Gearoid Lynch - One Of The Greats

We are saddened by the recent death, after a long illness, of Gearóid Lynch, a great chef and co-owner, with his wife Tara, of the delightful Co Cavan restaurant with rooms The Olde Post Inn. We well remember the excitement in 2002 when they took over the former post office in Cloverhill, which dates back to the 1880s, and it soon became a favourite destination for food lovers from far and wide, who loved Gearóid’s seasonal menus, the focus on sustainability, cooking local produce simply to highlight natural flavours – and the warm hospitality that has always been at the heart of any visit.
A tour de force in Co Cavan, Gearóid was one of three chefs who put the spotlight on this lovely lakelands county by winning the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition in the decade coming up to the millennium – the others were Neven Maguire (1994) and Norbert Neylon (1997), with Gearóid rounding off the hat trick in 2000 - and the change of perception that they brought about was both dramatic and enduring.
The Euro-Toques community always remained central to Gearóid’s professional life (see the Euro-Toques tribute below for further details) and their ethos of preserving food heritage and valuing small producers was in his DNA. Before opening in Cloverhill, he worked in numerous prestigious kitchens including, Thornton’s in Dublin, Pied à Terre in London & Lea Linster in Luxembourg, all of which helped to make him the chef he became.
But as a diner at The Olde Post, it was the warm memory of his time with John Howard at Le Coq Hardi Restaurant in Dublin that cast its spell on the menu and the plate. John, who was also sadly lost to us recently, was - along with Declan Ryan and the late Gerry Galvin - one of the three original commissioners chosen by Myrtle Allen to assist with setting up the Irish branch of Euro-Toques in 1986. He was always hugely supportive of young talent – and it sometimes felt as if he was present in the restaurant at The Olde Post, thanks to Gearóid’s delicious rendition of Chicken Coq Hardi’. Simple yet refined, this breast of cornfed chicken, filled with potato, apple, ham & special herbs, wrapped in bacon, pot-roasted & finished with Irish whiskey earned a place in many a heart for its celebration of the everyday ingredients of rural Ireland and it was one of their most popular dishes.
Gearóid will be much missed by all who knew him, both as an inspired chef and simply as a lovely man, and we extend deepest sympathy to Tara and all the family and staff. But the great legacy he leaves is heartening, and we will all remember him with the greatest of warmth.

TRIBUTE FROM EURO-TOQUES IRELAND (30th March 2026)
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend and chef Gearoid Lynch.
Gearoid was an important and valued member of Euro-Toques, where he spent many years on committee and then headed the organisation as commissioner general of the Irish branch under the stewardship of Myrtle Allen.
Gearoid was a respected chef and author.
He established and ran his beloved Olde Post Inn for the last 24 years with his wife and partner Tara, a successful business with a strong following from both locals and customers travelling from further afield. It is difficult to convey the respect with which Gearoid was held within the Irish food family. From food suppliers to fellow chefs and business entrepreneurs, he had the very highest respect. It would be hard to find a chef and restauranteur with the gentlemanly qualities of Gearoid, he was an astute businessman and loving husband.
He was a person with strong family values, a doting father and a strong role model. He will be sorely missed by all in our community both close to home a farther afield.

@gearoidlynch77 @theoldepostinn