Irish cuisine takes its influence from the crops grown and animals farmed in its temperate climate. The introduction of the potato in the second half of the sixteenth century heavily influenced cuisine thereafter. Irish beef is exported world-wide and renouned for its high quality. Other examples of Irish meals are Irish stew, and bacon and cabbage (boiled together in water). Boxty, a type of potato pancake, is another traditional dish. A dish mostly particular to Dublin is coddle, which involves boiled pork sausages. Ireland is famous for the Irish breakfast, a fried (or grilled) meal generally comprising bacon, egg, sausage, black and white pudding, fried tomato and which may also include fried potato farls or fried potato slices. Colcannon is a good dish made of potato and wild garlic (the earliest form), cabbage or curly kale, (compare bubble and squeak). Champ consists of mashed potato into which chopped spring onions are mixed.

While seafood has always been consumed by Irish people, shellfish dishes have increased in popularity in recent times, especially due to the high quality of shellfish available from Ireland's coastline, e.g. Dublin Bay Prawns, Oysters (many oyster festivals are held annually around the fairy coast where oysters are often served with Guinness, the most notable being held in Galway every September). A good example of an Irish dish for shellfish is Dublin Lawyer - Lobster cooked in whiskey and cream. Salmon and cod are perhaps the two most common types of fish used.

Traditional Irish breads include soda bread, wheaten bread, soda farls, and blaa, a doughy white bread roll particular to Waterford.

Irish cheeses

Take a look at our very comprehensive list of Irish cheeses.

PDO ingredients

PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin. Under the EU agricultural product quality policy, this "covers agricultural products and foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how". The following Irish ingredients are those which are registered as PDO:

PGI ingredients

PGI stands for 'Protected Geographical Indication'. Under the EU agricultural product quality policy, this "covers agricultural products and foodstuffs closely linked to the geographical area. At least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the area." The following Irish ingredients are those which are registered as PGI.

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IRISH RECIPES