InPictures: Fundraising full house as Laois Ballymaloe and RTÉ stars launch cookbook

Hundreds of enthusiastic culinary fans packed out the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise to support a local school and meet two famous women with strong Laois links.

Cullohill woman and Ballymaloe cook Darina Allen, came to launch a cookbook in aid of Emo National School with former RTÉ newsreader Eileen Dunne, whose father was a Clonaslee man. Photographer Denis Byrne went along on Thursday, March 3 to capture the event for the Leinster Express / LAOIS Live - to see more pictures TAP NEXT or ARROW. To read more about the launch see below the first picture from our gallery.

The book entitled Family Favourites is a collection of mouth-watering recipes lovingly shared by parents, children, grandparents, staff and friends of Emo NS.

The MC was Eileen Dunne and Darina Allen wrote the foreword to the cookbook.

Participants first enjoyed a welcoming drinks reception followed by a cookery demonstration by David Grothier, co-owner of artisan bakery Mueller & O’Connell which has a store in Abbeyleix.

Local food producers offered tastings, including Temptation Patisserie, Iris & Milk and O’Mimo’s.

One lucky winner went home with the coveted top raffle prize, a night's stay for two people in the five star luxurious Ballyfin Hotel.

The Parents’ Association are very thankful to all for their support.

"Every cent raised from the sales will go directly to the school children at Emo National School and to the school’s new Autism Spectrum Disorder unit,” they said.

The Family Favourites cookbook priced at €15 will now be on sale in All Books Portlaoise, Hummingbird Interiors & Café Portarlington, McConville’s Supervalu Mountmellick, Siopa Ioma/ Bernie’s of Emo, Portarlington Post Office, Mueller & O’Connell Abbeyleix and Emo National School.