About

In 2013, both Pat and Jim returned to Cloonagh within weeks of each other after spending the previous 20 years traveling the world for work and pleasure.

Once Pat and Jim brought Smokin’ Soul onto the food circuit, they gained notoriety for their quality and quantity of offerings. Their traditional smoked meats menu garnered significant recognition, and the added element of everyone being able to see how everything was prepared, cut, sliced, and served gave customers a clear understanding of the quality of the products they were about to receive.

With the notoriety that Pat and Jim gained, they were soon employed by big brands to begin demoing and promoting live fire cooking and products. This led to extra investment and ultimately resulted in the fabrication workshop getting up and running, as well as the
addition of the now well-renowned BBQ cookery classes hosted in those very same renovated outhouses.

A STORY BEHIND EVERY BBQ

There is a story behind every BBQ. Each BBQ that has been designed and built here has come from our learnings over the years from having our business evolve from our time as food traders. We learned very quickly that a certain style of cooking would work best, and it was the traditional style of offset cooking that turned even the most humble piece of protein into a joy when cooked in the correct manner. We learned the success of the offset cooking from the original barbecues that we made for ourselves to go food trading. These units that us our trade are now the basis for the products that we now sell to the general public and commercial market.

REVITALISING CLOONAGH: EMBRACING A SELF-SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

At Cloonagh, we are committed to revitalizing our townsland by fostering a self-sustainable lifestyle and integrating this ethos into our courses. Our efforts include the addition of polytunnels and raised beds, allowing us to grow fresh produce right here, much like our forefathers did. This initiative not only enriches our courses with locally grown food but also promotes a polyculture approach over a monoculture one.

We aim to bridge the gap between producer and consumer, ensuring that people know where their food comes from. Our journey has just begun with the first of many rewilding projects, dedicating significant areas to create mini wooded regions. These efforts support a polyculture environment, benefiting both flora and fauna.

Join us in this journey towards a sustainable future, where tradition meets innovation, and community thrives.

WE WORK WITH GREAT BRANDS