Huge prize for Laois man who supplies vital Guinness ingredient

A Laois farmer has won the top prize in awards that recognised quality which is the vital ingredient of Guinness.

Boortmalt and Diageo, Guinness's parent company, have announced the winners of the 2022 Irish Malting Barley Excellence Awards at an awards ceremony in The Guinness Storehouse, Dublin.

Paul Delaney from Portlaoise took the top prize – the Guinness Perpetual Cup for Malting Barley Excellence – at the ceremony which brought together the best of the over 900 growers from the main barley supply regions of Ireland and the best seed producers.

The annual awards acknowledge excellence in malting barley production as well as promoting sustainability in the supply chain. The trophy has been awarded to barley growers in Ireland since 1954.

A scale of the Laois man's achievement is revealed in the fact that his produce was chosen out of the 130,000 tonnes of barley each year at St. James’s Gate in Dublin. Diageo gets through 300 tonnes every day to brew Guinness. 

Paul farms land at Borris Great and is married to Maria and they have two sons John and Tadgh.

He is farming on land that has been in the family for three generations.

His 21st century enterprise consists of cereal crops. winter and spring malting barley and some oats as well as dairy and some beef.

He commented on the win.

“It is a huge honour to win the Guinness Perpetual Cup. For those of us who grow and malt barley, this is the highest accolade that we can receive and it means so much to us to see our work and craft recognised in this manner," he said.

Paul also had a simple but vital top tip for other growers.

“Only sow when conditions are right. A good seed bed is key to establish a strong plant and knowledge of your soil PH and NPK levels,” he said.

Laois Offaly Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity Pippa Hackett was the guest of honour at the awards in the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin on February 10. She congratulated Paul Delaney and all the other regional nominees which included James McEvoy who farms near Mountrath.

"The growing of high-quality malting barley requires a particular skill and takes time, effort and dedication from growers. It is appropriate that their expertise and efforts are recognised through these awards. My congratulations also to James McEvoy for making the shortlist – an achievement in its own right. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured: Paul with the Minister for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett who was guest of honour at the awards ceremony.

“After the recent challenging years, this provides us with a fantastic boost and encouragement to continue our work and keep supplying the high-quality product that we are able to produce,” she said.

The other regional growers who were shortlisted for the overall award were:

• Brian Crowley, Cloyne, Co. Cork
• Charlie & Cathal Kavanagh, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford        
• Dermot O Byrne, Rathoe, Co. Carlow
• Edward Delahunty, Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny
• Garvan Kelly, Barntown, Co. Wexford
• Isaac Wheelock, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
• James McEvoy, Mountrath, Co. Laois
• John Lombard, Mallow, Co. Cork
• Larry Murphy, Old Ross, Co. Wexford
• Michael Kinsella, Marshalstown, Co. Wexford
• Patrick Kinsella Farms Ltd., Caim, Co. Wexford

Minister Hackett added “It is fantastic that Diageo and Boortmalt are recognizing local growers. I also wish to commend all entrants for their careful management of our soils and the wider natural environment.”

Aidan Crowe, Operations Director at Diageo’s St. James’s Gate Brewery said top-quality barley is important.

“With Boortmalt we are once again proud to recognize our local malted barley producers and suppliers whose ingredients are so crucial to the great taste of our drinks that are enjoyed across the world.

Pictured: Paul with Aidan Crowe, Operations Director, at Diageo’s St. James’s Gate Brewery, and the Minister for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett who was guest of honour at the awards ceremony.

“Guinness relies on the consistent, dependable and high-quality supply of malting barley that we are lucky to have here in Ireland.  It is a pleasure and privilege that we are able to honour the growers who help us maintain the high standards set by Arthur Guinness in 1759,” he said.

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Diageo and Boortmalt are the largest producer of malted barley in the world and the largest purchaser of malted barley in Ireland respectively.