McGeough’s Butchers

Butchery Ireland - Award winning Butcher

Thirty-nine years ago McGeough’s Butchers opened its doors in the old barracks, when James McGeough’s Dad returned to Oughterard from England. James following in his father’s footsteps trained at the College of Marketing and Design in Dublin before obtaining his Masters in Butchery in Germany. Having spent six years there James returned in 1991 with a beautiful wife, fluent German and a love of Charcutery.

Today his shop window is covered in awards. It is no accident that James is recognised and honoured nationally and producers and his customers. He may rub shoulders with celebrity chefs but he greets each customer by name with a joke and a big smile.

He grows the herbs he needs in his own garden and thrives on “thinking of things no one else has done”. This innovative butcher is constantly working on new flavours, new ways, new shapes and delights in sharing his ideas and produces with other chefs. He explained that in Germany in a butcher shop you can go in and order your meat but also taste all types of cooked delights. If he gets something in his head, “it’s always worth a try”.

Presently he produces seven types of sausages (traditional, apple, plum & cider, red wine mushroom & onion, smoked lamb, sweet chilli and garlic & herb), black and white pudding, smoked beef, pork, salami and a type of smoked pork called Kassler. And of course not to be missed; James’s famous Connemara Smoked Lamb (only produced in 4 other countries in the world). All his meats and suppliers are Irish. Don’t be surprised if you find some interesting smoked cheese in wonderful salami shapes! Connemara Lamb is cured for two weeks; he sweats them in a mixture of rosemary, mint, garlic and salt. Then the lamb is cold smoked over beach/hickory or oak. Next they are rinsed compressed in to rough cubes in a press and hung for three months. But don’t take my word for it; James has been known to give tours of his pristine establishment! Only by prior arrangement though.

James also tries to source good quality food products for his customers to compliment his produce such as Ballycross Apple Farm Juices, Crossogue Preserves, Janet’s County Fayre, Kylemore Acres Herbs, as well as the essential basics such as milk, tea, etc. He goes to Switzerland twice a year to work in the trade and keep abreast of that’s new in his trade.

Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

Camp Street
Oughterard
Co Galway
+353 (0) 91 552351
Email: connemarafinefoods@eircom.net
Web: www.connemarafinefoods.ie

 

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