The Final Word

Strapline centre on margin The Final W d A sense of community

Caroline Murphy of the award-winning West Cork Eggs gives us a blow-in’s perspective on setting up and running a thriving food business, and she tells us why continued support and assistance from the local community, on a personal and professional level, is so important

IT’S now about 20 years ago since my journey from ‘city chic’ to ‘country chick’ began, and and what a journey it has been.

Although I was born and reared in London, both my parents are Irish and my father is from West Cork. We spent many summer holidays here and in a funny way West Cork was always kind of home, but I never imagined that I would end up living here and having my family here.

Ireland and indeed West Cork has changed a lot since I fi rst arrived. Murders weren’t as common place as they are today. Social problems weren’t as commonplace in rural Ireland then, the local pub was a great meeting place, the local co-op creamery was a bustling hub of business, with lots of interaction between friends and neighbours with all the local news and gossip. The sense of community was palpable and everyone knew everyone and everything that was going on!!

However, things never stay the same and the boom came and went and the landscape of rural Ireland changed. The local pub or creamery may not be there any more and there are many more houses, built or unfi nished, lived in or ghost. But the sense of community is still as strong as ever. The resilience of the people always comes to the fore. 2009 was a turning point year in our lives. Our daughter Leah was stillborn and that was the year I bought my fi rst four hens. It was the start of a whole new journey in our lives. At the time of our loss people’s reactions were amazing and it really showed me how kind, supportive and brave people in my community are. Some people shared their similar stories and it really proved that you never know what troubles people carry, so always be kind!

My journey as a food producer in West Cork has given me some of the most fun experiences I have ever had – from the ‘eggscitement’ of starting a business to learning about the help and supports that are available from places like the Local Enterprise Offi ces. But then there is also the support from other people in the food business, be it retailers or from other producers. This help and advice has been second to none and we are so spoilt here in West Cork to have such an abundance of fabulous foods – from cheeses to breads, from fi sh to meats, from chocolate to gin. There are amazing people in our local area, producing amazing products from the heart.

But we cannot take these products and the work of these local businesses for granted. Coming up with produce that is of a high quality and yet value for money is not always easy.

As producers, many of us are not only creating great products – we are also doing the fi nances, the sales, the marketing, the deliveries and generally everything required to run a successful business. But we love it.

When you see your product on a supermarket shelf or in someone’s shopping trolley, or or when you get great feedback from a customer at a farmers’ market, the feeling of pride is immense.

For me – the London girl, who was welcomed into the local farming community and supported in starting and growing a business – West Cork has been a place of huge opportunity. Although some were a little sceptical and a little bemused at my idea for a business, no-one ever said ‘don’t do it.’ The result is West Cork Eggs has grown from the four hens I bought in 2009 to what it is today – an awardwinning business.

As a woman in business and as mum this is inspirational, and I would love other woman – especially farmers wives – to follow their dreams and believe that they really can be who they want to be. If this farmer’s wife can do it so can they!

I feel blessed to live in such a wonderful place as West Cork. We have beautiful coastlines and beaches, we have vibrant towns with great restaurants and pubs, we have an abundance of local, fresh, delicious and authentic food and drink that we should all share and appreciate.

Yes, things have changed over the last 20 years and not always for the better, but West Cork still has its great people. It has a community that comes together during hard times, and people that are there to celebrate and congratulate you on the good times. It has its characters in every town, the friendly person in the shop who will always ask how you are, how your family are and do you need help bringing the shopping to the car.

My message is that you please continue to support your local producers and businesses. We may not appreciate it every day but as a ‘blow-in’ I can assure you that West Cork is a very special and unique place to live, work and play – let’s keep it that way!

‘At the time of our loss people’s reactions were amazing and it really showed me how kind, supportive and brave people in my community are’

• Caroline’s West Cork Eggs business is based near Rosscarbery and the delicious eggs from the hens that roam freely on the family-run farm are available from SuperValu stores in Cork county and city area. Contact 086 601 7677 or see Facebook for more information. West Cork Eggs recently won gold at the 2018 Blas na hÉireann awards. The company was also recently named ‘Best Emerging Business 2018’ by Network Ireland.

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