Donal took over the Macroom flour mill from his father, John, in the 1980s, and demand for his product has gone through the roof of late.
The Mill, standing tall and proud on the banks of the Sullane, is now known as Macroom Oatmeal Mill.
“Macroom stoneground wholemeal flour and Macroom oatmeal is in even bigger demand these days,” says Donal, who is earning his crust supplying the ingredients for our daily bread to bakers, food manufacturers and supermarkets.
“People who never baked before are making their own bread during the lockdown. If they are cocooning or in isolation, baking bread is a bit of a hobby for them.”
And bread-making, kneading, stirring, baking, smelling, savouring the fresh dough, has become part of our daily ritual.
Donal, well used to the milling ritual, knows bread has been the staple of the Irish diet for centuries.
Extra coarse stoneground wholewheat flour from the Walton Milling Tradition established 1832. This wholemeal flour is stone ground after being lighted roasted and gives the most lovely slightly nutty texture to breads. A firm favorite of breadmakers.