My name is Niall, Abbreviated version of my story.

My Name is Niall. I’m Irish and I enjoy what I do.  I care about what I do. I’ll never stop creating, it entertains me. I think I make good products and I've made terrible ones too. That's what has made me better. 

Outside the Box.

I started my journey into Butchery by pestering a man called Colin O' Sullivan. But before I take you there, I need to start from the beginning. 

My first memory is food and cooking. Was making pizza with my brother on an old stove and just being blown away by creating something from scratch and cooking it with fire. 

I might never be able to create that taste again but I'll keep trying.

 He is a vegetarian and although it is comical at times, I try to preach that he's following the incorrect religion, but for him, it's a texture thing, so I understand. He misses frankfurters the most. I know what you're thinking but the actual perfect camping meal is the hot dog. 

I don’t like olives or mangoes so I don't judge.

My mother coming from a nursing background didn't enjoy cooking “food was just fuel” she would often say. She can do a wicked roast chicken for Sunday dinner and cheesy potatoes so in fairness she did teach me the base of a good sauce. 

I don’t have the eye for presentation that it takes to be a top chef and I definitely don’t have the temperament needed to be a great chef. I had a summer job that I asked my auld bucks’ friend to ask to get me because I grew up in a small town in Roscommon, Ireland. That was one of the best decisions I ever made because while I worked in a bar and restaurant it made me realize that that career wasn’t for me.

After I finished school I worked at a local shop stacking shelves for one of the fiercest women known to man. Imelda. We had some ferocious arguments that I think back now fondly and laugh. She should have sacked me several times and rightly so, but I think she let me learn from my mistakes. The things I learnt from her, I still catch myself saying to myself now and again. I just chuckle. The last thing she said to me before I left to join the Army was. “You’d do well now to keep your mouth shut”. I said “they won't have a patch on you”, smiled, got some ham (Castlerea Ham) the Greatest ham in the world and went on my merry way.

I joined the British army, because it was in the middle of the Irish recession, and I thought that having a few years with the British army would set up up for some specialized weapons training and that once the recession was over I would join the Irish Army with a better set of skills. However that never materialized. I do cherish the friendships and lessons I learned there. 

When I left, I didn't have qualifications, and didn't have the mental fortitude to go to college or the grades either. My partner was in college in Cork so when I visited her, we went for a wander around Cork City. We went to a little well known spot called the English Market. The ambiance, the caring nature of butchers just saying hello, looking at all the variety of meat, cheese, bread, fish, and vegetables. In this little pocket in the middle of Cork city. It just wowed me. 

I bought a Camembert, 120g Gruyere, a loaf of sourdough and 20 chicken wings and went back to her student accommodation and tucked in. I was going to get a job in the English Market and become a Butcher. A few months later after annoying Colin, every day for about 3 weeks. I got a start, as a trainee butcher, on my dole and 80 euro for a 40hr work week. That's how I started, and I loved it.

He taught me the basics of knife skills, presentation skills but what I really took from him, was his kind nature with customers. You can buy meat from anywhere, but when you buy it from someone who actually cares. I think it tastes better. I've never forgotten that. He gave me my first knife. “My Boy Blue”. Which I still have and cherish nearly 10 years later. It's not the sharpest and never will be, but it reminds me of where I started and how far I’ve come. 

He would give cooking instructions to people that asked but then asked how it went the next time they were in. That set him above everyone else.

From there I worked away. Learned as much as I could, from lads like Eric who I called “The Flash”. I learnt the art of efficiency. 

Eric had the next four jobs ready from the time he started. The day I changed his ringtone to Flash theme song and called him when he was serving a customer will always make me laugh “Flash, ah ah. Savior of the universe’’.  

Alan taught me what the art of butchering was. Precision, the ability to make the least amount of cuts possible and follow the seams make it seem effortless, how to use leverage and if you need to force the knife, you're doing it wrong. His knife was nearly down to a nub but wicked sharp.

Orla taught me how the background stuff worked and was someone who I enjoyed discussing recipes with and talking about books we read. 

