The article which can still be viewed online at www.bbc.co.uk/newsline follows BBC Newsline's North East reporter, Nicola Weir as she travels to Rathlin Island to witness one of the reasons why Moyle District Council is so passionate about promoting the local produce of the area.

Encouraged by Moyle's Cultural Tourism Officer, Deirdre McNeill, Nicola embarked on the first leg on her adventure when she joined Benji and Damien McFaul on their fishing boat for a morning's lobster creeling in the unusually calm seas around the island.

Filming her experience on board, Nicola also helped to haul in the creels and proved herself game as she bravely rolled up her sleeves to have a go at 'banding' the lobster's pincers – all to the backdrop of Rathlin Island's spectacular cliffs and shoreline with seals basking on the rocks in the glorious May sunshine.

Happily, the old mariner's superstition that having a woman on board is bad luck was dispelled when the crew returned to the harbour at Church Bay with a respectable haul of eight good sized lobsters and at least a dozen crabs!

Once she was safely back on dry land, Nicola then helped carry the catch the few steps from the boat to the kitchen of Menu of Moyle competitor the Manor House, where she was to enjoy the final part of her ultimate Menu of Moyle experience. Run by husband and wife team Ksenia and Damien McFaul, the Manor House specialises in local, freshly caught seafood so within minutes of it being landed, Head Chef Alan had skilfully prepared a succulent lunch of fresh Rathlin lobster.

Eating her meal whilst overlooking the very harbour where her lunch was landed, Nicola Weir sampled first hand just how fresh and tasty the produce of the Moyle area can be. The entire journey of her meal from ocean to plate was documented in her report which was shown on BBC Newsline on 20th May, but don't worry if you missed it - the feature can still be viewed online at www.bbc.co.uk/newsline by following the link to the 'North East' correspondent.

Rathlin Manor House is just one of twenty establishments participating in the Menu of Moyle competition this summer, in which participating venues come up with their own special Menu of Moyle using as much local produce as possible. A full list of competitors and producers can be found on the Menu of Moyle website www.menuofmoyle.com, along with contact details and the menus you can expect to find on offer.

If you would like to find out more about Menu of Moyle, please contact: Deirdre McNeill, Moyle Cultural Tourism Officer on: (028) 2076 2225, email: dmcneill@moyle-council.org, or log onto www.moyle-council.org.

The Menu of Moyle Competition will run from May until September 2008 and the winners will be presented their awards by celebrity TV chef Jenny Bristow at a special celebration event in September 2008.
Menu of Moyle is organised by Moyle District Council's Cultural Tourism Programme which is funded by the European Union through the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by Moyle Local Strategy Partnership.