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History
Ballymaloe House. The buildings in use date back to the 1600's,
all built into and around a 15th century Norman Castle.
The Family. Ivan Allen, a young
fruitgrower and his wife, Myrtle, moved
into Ballymaloe in 1948. They expanded into mixed farming and
brought up their six children. Myrtle started a restaurant and
it developed into a hotel. Now with 22 grandchildren and 6 great
grandchildren, many new family enterprises have developed.
How it all started
"I suppose it all started
in 1932 when Ivan, aged 17, came to help Wilson Strangman to
run his farm at Shanagarry. Times were hard but he and Ivan diversified
their production brilliantly into alternative crops. These were
and are the basis of our cuisine."
"In 1943, in wartime,
large quantities of tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers and apples
were been exported from the farm to England and Wales. The surplus
came into my kitchen along with cream, butter and eggs and slowly
I learnt how to cook with them, guided by my gourmet husband."
"In 1964 I felt confident
enough to open our dining room as a restaurant for dinner on
five nights a week. I knew our food was good but I didn't expect
to get so many awards. As farm prices went down we expanded our
rooms and restaurant business."
...Myrtle Allen
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