Eventually I moved on to McCarthys Meats. A place where the lads can cut a steak to within a few grams every single time. Something I will always be in awe of the accuracy and efficiency they could achieve. I wasn't allowed to cut steaks being a 2/10 knife skill. Obviously I'm not bitter about it, and Macker, if you are reading this, I’ve got the skills up to maybe a 2.8/10 as of writing this, so you know, that’s some progress! And if you ever think I'll forget that comment Macker, think again.

Don would give me the heads up that Macker was going to ask me this day or what he had planned for me to do whether it was to create a special or cost something. That always gave me comfort in knowing that I've got to do the work but there's a team there that if I need the help. Sometimes figuring out a problem is just as good as asking for help. We're all in it to get the job done at the end of the day. Macker would set some unrealistic expectations but then we would always seem to get it done. You always knew when you pissed him off, you knew when he was best pleased too. 

I think about my time at McCarthys with so much fondness now. I was learning so much about the foundation if how a successful business works. There might have been a hostile Friday thrown in there for good measure and boy did we have some arguments, but if I hadn't been there for the time I did I never would have felt confident enough to go out on my own because I learnt so much. 

To this day Don is still an anchor. I can turn to him night and day, asking the most obscure questions. I know only he has the wealth of knowledge to answer and has never led me astray without the assistance of a few whiskeys after bedtime. A friendship I only treasured after we went our separate ways. 

My partner Gina and both had great jobs in Cork, but knew that at that the point had come in our lives where if we didn’t go on an adventure and see what happens we never would. It was a huge decision that took a lot of time and planning, discussion and savings. I nearly didn't even get on the plane but that's another story.

So we arrived in Canada as two new immigrants in October 15th 202032

We flew to Toronto and set up all our bits and bobs and traveled down to St Catherines where my partner got her driving license. I failed my Irish one, a week before leaving Ireland flying, that's a good story.

She passed with flying colors and off we went on our adventure to find a new home. Camping, Walmarting, living out of our Dodge Journey named Bertha. She is a true warrior.

 Seeing what Canada truly had to offer, has been exactly what every documentary we had seen so far was exactly right. 100% pure beauty.

We traveled up and around through Quebec not Montreal because those lanes terrified the two of us. There should not be 6 lanes of traffic on any one road. 

My mother loses her shit going to Dublin.

New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia.

But the Cabot trail can go **** itself.  

We traveled all over to where we wanted to make our new life. We had some adventures though. We had a decision to make that I really don't regret now, as time has passed because of the friends and memories.The first “Newfie” I met I thought was an asshole, I genuinely believed he was trying to imitate me in a funny accent. But It was down to budget and what we thought we could afford to do. 

The main reason was I spent too much on delicious sushi in Toronto. 

Go to Newfoundland or go across the land towards BC.

So back the Trans Canada highway direction obviously that varied because I was sat nav at times and ya lets go this way was what Bertha was very much upset about. From seeing people feed deer donuts, or a mama duck and 10 ducklings running down the road, bears running across the road in Ontario. To go through a terrifying storm in Winnipeg that made the windows leak and Bertha shake.

But I wouldn't have changed anything

When we arrived in Calgary. Our first stop was a Petro-Canada in McKenzie Towne. I already knew, yes this is it. We drove around and went to an Irish pub because when you leave Ireland along with the rosary beads, they just hand you a guide for Irish people to achieve world domination, Ireland is too small an patch to contain the amount of craic we can bring the world, we need to spread it. That’s what we did and we found our new home.

I probably applied for 30 jobs over the next 3 weeks, I got absolutely nowhere, I simply had the ideology that I don't transfer on paper to who I am and that's a thing I've always maintained. 

I decided to just walk into MacEwans and that’s what I did.

I met Trevor and when he told the owner “so an Irish guy walked into the shop today” the owner thought it was a joke and that's where my adventure with MacEwans ended and began.

You need to endure to succeed and while I am just getting started, I cannot wait to see what the next 30 years brings.

A year in Review 2023.

There has been many ups and downs as all start ups. Im still extremely fortunate to have strut into something i didnt know how to do it but with 1 mentality i can make a cake, i can figure all this out. Id enjoy as much. Alot of pacing, 15km inside the unit.

