Chair of Savour Kilkenny steps down after 18 years at the helm
Savour Kilkenny marks 20 years as chairperson, Ger Mullally steps down after 18 years of service
One of Ireland’s premier culinary celebrations, Savour Kilkenny Food Festival, has officially marked a two-decade milestone over the October Bank Holiday weekend.
Originally established two decades ago to celebrate the end of the harvest and showcase the vibrant food culture of Ireland’s Ancient East, Savour Kilkenny has evolved from a local food festival into one of the country’s leading regional food festival destinations. This landmark staging drew tens of thousands of food enthusiasts, top chefs, and families into Kilkenny City and County for a multi-day feast, featuring exclusive dining and drink events, talks, tours, workshops, and a bustling Festival Quarter filled with cookery demonstrations, live entertainment, and the iconic Savour Market.
The 20-year milestone also marked the conclusion of Ger Mullally’s 18-year tenure as Chairperson. The token of recognition of Mullally’s work took place on stage during Edward Hayden and Anne Neary’s packed cookery demonstration.
Reflecting on his time as Chair, an emotional Mullally shared: "To have my family here today means everything, because passing on this spirit of community is truly why I’ve been involved for all these years. Beyond my deep pride in Kilkenny and what we’ve built together, I am above all proud of my family, especially my wife, Valerie, whose patience and steadfast support over these 18 years made it all possible. Thank you all so much for your support."
Despite the weekend's celebrations, severe weather conditions on Saturday presented significant operational challenges for festival organisers. High winds and adverse weather forced the safety-led decision to postpone the headline Castle Park Concert to the following evening. A status yellow weather warning in place for Monday also led to the unavoidable cancellation of the highly anticipated A Samhain Spectacle in Sound and Flame featuring world-renowned Irish folk group Kíla in UPMC Nowlan Park, which will be rescheduled for a later date.
Sunday proved to be the ultimate triumph of the weekend, with the Festival Quarter recording its best single day in the festival's history. Bright skies and enthusiastic crowds descended upon the stalls, resulting in record-breaking sales and attendance numbers for market traders. Reflecting on the phenomenal turnaround, local businessman Brian Walsh of The Cookie Co-Op shared: "Sunday was without doubt the busiest day of trading we’ve ever seen since we started the business six years ago, Savour Kilkenny is always a phenomenal showcase of what Kilkenny has to offer and what the festival means to local businesses."
The festive spirit carried right through to Bank Holiday Monday as dog lovers and foodies gathered for the beloved Madra Monday and Mini Market, bringing the weekend to a joyful and relaxed conclusion. Meanwhile, Sunday evening had delivered a high-energy climax as crowds filled Kilkenny Castle Park for the rescheduled Castle Park Concert. Local pop artist and social media sensation Robert Grace took to the stage to warm up the audience with his hit tracks, setting the perfect tone for the night. The celebrations reached a triumphant crescendo as Oasis tribute band Morning Glory delivered a high-energy headline performance, bringing two decades of culinary and cultural excellence to an unforgettable close under the lights of Kilkenny Castle.
Savour Kilkenny Food Festival returns the October Bank Holiday weekend in 2027; save the date and keep up to date on social media and their website, www.savourkilkenny.com