A leading seafood writer has been awarded an honorary fellow by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.
Máirín Uí Chomáin is an educator, author, food activist, and a former chairperson of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild.
She is also a long-standing member of Slow Food Ireland, and has presented her own RTE series of television cookery programmes, Cuisine le Mairin’ and Encore Cuisine le Mairin.
She has published a number of cookery books and won the World Gourmand Award for her publication, “Irish Oyster Cuisine.”
Her latest book, “Celebrating Irish Salmon”, was published in November 2013 by Artisan House Editions, based in Connemara.
GMIT said that as an accomplished Gaeilgeoir, Máirín’s “passion for language and food is evident in the work she undertakes throughout the region”.
“She has judged numerous local and national competitions and is the Ambassador for the Connemara Mussel Festival since its inception. She is a frequent visitor to culinary classes in GMIT where she encourages and supports student learning,” it said.
GMIT president Dr Orla Flynn conferred Ms Uí Chomáin with the honorary fellowship late last month as one of five recipients selected for their “vast contribution to and success in business, education, public service and sport”.
The four other recipients were Dr Gay Corr, former principal of RTC Galway; Niamh Fahey, member of FA Women's Championship teams Liverpool and Arsenal and the Republic of lreland women's national football team, and former Galway Ladies Gaelic footballer; Michael Gilvarry, General Manager of CERENOVUS (part of Johnson & Johnson) and leading expert in medical technologies for the treatment of stroke; and Micheál Ó hUiguinn, former Mayor of Galway City, former Chair of GMIT Governing Body and Galway businessman.