Bord Bia has reported a major response both in Ireland and in Britain to its meat-marketing promotion which offers free golf lessons and tickets to the Ryder Cup which takes place this September in the K Club, Co Kildare.
The Irish food board is one of the main sponsors of the world famous golf tournament, and has linked the sale of Irish meat both here and in Britain with the event.
The promotion will involve more than 4,000 shops and 10 million packs of meat across the two islands.
In the promotion Ryder Cup tickets can be won in a draw. Details are being placed on pork, lamb, beef, chicken and bacon packs.
An additional 250,000 leaflets will be distributed through butchers.
The campaign is expected to lead to some 50,000 golf enthusiasts taking up introductory golf lessons in Ireland and Britain.
These will be given by 500 professional golfers.
To redeem golf lesson vouchers or enter the draw for the Ryder Cup tickets (meat packs sold in Ireland only) shoppers peel off promotional labels and forward a self-addressed envelope to Bord Bia's agent for a free voucher and directory of golf professionals.
A Bord Bia spokesman said yesterday that there had "been an electric" response to the promotion in Britain, where Ireland sells 260,000 tonnes of beef.
The initial response to the promotion had been "tremendous", the spokesman said.
"It seems to have caught the imagination of both the consumer and the golfers, and already we are getting returns from the marketplace."
Participating retailers in Britain include Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, Somerfield, Co-op and Aldi.
In Ireland the retailers include Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Superquinn, Super Valu/Centra, Londis, Spar, Lidl and Aldi.
All beef, pork, bacon and chicken involved in the promotion is produced under Bord Bia quality assurance schemes.
Meanwhile, Irish beef farmers are hoping for a very good summer as prices have already risen in European markets because of a scarcity of locally- produced beef.
A fresh outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Brazil has added to the supply difficulties on the European market and the average prices farmers are receiving are well up on this time last year.