Darina Allen: ‘The bank manager said he never lived it down refusing me a loan for my cookery school’

Just Saying

Darina Allen

Today at 03:30

Darina Allen, 75, is one of the founders of Ballymaloe Cookery School. Also an author and a television presenter, she lives in East Cork. Ballymaloe Festival of Food runs from May 17-19, with Darina and Rachel Allen cooking on the main stage on Sunday, May 19 at 4pm. ballymaloegrainstore.com

Being the eldest of nine was wonderful. Mummy would arrive back from the nursing home in Dublin with boy after boy after boy.

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