Calling out the best is one of the stepping stones to improving standards and The Bridgestone Guide is a veteran in the support of good, local Irish food.
On 30th Dec they posted up their 2010 awards and they are extracted below:
Artisan of the Year: Anna Leveque, Triskel Farmhouse Cheeses, Portlaw, County Waterford
Restaurant of the Year: Harry’s Bar & Restaurant, Bridgend, Inishowen, County Donegal
Chef of the Year: Mickael Viljanen, Gregn’s Castle, County Clare
Inspiration of the year: Michael Kelly, GIY Ireland
Man of the Year: Jack McCarthy, McCarthy’s Butchers, Kanturk, County Cork
Farmer of the Year: Jimmy & Bernadine Mulhall, Coolanowle Farm, County Laois
Retailer of the Year: Ardkeen Stores, Waterford
New Food Award of the Year: Highbank Orchard Syrup, Cuffesgrange, County Kilkenny
Newcomer of the Year: Tastefully Yours, Dunhill, County Waterford (Update – have done an Irish FoodBase entry for them – http://irishfoodbase.com/tastefully-yours/)
Food County of the Year: County Kilkenny (some relevant links: www.savourkilkenny.com, www.trailkilkenny.ie/food-trail/)
Megabytes 2011 Award: Clanwood Farm, County Offaly
Megabytes Achievement Award: Field’s Supermarket, Skibbereen, West Cork
Some of those I am familiar with, others are new to me.
Very happy to have played a part in the foodcamp which is referred to as part of the Kilkenny award and fully determined (along with a host of others) to continue to encourage the spread of artisan, local and small scale food production and consumtion in Kilkenny.
Keith
biabeag (small food) 
Delighted to see Highbank in there but more particularly the recognition for the ongoing developments in Kilkenny. 2011 should be a great year for food in the county 🙂