Teaching myself to be in charge has probably been the most amusing dance, when i dont want to work because i have to do 18 jobs at the same time. The man the mole the boy and the horse or some quote where there going through a forrest and he cant see the way through but all he needs to see is one step.

Changing my entire outfit when im drained and ju st reset. Thunderstruck ACDC and pressups, just incorporating into your day 3 than 4 than 10 than your doing 20- 5 times a day. A Roy Keane cup a customer whom makes fabulous cups. Still works on giving me a kick up the hole. Jocko. Good. Is a speech that could make one go thru a wall.

But the most irrational and man thing i have used i got a bucket of water and threw it at the door and there was a point where i had, had to have all my jobs done before the sun dried it out. It has worked but weather dependant.

White Pudding - Mealy Pudding

Has been my favourite thing to create. i had been selling maybe 30-1 black-white pudding. Before i went home i wanted to recreate my favourite white pudding Kellys of newport. its fabulous. mines better now thou but it took me maybe 8 attempts and i honestly thought itd take me 2-3 years honing it in but i did three bases and i just made it from what i thought it was on principle. i could have literally looked at recipes and read what it is but that would have been zero craic. coping the bases of a recipe by understanding what your tasting i believe makes you better. or im absolutely full of shit. Thats why im going to revamp my black pudding and make a whole new one and people are going to be livid, than what if its better? I wont put as much clove.

Im not Martha Stuart, you can buy her book and make her recipes. When i I can appreciate that but im the other way if i add this to that and change the percentage of each ingredient how does it turn out on a mass scale. this coming from a guy who didnt know theyre different types of flour and assumed all purpose and brown where the only.

I gave Dave a Pen for his business acumen. He was wrong about the pudding thou.

I can happily say ive only made specific mistakes once . One was by pulling the opening handle clean off the Fridge. Potato Scones Tattie scones. a lady complemented them one day i was making them and said theyre like pancakes and she was right. And althou they were delicious. I made them differently because im aiming for rustic the way your grand mother did it. and i mashed 75lbs of potatos i had peeled watching Role Models the movie. 2hrs to peel 75potatos. peeling the potatoes is something i look forward to being able to pay someone else to so i dont have to but i am ways away from that. Than loads of melted butter and flour and i aggressively mash and mixes so now theres clumbs of potato. the way it should be rustic made it resent and anger. Thats what makes them delicious.

Still tinkering with sqaure, ive done brisket square, chuck square. Still the most iconic Scottish thing i think there is. Square sausage, no its Lorne. no its sliced suasage. I make mine a rectangle shape to fit the narritive of The Scots. Never let them know your next move.

Haggis when it comes to my passion for Haggis i do humble myself and feel extremely lucky ive been getting away with making fantastic Haggis for 5 years. Even thou 6 years i didnt know any Robbie Burns. He is 10 years i believe younger than America. But the Scots at the time. I reckon, sat around at Christmas Dinner and thought we should do this again soon but only Haggis, “ well Robbie has a good poem” thats sorted lads 25 Jan thats the day a month from today. Robbie argues, its not my birthday. Does it matter Jesus never got sassy about his one being changed by coke. (this was obviously google translated from scottish aye)

Thats why id have to admit the Scottish are just as much craic as the Irish, they had something truly unique and i think its something that is although something i depend on but its the respect and homage and bringing people together from all creeds cultures, races. A food that fed a nation people who want to argue best of luck i dont give a shit but All Haggis is the same. Because its a principle of what the people had at the time, if you were feeding a family of 12 and had a sheep that would suffice. if you were feeding a village maybe a cow. If your in the highlands and you have a Majestic delicious stag to eat and you want Haggis. Who is going to tell you thats no Haggis.

So if you ask me do i make The best Haggis id say i will make what i like and i will improve mine for ever because it means alot and its fun. I dont add lung and The Government doesnt like TB and im trying to avoid deportation. The Inuits eat seal Lung but im not allowed put that in my product which im good with. Airy or bubbley texture i dont know what lung brings but i make good Haggis

My Bacon thou, My bacon is the best in Alberta and i believe Haggisman is a terrible nickname but

BACON BARON of CALGARY is perfect I am The BBC