Team Ireland's butchery representatives has just been revealed ahead of their appearance against Team GB at Harrogate this weekend, according to a statement.
As the current reigning World Champions with the Best Butchers in the World title, the nine-strong team will compete at the next World Butchery Challenge which is taking place in Sacramento, California in 2020.
Meet The Team
Leading the team is team Irelands captain Keith Walsh, from Eddie Walsh & Sons.
Keith is joined in the team by his uncle Liam Walsh, also from Eddie Walsh & Sons butchers in Donegal, who is competing following his success in the team in 2018.
Also on the team is Conor Reynolds, who recently won gold at the International Young Butcher competition in Perth and will represent the team in the young butcher category from M & W Farm Meats, Portadown Co.Armagh.
The other members of team Ireland include vice-captain Paul Hamilton from Gary Coote Meats, Fivemiletown; WBC Ireland Judge Sean McKay from McKay's Family Butchers in Ballycastle; Jim Murphy from Murphy's Family Butchers, Tullow; Ger O Callaghan from Drinagh Eurospar, Skibereen; Bryan McNamee from B & M Meats, Newry and Steven Dobson from Dunbia, Dungannon.
“Our win in 2018 was incredibly tough as the competition from across the world is extremely high, and our win was hard fought, but we don’t intend on giving up our crown." said Keith Walsh, team captain.
"For the next 12 months, the team and I are focused on ensuring Team Ireland remains the Best Butchers in the World,” he said.
World Butchers Challenge
According to the statement, the World Butchers' Challenge will see teams of six butchers, each team representing different countries from around the world, going head to head.
The butchers will have to go in front of a team of highly qualified judges, preparing innovative and creative meat products, it reveals.
Team Ireland is managed by Rhonda Montgomery from Butchery Excellence International.
"Team Ireland will be demonstrating how our win in 2018 - the first year that Team Ireland competed – wasn’t down to the ‘luck of the Irish’ – it was a true reflection of the level of skill of our butchers here in NI and Ireland.” said Rhonda Montgomery.
For the next 16 months, according to the statement, Team Ireland will be in training for the World Butchery Challenge, which is taking place in September 2020.
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Helen Galgey. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
