Anna Haugh's Big Irish Food Tour - Season 1

Comedian Katherine Ryan takes Anna to the foodie capital of Ireland. 
Katherine's memories of her grandmother's over-boiled and under-seasoned meals have left her with a bad impression of Irish food, but Anna is on a mission to change that. First stop is the world-renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School, somewhere that inspired Anna's own culinary journey, followed by a visit to one of the oldest food markets in Europe, the English Market. Will this change Katherine's mind?

The 1985 Black Ball Final made snooker legend Dennis Taylor a household name, and there's nowhere that celebrates this giant of sport more than his native Tyrone. Anna visits him at the snooker hall where it all began. Dennis can still remember the soda bread his grandmother used to make over an open fire. Can Anna recreate this childhood recipe?
The pair then join fishermen on the largest lake in the UK to celebrate one of Ireland's most unique delicacies - the Lough Neagh eel.

Mrs. Brown's Boys' actor Eilish O'Carroll joins Anna to explore their native Dublin City. They celebrate the old and discover the new in their changing city, including a visit to the iconic Guinness factory, where brewing began in 1759. Inspired by the visit, Anna cooks with her mum, evoking childhood memories.

Eilish also takes Anna to Moore Street, where traditional markets mix with global street food. The pair later cook a dish inspired by the city's diverse flavours.

When he's not touring the world, comedian Ed Byrne loves nothing more than to escape the bright lights for the splendour of the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland's largest national park. Ed and Anna hike the Sally Gap, and he surprises her with a meal on the mountainside. After their feast, they search for sika deer in Glendalough with a local park ranger, learning about deer management.

Anna also visits a sheep farming family known for their award-winning halloumi-style cheese.

Anna visits the stunning Glens of Antrim, where garden designer Diarmuid Gavin spent magical family holidays as a child.

He shows Anna a garden he created to celebrate the King's coronation. They visit a Ballycastle farm growing Ireland's beloved potato, where they are put to work during potato planting season.

Further up the glen, Anna finds inspiration at Broughgammon Farm who ensure a high quality of life for goats and calves otherwise discarded by the dairy industry.

A mainstay of television and radio, Vanessa Feltz takes every opportunity to escape London for her Irish oasis and is keen for Anna to experience the culinary delights of east Cork.

Vanessa sends Anna to the Comeragh Mountains as it's lambing season and the farmer needs help bringing sheep off the mountain where they have been grazing.

Vanessa takes Anna to Ballycotton Harbour to sample the catch of the day. In the kitchen, Anna has the perfect dish in mind for her guide to enjoy.

Having grown up just two hours from Belfast, Anna is excited to visit for the first time and meet international boxing champion Carl Frampton, as he shows her around his home city.

Anna learns about Veda bread, a unique malt loaf staple in Belfast, before cooking for tourists at the birthplace of the Titanic.

Carl puts Anna through her paces in the boxing ring and brings her to one of the city's last traditional bakeries where she discovers the local sweet treat, Fifteens.

Presenter Angela Scanlon invites Anna to explore the rugged landscape of County Mayo on Ireland's Atlantic coast.

Anna uncovers the resourcefulness of Achill Island's salt producers before visiting Angela's favourite pub in Belmullet for potato boxty.

No trip to Ireland's west coast would be complete without celebrating the amazing seafood on offer, so Angela and Anna hop on a speedboat to harvest mussels out on the scenic Clew Bay

Boarding the train to the north coast, Anna travels along one of the most spectacular railway journeys on the island to meet Derry Girls actor Ian McElhinney.

In the seaside town of Portrush, Ian reminisces about childhood holidays spent enjoying dulse, a local seaweed snack.

Inspired, Anna heads to the shoreline at low tide to harvest some for a delicious recipe before moving inland where the pair try pig farming, and produce cured meats reminiscent of the Mediterranean.

Often called Ireland's hidden gem, Sligo is a small county full of culinary delights, and Father Ted actor Pauline McLynn is excited to show Anna around. Exploring Sligo Bay, Anna learns about lobster fishing and cooks up a meal to share with local fishermen.

Pauline shares fond childhood memories of beach picnics with her father in Strandhill before Anna takes pescatarian Pauline to an oyster farm where the pair are put to work during the busy summer season.

In her teenage years, TV presenter and Wicklow native Laura Whitmore was fond of Ireland's famous chicken fillet rolls but nowadays Laura is more mindful of what she eats and wants to show Anna the great produce available on the Wicklow coast.

Anna meets a farming family who have been recognised internationally for their award-winning cheeses. The two visit Airfield Estate urban farm with gardening gloves at the ready as they get a lesson in growing their own vegetables.

Wildlife broadcaster Liz Bonnin has travelled the world, but Clare on Ireland's west coast keeps calling her back. Its wild landscape and biodiversity captivated her as a teenager, and Anna is eager to explore.

Liz introduces Anna to those preserving Ireland's food culture by growing heritage fruits and vegetables. In Burren National Park, Liz reflects on her initial lack of love for Irish food, but Anna takes her to an award-winning goat cheesemaker to change her mind.

Anna is in the cultural heart of Ireland, Galway, with her guide, international sporting legend, Bundee Aki.

Regarded as one of the world's greatest rugby players, New Zealand-born Bundee has embraced Galway since moving there with his family. However, he needs Anna's help to improve his cooking skills. Bundee wants to learn to make a family dish, and Anna is up for the challenge.

Anna heads off to meet a farmer producing organic beef and then the pair go to work on a high-welfare egg farm.

Anna travels to Ireland's agricultural powerhouse, Tipperary, guided by popstar Una Healy.

Starting at the iconic Rock of Cashel, Anna meets a mother and daughter who produce award-winning black pudding from a secret family recipe. Anna takes on the challenge of giving this traditional dish a fine dining twist.

Later, Una trades her stage glamour for a bee suit as they meet a family dedicated to saving the native black honey bee and help with the honey collection.

Singer and actor Shayne Ward is on a mission to retrace his Irish roots in County Louth. Keen to connect with his Irish Traveller heritage, Anna introduces him to one of Ireland's last surviving tinsmiths.

Historically Travellers played a big part in seasonal farm work, so Anna takes Shayne to a local farm to get his hands dirty picking cabbages. Anna heads to the river to catch her first trout with a local angler, hoping to repay her fishing lessons with a riverside meal.