Rooster potatoes are going back to their roots in Carlow, where the Rooster potato was first developed, 40 years ago, in Oak Park.
To celebrate the success of the widely loved potato, which has fast become one of the best-selling potato varieties in the country, Carlow is holding a Rooster Festival, running from October 7 to 10, from 12:00am to 11:59 pm.
The festival will deliver a variety of activities, mostly linked to Oak Park but also spreading far and wide. Aoife Hearne and chef Pádraic Óg Gallagher from Temple Bar's Boxty House will be giving nutritional talks and cooking demonstrations to schools at the event.
Other activities will include a gruelling potato food trial, a spub crawl, a barn dance and a family fun dance, to mention a few.
Bord Bia manager Lorcan Bourke says, "with this global campaign, we aim to illustrate the worldwide appeal of this vegetable.
"We've also compiled a huge selection of tasty potato recipes on our www.potato.ie website." Potato sales have risen by nearly a quarter in just over the last five years after years of decline.
For those of you who are spud crazy and can't make it to Carlow in October, no fear.
Other events to celebrate potatoes will be held nationwide in the coming few weeks such as Féile an Phráta at Dingle Food Festival in Kerry from October 5 to 7, and Spud Fest at Newbridge House in Co. Kildare on October 6.
