BBC Graham’s ‘cooky’ design recalled as new book launched

IT’S been 45 years since Bandon Grammar School released a cookbook – when the artwork was created by then student  Graham Norton – so the Parents’ Association thought it was about time that a new and updated cookbook should be published.

The launch of their cookbook Food from the Heart takes place on Thursday November 24th at the school’s sports hall at 7pm and they are very excited about their line-up.

As well as guest speaker Avril Allshire Howe from Caherbeg Free Range Pork, the evening will also include a West Cork Fair featuring local producers, as well as a Bandon Grammar Student bake-off. Five judges will be there to watch over the events.

Sinead Dundon from the Bandon Grammar School Parents’ Association said they had been looking for a project that would engage the full school community including students and their families, faculty members and alumni.

‘That wish, together with the period of time that has passed, meant that a re-vamp of the cookbook won out. This has been two years in the making as we first started talking about this in December 2020.’

Cook with A-Bandon was the name of the school’s last cookbook, in 1977, and it was a great success at the time, while many of the recipes are still used today.

Graham’s artwork depicted a chef being hoisted over a cauldron by two reindeer, while one of the deer appears to be consulting a recipe. The deer are a reference to the deer on the school crest, and Graham also repeated the school motto Cavendo Tutus on the cauldron, which means ‘safety through caution’.

‘The cover artwork was created by Graham Norton who attended school here, and we’ve asked attendees coming to the launch night to bring their copies of the old book along if they are lucky enough to have one. We’re promising free raffle tickets for those that do.’

This year’s cover is by TY student Ruth Fair. There is no cover charge on the night and for more details email [email protected].