AN awards scheme that recognises the best in Irish food writing features West Cork's Kate Ryan, writes Jackie Keogh.

The Clonakilty-based writer has been nominated for an Irish Food Writing Award and has also been nominated for writing on sustainability in the Irish food and drink category.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a win to take back to Cork, but, as always, it’s a tough field and I’m up against the best writers in the country," Kate told The Southern Star.

"It’s a privilege to be recognised among them, particularly as my writing has always had a strong connection to Cork’s food and drink community.

"I was fortunate to win the Food Writing Award in 2022, so I know how incredible a win feels, but it’s also no mean feat to be recognised as a finalist."

Kate was named Best Sustainability Journalist 2025/26 in the Local Ireland Media Awards.

Earlier this year, she was presented with the inaugural Peter Hertzmann Award in the area of Food & Teche: Techniques, Technology and Technicalities by the Dublin Gastronomy Symposium for her paper A Crisis of Blood – The Slow Death of Ireland’s Black Pudding Traditions. 

 This is on top of the high she got from publishing her first book, Blood, Guts & Black Pudding – Ireland’s Dying Art of Blood as Food. 

It is being well received by critics and readers alike across the world, which prompted Kate to say: "2026 is going down as one amazing year professionally – even if I don’t come back to West Cork with an Irish Food Writing Award this time, but wish me luck."