Two farmhouse cheesemakers from Co. Galway were honoured last week at the 2026 Irish Cheese Awards. The prestigious ceremony hosted by CÁIS, the Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers, took place at Cloughjordan House in Co. Tipperary on Wednesday, September 23.
Between them, Killeen Farmhouse Cheese from Portumna and Aran Islands Goats’ Cheese took home a total of seven awards.
The biennial celebration of Ireland’s farmhouse cheesemakers, now in its eleventh year, named winners across fourteen distinct classes with awards also presented to the ‘Best New Cheese’ and ‘Best Raw Milk Cheese’, culminating in naming one winner as this year’s ‘Supreme Champion’. This followed a rigorous judging process that was undertaken by a high calibre panel of Irish and international cheese experts at La Rousse Foods in Dublin earlier this month.
Together, the fifteen judges tasted 150 different cheeses produced by thirty cheesemakers located across the island of Ireland; from the Aran Islands and Aillwee Cave to Dingle and Donegal. Each cheese was individually scored on aroma, flavour, body, texture, and overall appearance in order to select this year’s worthy winners.
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese wins five awards
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese, which is made in Portumna, scooped five Irish Cheese Awards - three Best In Class and two Silvers. Their ‘Killeen Goat with Fenugreek’ was named Best In Class in the ‘Flavour Added’ category, while its ‘Killeen Cow with Cumin Seed’ cheese took home a Silver award. In the ‘Hard/Semi Hard Cheese Under 6 Months’, the cheesemaker’s ‘Killeen Goat Mature’ cheese was named Best In Class, with its ‘Killeen Goat’ cheese scooping a Silver award. And, in the ‘Mature Hard Cheese’ category, their ‘Killeen goat extra mature’ cheese also claimed the title of Best In Class.
The heart of Killeen Farmhouse Cheese, near Portumna in south Galway is their 50-acre goat farm, where Dutch natives, Marion Roeleveld, and her husband, Haske, have been hand-making a range of traditional cheeses using milk from their herd of 200 goats since 2004. All the grass and silage on which the goats feed is grown there, supplemented by meal mixed on-site, containing beans, peas, beet pulp and oats, meaning that the Roelevelds know exactly what their animals are eating and thus, what goes into their cheeses.
All of Killeen Farmhouse Cheese’s award-winning cheeses are available to purchase from leading retailers and independent food stores throughout the island of Ireland.
Aran Island Goats' Cheese scoops two awards
Co. Galway was also proudly represented at the 2026 Irish Cheese Awards by Aran Islands Goats’ Cheese, which took home two awards. In the ‘Goats Milk Fresh Soft Cheese’ category, their ‘Aran Soft Goats Cheese Pearls’ scooped a Silver award, while its ‘Aran Goats Greek Style Cheese’ picked up a Bronze in the same class.
Aran Islands Goats’ Cheese is based on Inis Mór. The island is served by the Gulf Stream, providing the perfect climate for the unique grass herbs that Gabriel Faherty’s beautiful Nubian and Saanen goats graze on and give the cheese its unique, delicious flavour.
The dairy is equipped with a 1,000 litre vat, press and moulds. Gabriel’s herd of 93 adult goats and 70 kids produces approx 1,000 litres of milk a week, with 5kg of hard cheese requiring 50 litres of milk to produce.
Aran Islands Goats’ Cheese’s award-winning cheeses are available to purchase from leading retailers and independent food stores throughout the island of Ireland.
Retailer Awards
In the Retailer’s section, Killeen Farmhouse Cheese’s ‘Irish Farmhouse Killeen Goat's Cheese Specially Matured 150g’ and ‘Irish Farmhouse Killeen Goat's Cheese with Fenugreek 150g’ it produces for Dunnes Stores Simply Better both picked up Bronze awards.
Speaking about how the Irish Cheese Awards positively affect the long-term future and success of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemaking, and the impact it has on individual artisan producers, Chair of CÁIS, Dan Hegarty (of Hegarty’s Cheese ), said: “The biannual Irish Cheese Awards is a very important event in the diary of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers due to the calibre of judges involved which has a significant impact on individual Irish artisan cheese producers. This in turn has a very positive effect on the long-term future, viability, and success of the Irish Farmhouse Cheese Industry, which continues to thrive over the 40 plus years of CÁIS's existence."
The CÁIS 2026 Irish Cheese Awards were proudly Sponsored by Sysco, Bord Bia, Traditional Cheese Co, and Horgan’s Delicatessen Supplies, and supported by Sheridans Cheesemongers, La Rousse Foods, Artisan Cheese Awards, Irish Cheese Direct and Irish Raw Milk Cheese Presidium.
Clodagh O'Sullivan, Category Manager, Dairy, PB & Organic at Sysco Ireland, said:"Sysco Ireland is proud to support the Irish Cheese Awards and celebrate the exceptional quality, innovation and craftsmanship that make Irish cheese so special. The awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise the people, families and businesses behind the country’s thriving cheese sector and the passion and skill that goes into every product.
"At Sysco, we work closely with many of Ireland’s cheesemakers, helping to bring their products to chefs and customers across the foodservice industry. We are delighted to support CÁIS in celebrating the diversity and quality of Irish cheese, and congratulate all of this year’s entrants, finalists and winners on their achievements.”
The full list of this year’s winners covering all Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards is available
to view online via the CÁIS website, www.irishcheese.ie
