The English Market located in the heart of Cork City traded as a market since 1788.
The Market has adapted down through the years and now offers a larger range of produce than it did in times past. In times past, most of the shoppers were shopping on a cheaper budget or haggling with the stall owners in hopes of even better deals! A thing that can still be seen today if you feel up to the challenge!
Nowadays thanks to the heightened emphasis placed on health and nutrition, coupled with the popularity of travelling abroad, the market has developed into a cornucopia of exotic fruits, vegetables and meats; tastes and flavours to cater for a diverse population.
You can stroll through the market and see traditional butchers and confectionery stalls alongside organic foods, alongside espresso and handmade chocolate stands. The quality of produce being sold in the market today is of the highest standards, supported by the long standing Irish tradition of friendly and personal service. 
The market is a must when in town for the day. The atmosphere is reminiscent of bygone times and especially on a wet and windy day its nice to stroll through and remember that as much as things change, they stay the same. So drop by and have a look around, you’ll be glad you did.
This famous market has survived; the famine, revolutions, fires, wars and economic loss. While 1986 was a monumental year for Lee Valley Ireland as that was the year Denis Hurley founded the business, 1986 was also a very significant year for the English Market but for all the wrong reasons; that was the year the market was destroyed in a huge blaze. After the fire however it was restored to its former glory and then some within months. Now the market is a thriving success.
As Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, a fabulous 60 years on the thrown we have fond memories of her visiting the English Market in 2011. There she tasted fresh smoothies and juices and a fabulous monument was even erected in her honour to mark the occasion.
We here at Lee Valley appreciate fresh food and locally sourced produce. As a result all food supplied in our country cafe is homemade; cooked, baked and prepared in-house with fresh and local produce.
Less than five miles from our Lee Valley HQ, local farmer Johnny Lynch and his neighbour and owner of the Real Olive Company, Toby Simmons, they produce fresh buffalo mozzarella and are in fact the only producers of this type of cheese in Ireland.
To sum up, we here at Lee Valley love food! The fresher the better! That is why our cafe located in the quaint village of Inchigeela, West Cork is a home made paradise.
