Food in Schools  - A Day of Action

A healthy whole school approach to food is critical in equipping children to make healthy, sustainable food choices throughout their lives. This will provide brighter futures and improve outcomes for children and young people from all societal groups in Ireland.

In early 2019 a creative workshop was held which brought together people and organisations who see a real need to improve the lives and health of children and want to see sustained, ongoing food education in schools in Ireland. This facilitated workshop engaged participants in individual and group exercises and focused the group on what they wanted to achieve, enabled them to explore and understand what’s possible, and identified the next steps for action.
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The priority action which emerged was the need to establish a whole-of-society initiative, led by government. This would comprise a cross department advisory group and a multi- sector stakeholder forum with the ultimate goal of improving food education, environments, and services in schools.

The Day of Action was organised as part of research for a PhD on Food Literacy

Our Table

OUR TABLE IS A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN, NON-PROFIT PROJECT AIMING TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED TO END DIRECT PROVISION IN IRELAND. OUR GOAL IS TO FACILITATE CHANGE THROUGH CONVERSATION OVER FOOD.Our Table aims to create nurturing and empathic spaces where people can gain skills, are paid a wage and can gain knowledge of the Irish food industry. It is a non-profit, non-demoninational organisation that aims to build an awareness of food in multicultural Ireland and to highlight that the current system of Direct Provision is deeply flawed. 

The Cake Café

The Cake Café's leafy courtyard has been an oasis in the city centre where people enjoy sugar-dusted sponges, lemon slices, the most excellent coffee, glasses of processco, baked egg & soldiers or our famous beans on toast.
You will not find a microwave or freezer in our kitchen, everything is prepared fresh to order using the very best Irish produce and natural oils. We do everything that we can to support the excellent small food producers in Ireland. Our business is conducted in an environmentally friendly manner; even using rain water to flush our toilets.

Slice

SLICE is a sister of The Cake Café which is based in Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 serving up tasty lunches, dinner, craft beers, wine and of course lots of cake. We source all of our ingredients from small suppliers and cook up a simple, well constructed menu with the best Irish ingredients available to us.
​During the week we serve a concise breakfast menu of raw muesli, baked eggs, homemade beans and bacon as well as cold press juices and 3fE coffee. 
Lunches are available to eat in or take out with chargrilled meat filled sandwiches and seasonal vegetable plates.

Alternative Miss Ireland

Alternative Miss Ireland was an annual pageant that was open to men, women and animals. It was also a non-profit collective dedicated to raising money for Irish HIV/AIDS organisations

Concrete Tiki

Concrete Tiki was a series of food events hosted by The Irish Museum of Art created by artist Fiona Hallinan and myself

Bake Book

With a love of great food and great design, The Cake Café Bake Book combines the two in a beautiful publication about baking, filled with deliciously vibrant illustrations, tactile and informative about preparing food.
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"The CCB is different. There is very little narrative, and what there is is extremely personal. Not air-brushed personal, just personal personal – the death of a parent; work-life balance in a real working life; running a business when you don't know how to run a business. Ms Darmody has no professional facade: here she is, and here are her ginger hugs; her butter kisses; her jam tarts, and drop scones."

John McKenna