European political leaders dining at the National Gallery of Ireland on Thursday, November 12, sampled organic produce from a north County Dublin farm, according to The Irish Times.
The menu for the European Political Community (EPC) dinner included “Jenny McNally’s Roasted Cabbage,” a dish that reached the table without the grower’s prior knowledge.
Jenny McNally and her husband Patrick have operated their organic farm in Balrickard since 1997. McNally learned of the high-profile inclusion only after a contact sent her a photograph of the menu, The Irish Times reported.
“I had no idea at all,” McNally told The Irish Times. “Mark orders stuff from us and he had ordered some cabbage, but we had no idea it was going to be on the menu.”
The dinner, hosted by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, featured a menu designed by chef Mark Moriarty. Moriarty said that he and his team were “honoured and delighted to represent Irish hospitality” and aimed to showcase local producers to leaders from across Europe, as reported by JOE.ie.
A Menu of Irish Producers
The state dinner highlighted several regional suppliers beyond the McNally farm. The menu featured wild Irish smoked salmon from Sally Barnes of the Woodcock Smokery in West Cork and butter from the family-run Glenilen Farm, also based in Cork, according to The Irish Times.
Sally Barnes has been smoke-curing fish since 1979 and established her smokery in 1981.
The Irish Examiner reported that the meal was a “Cork heavy” affair, with Moriarty incorporating local ingredients and a strong regional theme into the four-course service. The dinner followed a day of meetings at the Convention Centre, with approximately 50 leaders in attendance, including French president Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister Andy Burnham, and Prince Albert of Monaco.
Moriarty Managed a Team to Deliver the Meal
Moriarty managed a team of 32 people to deliver the meal, a process that required months of confidential planning, the Irish Examiner noted. The chef described the logistical effort as a challenge, but emphasized that the focus remained on the quality of the ingredients.
“Once we finally got down to the cooking at 7pm last night, that’s the easy part,” Moriarty told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
The main course featured a choice between Sally Barnes’ smoked salmon or dry-aged striploin beef from County Wicklow. Both options were served with roasted bone marrow jus gras, herbs, bacon, and mashed potatoes.
The mashed potato dish, a point of discussion during the evening, consisted of a 50/50 ratio of potato and Irish salted butter, according to the Irish Examiner. Moriarty said he whisked in the same amount of butter until it was almost butter stabilised and emulsified with the potato.
Historical Precedent for Local Ingredients
This event marks a return to the national stage for the McNally family farm. Their produce was previously selected for the state visit of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2011. “She had the mashed potatoes! They were our potatoes,” McNally told The Irish Times.
It can’t get much better than that. I think it’s pretty good going,” McNally told The Irish Times.
Reflecting on the event, McNally said it was a “great honour and a privilege” to “be with such great Irish producers.”
“There was something on [RTÉ Radio’s] Morning Ireland about it, and all my customers were coming up and congratulating me,” McNally told The Irish Times.
Keepsakes for the Delegation
In addition to the meal, guests received gifts from various Irish craft businesses. These included Christmas ornaments from Meath-based Caulfield Country Boards, notebooks from Duffy’s Book Binder, and scarves produced by the Kilkenny-based Cushendale Woollen Mills, according to JOE.ie. A spokesperson for the EU Presidency said that the scarves were intended as mementos of Ireland’s 2026 Presidency, showcasing techniques developed over generations.
Questions About the Dinner's Performances and Wine Menu
The evening included a performance of W.B. Yeats’ poem The Song of Wandering Aengus by Olwen Fouéré and a rendition of Danny Boy by Tolü Makay, both accompanied by a choir, as reported by JOE.ie.
Which wines were served at the event?
The menu included Labeille De Fieuzal Blanc 2023 and Réserve de Léoville Barton 2019, according to Cork Beo.
The Taoiseach hosted the dinner at the National Gallery to allow guests to experience Irish art, music, and food, noting that the venue’s walls featured works such as the 1854 painting The Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife by Cork-born artist Daniel Maclise, the Irish Examiner reported.