Abbeyleix Butcher to Represent Ireland

Abbeyleix Butcher Mark Williams will be part of Team Ireland at the World Butchers Challenge in 2018. The competition will be held for its first-time in Belfast . Williams opened his shop Williams’ Butchers in 2014 and comes from a long line of Butchers, his father, grandfather and great grand father were all in the trade and Williams states he is honoured to represent his country. It’s expected that over ten global teams will take part in the 2018 event, including teams from Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, England, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand.

“It’s a huge honour, I am very proud to be part of a team to represent Ireland. Its a great achievement for myself and my family and I’d really like to thank our customers and the people of Abbeyleix who have dropped in over the last few days to congratulate me and wish me well”.

The World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) was created as a platform where butchers from across the world can compete and showcase the butchery skills and creative uses of the beef, lamb and pork products from their respective countries. The current World Champions France will be a hard act to follow and the competition will be a great celebration of World Butchery Skills.

Speaking about the winning bid, CEO of the Butchery Excellence Scheme and Bid Co-ordinator, Rhonda Montgomery said: “Following a recent research trip to the World Butchers’ Challenge in Australia, I was confident that the Butchery Excellence Ireland could help to deliver the first-ever World Butchers’ Challenge for Ireland and history is being made, with Belfast announced as the host venue for 2018.”