Who better to authenticate ethnic food than a resident of the nation of its origin?

That’s why journalist Fionnuala Boyle’s review of O’Neill’s Food Market in Glenside carries weight. Boyle writes for the Irish Daily Star, a Dublin, Ireland, newspaper.

On a recent Philadelphia visit, she stopped in, having heard of the retailer from Irish expats.

O’Neill’s dates to 1981, when it was started by Jim O’Neill, Sr., whose family tree has roots in County Derry and County Mayo. He since handed the keys to son Michael O’Neill.  

Tom Joyce, O’Neill’s manager, also has the proper heritage for the job; his family came from County Mayo.

Joyce traces the idea to stock Ireland-authentic fare to an enterprising importer-exporter. “[He came] in one day who suggested we put the Irish tea bags and cookies together in one spot, as they might do better. So that’s what we did.”

That little two-foot shelf has expanded to 12 feet and two freezer doors’ worth of merchandise.

Reporter Boyle was delighted by the foodstuff that came from her country, particularly the branded chocolate (Dairy Milk) and cookies (Jammy Dodgers, a shortbread-and-jam biscuit).

More on the legitimate stock at O’Neill’s Food Market is at the Irish Daily Star.

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Irish snackers love Jammy Dodgers, but what about Americans?