A Gaeltacht cheese company has won gold at the World Cheese awards in San Sebastián, Spain. Táirgí Cáise Buabhaill Mhaigh Chromtha Teoranta (trading as Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products Ltd) received magnificent success on the world stage as it scooped the prestigious award.

The cheese is made from fresh buffalo milk and is produced on Johnny Lynch’s farm in Cill na Mantra, Co Cork. Johnny has the only milking herd of buffalo in Ireland. In 2015, he started to produce the cheese at his purpose-built artisan cheese-making premises. He now has a herd of over 200 buffalo. With the help of Údarás na Gaeltachta, he produces a variety of cheeses, including mozzarella, ricotta, Greek style salad cheese and haloumi.

The World Cheese awards drew entries from over 31 countries and had 266 cheese experts to taste and grade 3,000 cheeses.