Tonight - the material culture of Irish home butter-making, and how women in Cork worked together to secure better prices for their product. Conor Sweetman talks to Claudia Kinmonth @ClaudiaKinmont1. Tune in to @RTERadio1 from 6PM.

Big Mike’s We made it through We’ve successfully restructured, with new backing. Big Mike’s has overcome its Covid hangover renovation cost difficulties & come out stronger, sharper, & not just ready for the future—but ready to get stuck in, unburdened from the weight of the capex world on my shoulders It was relentless graft from our team, & unwavering support from our loyal guests, incredible suppliers, & brilliant partners that made this possible. Every single supplier stayed. Every job in our wonderful team was kept. Every single creditor, landlord, & partner backed us. We engaged, communicated, and worked together—& now, we’re moving forward with purpose & clarity. Let’s call a spade a spade—the last two years have been a battle, & battle we did. To save & future-proof this, we sacrificed our house deposit. That’s gone. Do you know how hard it is to go home and tell your family that? But we can always make it back over time—that’s how much we believe in what we’ve built, we also sacrificed & closed our original restaurant, but if I look at where we were six years ago and where we are now, despite the backbreaking work, we’ve progressed so much. I don’t mind saying that there were days we had meltdowns & felt like folding, but we didn’t. We were told to get back in the ring. And so we did. Gum shield in, gloves up, & here we are—still swinging. We’re only 2 years into a 15 year project There were moments that tested us, & I mean really fucking tested us, but we’re now on the other side, wiser & stronger. None of this would have been possible without our incredible team. They believed in us every step of the way, worked their hearts out during the busiest time of the year, & played an absolute blinder. No hesitation, no second-guessing—just pure grit. I love them. They deserve this pressure release. They’re what makes Big Mike’s Big Mike’s. But the proof is in the pudding. We know what needs to be done, and we’ll do it. Actions will always speak louder than words, and nobody can ever accuse us of not facing things head-on. Paul Merriman—his financial expertise, deep understanding of the numbers, and belief in what we’ve built have been game-changing. He gave us tough love when we needed it most and kept us on track. He doesn’t just see what we are; he sees what we can become. Now, with the right guidance, he’s letting us do what we do best. It’s the perfect partnership: Paul and his stable of pedigree champions handle the financials, while I get back to the pots and pans, doing what I do best. To the FWB members network—a group of some of the sharpest minds in the country—for their invaluable guidance and unwavering support. And to the Blackrock community—you didn’t just support us; you lifted us when we needed it most. The messages from you and also our followers—they fuelled us more than you can imagine And of course, to my wife Rita—thanks for not divorcing me (yet). Patience of a saint, but I do make a really mean breakfast, so there’s that BUT that’s all in the past—no looking back! What matters now is where we’re headed, and that’s forward Big Mike’s is entering Phase 2: stronger, sharper, and more focused than ever. With the pressure lifted, we can fully focus on what we do best: cooking fucking great food, serving up whopper drinks, and making sure everyone who walks through our doors has an unforgettable time. Our OG hospitality is back—Old Gaz is back—and if you think we were good before, just wait till you see us now. We have fresh wind in our sails. We haven’t even scratched the surface on this thing yet. We’ve only just found our feet. We know what you want: top-quality ingredients and that hospitality feeling that’ll give you goosebumps—and that’s what we’re gonna do We can now make things more accessible price-wise too. Great food shouldn’t cost the earth, and if anything, we’re doubling down on quality. That’s our mission this year Roll on 2025—let’s be havin’ ya! Love ya, Gaz and the team

“Second hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack.” Virginia Woolf, born 25th January 1882