35 years in business Burren Smokehouse near Cliffs of Moher

Your memories of the Burren Smokehouse

It is the year 2024, and we are celebrating 35 years in business!

Many of our customers visited us here in Lisdoonvarna over those three and a half decades, and some of them shared their own memories with us when they heard about the anniversary.

This is the compilation of memories, their stories of how they experienced their (first) visit of the Burren Smokehouse.

We are always touched by the fondness and the emotional bond that is forged between our visitors and the Burren Smokehouse. We always feel honoured by the trust placed in us when our visitors turn into mail order customers, and we are always giving the best customer service we can.

 

C. and G. Marti at Burren Smokehouse

“We have been visiting Ireland for 50 years and we knew since the first time… that’s it 👍🏻😀 … we even spent our honeymoon there. At first it was just the two of us, touring around, and for years always staying in our preferred B&B’s. Later with our kids we became stationary… some years in Kilkee, then some years in Ballyvaughan in the thatched cottages. Once we wanted to visit our anchor B&B in Clifden again and had to find out the family had gone 😮. We asked around and were directed to Galway. When the kids had other interests and we were on our own again, we went to our beloved landlady and friend in Galway. Ever since… that is our place of being in Ireland and it’s like coming home.
During our time with the kids in Ballyvaughan we toured around and came across the Burren Smokehouse. At that time it was still allowed to see the production area and we availed of the opportunity to do so. We remember there were samples of salmon ready for after the guided tour. We of course listened with interest to the explanations. Meanwhile our daughter, hardly big enough to reach the table, enjoyed a good deal of the prepared salmon 😀…
Since that time we always visit the Burren Smokehouse and buy our salmon… a bit for our friend in Galway and the rest to savour back home. There is no New Year’s Eve without it ever since 😋 … And we will be back again this year…”
C. and G. Marti, Switzerland
Customers of the first hour

C. and G. Marti at Burren Smokehouse

“Hello Ms Funke,

Warm greetings and congratulations on your anniversary. 35 years! 35 successful years! You certainly played your part in this. How nice to hear about a success story in these dreary times.

I immediately looked it up and saw that I was probably one of the very old customers: In July 1990, the first year after it was founded, we discovered the Smokehouse on our trip to Ireland and bought a large portion on the penultimate day of the trip. We had it shrink-wrapped to take it home to Berlin. What followed were many orders that grew over time. Everything has been particularly pleasant and reliable since you came ‘on board’, dear Ms Funke. A big compliment and thanks for many years of pleasant cooperation. Greetings and congratulations also to Mrs Curtin.”

G. Heinrich, Germany
Customer since 1990

B Grabner at Burren Smokehouse 1995

“Dear Curtin family,
Ms Funke and
all the good spirits of this company!

I quickly pulled out the pictures of our trip to Ireland from 1995. It was a very warm June for Irish climatic conditions. We had to buy shirts because we had packed the completely wrong clothing (woolen sweaters, etc.)

I would like to send three photos to represent the many beautiful memories. What I only noticed now is that unfortunately I don’t have a picture of the smokehouse. I explain it like this: I heard “SALMON” and didn’t have any time to take any more photos.

Well, it’s been a while in which you have provided me (us – club) with the world’s best salmon – since 1995. If I remember correctly, we already ordered 2 × 1/2 kg for Christmas that year – especially to see whether your promise of hassle-free delivery and billing really worked.
It has ………. – since then our club has grown constantly (over 100 kg at Christmas). And apart from two or three small problems, everything always worked.

No one who gets your exceptional fish eats a different salmon. Admittedly, friends tell me from time to time that they have “cheated” – with the result to never do it again.
And everyone is happy to wait for Christmas so they can enjoy your great product again.

With that in mind, I congratulate the BURREN SMOKEHOUSE on the business anniversary with my warmest wishes.
Everyone stay healthy to receive many more appreciative awards.”

B. Grabner, Austria
Customer since 1995

B Grabner at Burren Smokehouse 1995

“Congratulations Birgitta and Peter on reaching the 35 year milestone!  We have enjoyed your Irish smoked salmon for many years since meeting you in the 90’s!  We have gifted it out to our customers and suppliers many times too! Long may it continue.”

