AISLING O’Toole, wife of jockeys’ agent Ciaran O’Toole, will feature in RTE’s Nationwide at 7pm next Monday (April 29th).

In September 2021 The Irish Field told the story of Aisling’s win in the Aldi National Brown Bread Baking Competition. As part of the prize, Aisling’s bread was put on sale in Aldi stores. Now Nationwide’s Mary Fanning takes up the story.

Mary’s report reveals that Aisling and Ciaran’s daughter Catherine, who has autism and intellectual challenges, had a big part to play in the success story.

During Covid, Aisling – an occupational therapist – had to give up work when all services for Catherine stopped. They took to the flour and the sive and baked for Ireland. When racing friends raved about the bread, Aisling entered the Aldi-sponsored competition. She finished second in 2020 and, cajoled into entering again, she won in 2021.

“When our year was over with Aldi, we wanted to keep on producing our beautiful brown bread, so we approached Dunnes Stores and the Simply Better range took us on,” says Aisling.

Ciaran’s sister Mags O’Toole, the leading bloodstock agent, was one of the first on the bread bandwagon and has often been asked by colleagues to smuggle some slices to the sales abroad.

When the loaves were launched commercially last year, Paul Townend, Rachael Blackmore and Barry Geraghty all lent their support.

Nationwide will tell viewers about the bread story coming full circle. Mary Fanning said: “Out of adversity grew success. Out of love grew confidence. Out of never giving up grew happiness.” Aisling has now launched a new protein bread.

Web: tasteofhome.ie