Chairperson of the Board of Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park, Declan Ganley, pictured with Donal Skehan during the celebrity chef's visit to the park last week.

US television audience to watch celebrity chef Donal Skehan's Moate visit

Adrian Cusack

Published: Wed 29 Sep 2021, 3:38 PM

Last updated: Wed 29 Sep 2021, 4:25 PM

Celebrity chef Donal Skehan was in Moate last week, visiting Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park for the filming of a travel series that will be shown in the United States later this year.

The Tourism Ireland-backed series will consist of eight episodes promoting 'active foodie' holidays in Ireland, and will be broadcast on the PBS network.

The Stateside exposure will come as another welcome boost for the popular Moate facility, which was highlighted domestically on RTÉ's Tracks and Trails programme last June.

Donal Skehan pictured at Dún na Sí last week.

Donal's visit to Dún na Sí took place on Tuesday, September 21, after he had spent the previous night in Athlone. Though he is best-known for his culinary creations, his time at Dún na Sí was focused on dancing rather than food!

The Moate Comhaltas branch provided some music on the day while Irish dancers taught Donal some céilí dancing steps.

Jessica Cummins, Marketing and Tourism Officer at Dún na Sí, said everyone was delighted to show Donal what the park had to offer.

"It was about highlighting the Irish music and culture, so he was here for a few hours and he took part in a small céilí in the stone circle," said Jessica. "He was lovely to deal with. Very friendly."

The travel show for PBS is being produced by Inproduction TV and is being co-funded by Tourism Ireland.

A description of the series said: "Viewers will see Donal work up an appetite by hiking, kayaking and cycling his way around the island of Ireland – before stopping off at various food trucks, gastropubs and restaurants to meet with young chefs, baristas, chocolatiers and local food producers."

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland's Head of North America, said: "We are delighted to work with celebrity chef Donal Skehan and Inproduction TV, to create this exciting new food travelogue from around the island of Ireland.

"Our aim is to reach a young and active audience – reminding them about our wonderful culinary offering and spectacular scenery, as well as our fantastic outdoor activities."