We posted the story below on our social media recently and it exploded, I know many of you don't spend time on social media so I thought I would share it with you here as it seemed to resonate with so many.
This is a bit of an emotional one for those of us connected to the Waldron clan. At Velvet Cloud, we're always looking to try different things, and earlier this year when our sheep milk volumes were low, we experimented with some cows' cheese. We used the milk from Michaels's uncle Micheál Waldron's farm in Cookbook, which is now run by his son Domhnall Waldron. Michaels's mother Mary Waldron grew up in Cloonbook two miles from Brickens (outside Claremorris) where Michaels's father Pat Flanagan was from and subsequently Michael himself. But Michael spent many many happy times as a child in Cloonbook and he holds a very soft spot in his heart for his Uncle Micheál and Aunty Cait. Before Uncle Micheál had a family himself, he used to call every day, to Flanagan's (Shop/Postoffice/Pub/Farm), to catch up with his sister Mary Waldron. Michael was the first of the next generation and as the only toddler and young boy, at the time he was doted on. So Uncle Micheál used to love to bring him back to Cloonbook, to entertain him and let him help around the farm. This is where the bond was formed, and where Michael's special love of Cloonbook came from. The Waldron Clan are an amazing one, there are loads of them, they always looked out for each other and this strong loyal trait continues on into the next generation. I am very lucky to have married into this lot!
Sadly Michaels's mother Mary, Uncle Micheál and his Uncle Tom are no longer with us. But the cheese has been named Cloonbook, and it's only right that Micheál's daughter Aine Waldron and her husband Dave now running a wonder restaurant - Fish & Bean in Rosses Point Sligo get to try the first wheel of Cloonbook Cheese. I'm sure Micheál, Mary & Tom are all looking down proud of all the next Waldron generation
