Heritage cattled have been making their mark on Irish restaurant menus in recent years. Shorthorns, Dexters and Kerry cows have joined more familiar tradtional  breeds like Angus and Hereford, to provide some of the best beef in the country. We can now add The Belted Galloway to that list. What is a Belted Galloway, you might wonder. It hails originally from the Galloway region of Southern Scotland, and has now made it across the water to a exclusive farms here. The Belted Galloway is a striking beast, so called because of it’s shaggy coat which has a broad white ‘belt’ running around the middle of the animal, bordered by black, brown or red at the head and tail end. This is an eyecatching animal, but it’s not just a pretty face. The Belted Galloway is famous for its superb quality marbled beef. And if you live near Bushmills in Northern Ireland, it’s coming to a dining table near you, right now! The Bushmillls Inn  has teamed up the The Belted Galloway Club of Ireland to feature this beef on the menu. The  prime pedigree ‘Beltie’; as these animals are  affectionately known by breeders, was born into the Armoy Herd, outdoor reared on lush pasture in Northern Antrim, before being moved to the Gruige Herd of Corky, just east of Ballymoney,  where it was grass fed outdoors to maturity. It was specially selected by experts at 29 months old, hand picked exclusively for The Bushmills Inn,  for it’s superb breeding lines and quality.  The  beef has been hung on the bone in the traditional way to mature  for 30 days, to produce succulent, marbled beef, and is ready for eating right now! Alan Walls, General Manager of The Bushmills Inn,  is thrilled with the outcome of this collaboration, saying  “We are delighted to have partnered with the Belted Galloway Club Ireland. We have a wealth of natural food resources and strong agricultural traditions that give our ingredients a story that we believe should be shared.” Here here! Belted Galloway beef will appear on the Bushmills Sunday Carvery each week, and has a starring role in the house burger. The ‘Beltie’ burger is handmade, juicy and tasty,  served in a bun with salad leaves and homemade spiced slaw, topped with melting Coleraine Cheddar. And it comes with chips! Are you hungry yet? We certainly are!