Best butcher in UK & Ireland award

Nolan’s of Kilcullen was this afternoon named as The Best Butcher Shop in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales at the Countryside Alliance Annual Awards in London. Beating over 3,000 entries James & Emma Nolan received the top award at a glittering prize giving ceremony at the House of Lords, London. James Nolan was understandably very proud of the award but he was quick to acknowledge the incredibly loyal support from all his customers. He also paid tribute to his hard working staff, many of whom are with him for over 20 years and in particular he acknowledged the lifelong work and dedication of his father, Andy, who is still involved in the business today.

First to congratulate James & Emma was Peter Bacon who was representing Countryside Alliance Ireland at the Awards ceremony. David Fitzsimons of Retail Excellence Ireland added his good wishes and said “It came as no great surprise to me that Nolan’s of Kilcullen won this prestigious award as they already won one of our National Retail Shop of the Year Awards in 2008. Nolan Butchers richly deserve this award as they are known all over Ireland for their outstanding butcher shop that has a long history and tradition in the picturesque town of Kilcullen in Co. Kildare. Nolan’s are not just an outstanding butcher shop - they are also one of the top retailers in Ireland.”

Dave Lang from the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland also was quick to praise Nolan’s of Kilcullen when he added “James Nolan has been a member of Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland since the foundation of the organisation. In 2010, Nolan’s of Kilcullen won the ACBI Star Shop of the Year award and have won numerous product awards over the years. James, Andy, Emma and the team in Kilcullen work hard at making the store a destination for food lovers, and their efforts are reflected in the honours they have achieved. We are delighted to hear of Nolan’s success in the Countryside Alliance awards 2011, and wish James and his team every success for the future.”

The Countryside Alliance Awards, nicknamed the ‘Rural Oscars’, celebrate the characters, skills, traditions and enterprise of the countryside through the people who work so hard to make it tick. The Awards are public-nomination led, meaning each business is put forward by a supportive customer.

Lyall Plant, Chief Executive of Countryside Alliance Ireland, commented: “Nolan’s of Kilcullen is a real beacon of excellence. James Nolan is the fourth generation to own the shop and his energy and ideas are inspiring, and inspire his staff. His father is in his eighties and still works in the shop, so you can tell that the Nolans’ are made of tough stuff. The produce is top notch and James and his wife Emma are rightly proud of the quality and traceability of everything sold on the shop floor, whether from their own farm or from other local farmers. There is an abattoir on site and when we visited there was a team butchering and boning out the carcasses with impressive skill.”

“The shop also contains fruit, vegetables and a Deli counter alongside the award winning Butchery products (with a special nod to the Gold Medal Black and White Pudding.) Nolan’s of Kilcullen is a butcher shop with a difference, mainly due to James and Emma’s infectious enthusiasm for what they do. It is all the more impressive given that James himself has had a kidney transplant and has gone on to raise over €1 million for charity, continuing to give a huge amount of time and support to those on dialysis and facing transplants themselves. The Nolans’ and their team are happy in their work and their community has their total support. We are happy to name them the Best Butchers across Ireland and the UK.”