Long before Irish vineyards began attracting international attention, one Mallow farmer was proving that quality wine could be produced in the heart of North Cork.
An RTÉ News report from 26 July 1984 revisits the remarkable story of Michael O’Callaghan, who combined farming, hospitality and winemaking at Longueville House, just outside Mallow.
At the time of filming, Michael farmed 400 acres, operated the well-known country house hotel and had established a four-acre vineyard producing Reichensteiner grapes. Thanks to an exceptional summer, the report noted that the crop was ahead of some of the best vineyards in Europe.
RTÉ reported that in a good year, the vineyard could produce up to 500 gallons of wine, with the vines expected to resemble “the south of France more than the south of Ireland” by harvest time.
Michael’s interest in wine developed through his hotel business, where many guests shared his passion. After regularly travelling across Europe to source wines for Longueville House, he decided to see if grapes could be successfully grown in Ireland. Following a wine-making course, he planted the vineyard and even built much of his own winemaking equipment.
The result was Fíon Cois Máire, a dry white wine produced exclusively for guests at Longueville House’s restaurant, described at the time as being similar in style to German white wines.
The RTÉ report concluded that Michael O’Callaghan had demonstrated that grape growing and wine production were not only possible in Ireland but could flourish under the right conditions.
More than four decades later, as Irish vineyards continue to gain recognition, the 1984 report serves as a reminder that Mallow was home to one of the country’s pioneering wine producers long before Irish wine became part of the national conversation.
The RTÉ News report, presented by reporter Michael Lally, was originally broadcast on 26 July 1984.
