PROMOTING DONEGAL AS A FOODIE DESTINATION

The 'Made In Donegal' crew on Rathmullan Beach

A group of students from Ohio University in the USA came to Donegal this summer specifically to make a documentary on Donegal and the countys relationship with growing and producing good and sustainable food for our people and for use in our eateriers. 

The photograph to the left here shows the crew of 'Made in Donegal' taken on Rathmullan Beach.  From the left: Matt Monachino, Amanda Olszewski, Joey Buccini, Sonya Paclob and Kelly Matousek.  (Photograph courtesy of Kelly Matousek).

The documentary, Made In Donegal, is an informative and beautifully filmed production and well worth a watch.  And of course I agree with their statement: "Donegal should be a destination for visitors to the country as well as for people who are looking for fresh ingredients."

Kelly Matousek, the producer of 'Made In Donegal' gave me the background to how this film came about:

"Through Ohio University in the United States, twenty students were split up into four separate production teams and studied abroad in Co. Donegal, Ireland over the summer of 2012. With past ties to the Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny, program director Frederick Lewis organized this program where students would be expected to create a short documentary in six weeks and tell a story about the topic of their choice. Co-director Sam Girton and teaching assistant Annette Drapac were also along for the ride and participated in eight orientation sessions with the students before leaving for Ireland. During these orientation sessions, students were able to meet each other, create friendships and discover who was interested in similar topics.

Made In Donegal is a short documentary film that focuses on the local food culture and economy throughout County Donegal. It focuses on some of the county's local producers, buyers, and local advocates for the rebuilding of a sustainable food model in the county. Ohio University is located in Athens, Ohio and is in a location where local food is growing in importance to the community. The six students, including Sonya Paclob, Amanda Olszewski, Matt Monachino, Kelly Matousek, Joey Buccini, and Alex Bolinger, grew a love for this movement because of its similarities to Athens and truly connected with the cast of the film.

After all of their hard work, the students believe that Donegal should be a destination for visitors to the country as well as for people who are looking for fresh ingredients. From country markets to top class restaurants, Made in Donegal is a film that not only presents facts about County Donegal, but also reveals the massive potential for the county’s future in food. Kelly Matousek, a producer and camera assistant for Made in Donegal, honestly believes that Ireland has some of the most accommodating and passionate people she has ever met. Released three days ago, the film can be found online for anyone to watch and for everyone to share. The students are working on showing this film in various theatres in Donegal as well as the Athens International Film Festival in 2013. Please support the group's production, watch the film at www.facebook.com/MadeinDonegal, and enjoy!"

Click on the link and sit back and enjoy seeing views of beautiful County Donegal together with seeing the produce of Donegal and the people who advocate and support the production of good food and produce available to us all in Donegal.

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Made in Donegal crew enjoying Rathmullan Beach (Photo: Karen Matousek)