M. Taylor, Dublin Crystal Glass Ltd., Ireland
Customer since the 1990’s

"You are celebrating 35 years in business, and I congratulate you!
We visited you in Lisdoonvarna in a small travel group in May 2012, and we still reminisce."

R. Rosskopf, Germany
Customer since 2012

Old Burren Smokehouse order form
Old Burren Smokehouse order form

“A magnificent trip to Ireland in 2019 – I always wanted to visit this country where I imagine living one day. With of course a detour to the Burren Smokehouse, demonstration and tasting of salmon, and a few orders since this discovery because for me it remains until now the best smoked salmon I have eaten.”

I. Halin, France
Customer since 2019

"This is my memory of the Burren Smokehouse!

We were still young and newly in love. Our first trip together. We flew to Ireland by plane, Aerlingus. There were no such things as cheap flights at the time, and during the short flight we were served Irish salmon.

By chance we passed the Burren Smokehouse on our tour through the west of Ireland. Although it was completely different back then, much smaller and more family-orientated, it was an exciting experience. It was really good that we could also speak German. We probably wouldn't have understood a lot of things. Smoked salmon is a special topic. Of course we also went shopping. We had a picnic in nature somewhere on the west coast of Ireland. I have no idea where that was. We never found that place again. But it was totally romantic and super delicious! An experience that can't be repeated. It awakened our love for Ireland. We were there again last summer, now with our family, three children, who are now grown up, and a dog.
But the next trips are already being dreamed of."

D. Ludewig, Germany
Customer for a long time

Burren Smokehouse Lisdoonvarna
Burren Smokehouse visitor centre Lisdoonvarna

“Dear Burren Smokehouse team,

we got to know you on our honeymoon in 2022, where we also spent a few days in County Clare.

Since then, you have given us and our family many enjoyable moments, whether it was the sample packages as gifts for Christmas and Easter or most recently the St. Patrick’s Day package. Everything was always very tasty and ordering and shipping worked great!

Thank you very much and all the best for at least another 35 years!”

D. Perlinger, Germany
Customer since 2022

"I was going on a big tour of Ireland in May [2024] with a travel agency from Chalon sur Saône (in France, Burgundy).
And when I saw in the schedule that we were going to visit the Burren Smokehouse, I was really delighted and over the moon. For several months, I had subscribed to your newsletter, and I followed your company with interest. The programme included a meal in the Burren Storehouse. Afterwards I went to your store to buy everything I wanted. When I got back home, my wife enjoyed everything. Since then I have recommended your products to all my family and friends."

G. Lebeaux, France

Burren Smokehouse Wild Atlantic Way

“A group of friends traveled to Ireland in April 2008. On our way to our rental in Dingle, we spent our first night in Lisdoonvarna and our evening meal was at the Burren Smokehouse [possibly the Roadside Tavern as the Burren Smokehouse does not have a restaurant].

The 6 of us were excitedly chatting and the server/staff stood for a moment while we chatted on. He finally said “Would you shut the f#ck up then and order…”. We did and laughed about that for years (still do).

I order your fish every year for Christmas and my birthday and all my family and friends look forward to my favorite Irish fish and the re-telling of that story. When people ask me why I order your fish from Ireland, I tell them that the Irish fish are happier than the fish over here in the States.”

S. Tarr, United States
Customer since 2019

Burren Smokehouse near Cliffs of Moher

“It was during an organised trip to Ireland that we discovered Burren Smokehouse. Quite a getaway, arriving in Dublin and after his visit, we left to visit Belfast, in fact a complete tour from the south of Ireland to Northern Ireland in 10 days….

On our way back from the west to the south, we stopped at the Burren Smokehouse for a visit to the smokehouse where we tasted Irish salmon and other specialties. We were very well received and were able to converse despite my very academic English.

Then we had lunch in the very typical restaurant the Roadside Tavern, Lisdoonvarna, which is located a few metres from the Burren Smokehouse, again very warm welcome and guaranteed atmosphere.  We left Burren and headed towards Doolin and then the Cliffs of Moher.

Only very good memories of our trip outside France. Thanks to Ireland and its very friendly Irish people. The discovery of a country so green, so contrasted and so friendly.”

P. Gauchard, France