A Wee Dram

I welcomed in 2014 with an old school chum last night, who shall henceforth be known as Dangerfield (!).

We enjoyed a wee dram, whilst reminiscing about the glorious school-days of yore.

Dangerfield is a keen country sportsman and very kindly gave me some of his venison sausages, made with sika deer.

I cannot recall what part of the Province these deer inhabit.

Sika deer first arrived in Northern Ireland in 1870, when a stag and five hinds were sent from Powerscourt, in County Wicklow, to Colebrooke Park, County Fermanagh.

Twenty years later sika deer were sent from Colebrooke to Baronscourt, County Tyrone.

In the 1920s, all the sika deer escaped from the deer park at Baronscourt and became established in the estate's forests and woodlands.

Sika venison is said to be a very lean and succulent meat, having the lowest calories and cholesterol levels compared to any other red meat products.