47 producers and retailers across 16 categories, with the top 3 cheeses in each category being recognised. The overall supreme champion for 2021 was awarded to Templegall by Hegarty Cheese. The full list of winners can be seen below.
2021 Winners by Class:
Supreme Champion
Templegall – Hegarty Cheese
1 – Fresh/ Soft Cheese: Buffalo, Cow, Sheep, Mixed
Silver: Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella – Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products
Bronze: Dingle Farm Caisóg – Dingle Farm
2 – Fresh/ Soft Cheese: Goat Milk
Gold: St Tola Divine – St Tola Goat Farm
Silver: Ardsallagh Greek Style – Ardsallagh
Bronze: Aran Island Soft Goats Pearls – Aran Islands Goats Cheese
3 – Soft Cheese: Flavour Added
Gold: Ardsallagh Cranberry Roulade – Ardsallagh
Bronze: Bluebell Falls Goats Cheese with Honey
Bronze: Aran Island Dillisk Goats Pearls
4 – Soft White Cheese: All Milk Types
Gold: Drunken Saint made by Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese and Matured by Sheridans Cheesemongers
Silver: St. Tola Ash – St. Tola Goat Farm
Bronze: Cooleeney – Cooleeney Cheese
5 – Blue Cheese: All Milk Types
Gold: Cashel Blue Cheese – Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers
Silver: Ballyhooly Blue – Fermoy Natural Cheese
Bronze: Crozier Blue Cheese – Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers
6 – Smoked Cheese: All Milk Types
Gold: Smoked Durrus – Durrus Cheese
Silver: Smoked Coolattin – Coolattin Cheddar
Bronze: Knockanore Oak – Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese
7 – Hard Cheese: Flavour Added
Gold: Cais Dubh with Fenugreek – Fermoy Natural Cheese
Silver: Coolea Cumin – Coolea Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Burren Gold Cumin – Aillwee Cave
8 – Hard/ Semi Hard Cheese Under 6 Mths: Goat, Sheep, Buffalo
Gold: Killeen Goat Mature – Killeen Farmhouse Cheese
Silver: Killeen Goat – Killeen Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Mild Cratloe Hills – Cratloe Hills Sheep’s Cheese
9 – Hard/ Semi Hard Cheese Under 6 Mths: Cow Milk
Gold: Carraignamuc – The Lost Valley Dairy and Creamery
Silver: Kylemore Claddagh Cheese – Kylemore Farmhouse
Bronze: Cais Dubh – Fermoy Natural Cheese
10 – Mature Hard Cheese over 6 mths: All Milk types
Gold: Templegall – Hegarty Cheese
Silver: Mature Coolea – Coolea Farmhouse Cheese
Bronze: Whalley and Carr Irish Vintage Cheddar – Kerry Newmarket Creamery for Traditional Cheese
11 – Washed Rind Cheese (Semi-Soft): All Milk Types
Gold: Durrus – Durrus Cheese
Silver: Gubeen – Gubeen Farm
Bronze: Durrus Óg – Durrus Cheese
12 – Raw Milk Cheese: All Milk Types
Kindly Sponsored by Artisan Foods
Gold: St Tola Original Log – St Tola Goat Farm
Silver: St Gall – Fermoy Natural Cheese
Bronze: Templegall – Hegarty Cheese
13 – New Cheese: All Types
Silver: Galway Sinan – Galway Cheese
Bronze: Macroom Buffalo Buffaloumi
Bronze: Tullahay Farm Fresh Soft Cheese – Tullahay Farm
14 – Retailer Class: Cheddar
Gold: Aldi Specially Selected Vintage Slices 18 Month Matured by Glenstal
Silver: Aldi Specially Selected Irish Vintage 24 Month Cheddar by Carberry
Bronze: Lidl Extra Mature White Cheddar by Dale Farm
15 – Retailer class: Soft/ Semi-soft
Gold: Dunnes Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Ardsallagh Fresh Goats Cheese and Cranberries
Silver: Dunnes Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Durrus Óg
Bronze: Dunnes Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Wicklow Ban Double Cream Brie
16 – Retailer Class: Semi-hard/ Hard
Gold: Dunnes Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Killeen Goat’s Cheese Specially Matured
Silver: Dunnes Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Killeen Goat’s Cheese with Fenugreek
Bronze: Dunnes Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Knockanore Oakwood Smoked