Step 1

You'll need a 1 lb loaf tin, well greased and lightly dusted with flour.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5, 375F, 190C

Step 3

All you do is place the flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and mix them well together. Then whisk the egg into the buttermilk and add that to the dry ingredients, mixing everything together thoroughly.

Step 4

The mixture will remain quite soft, so just place it in the tin and bake it on the middle shelf of the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the loaf sods hollow when you tap it on the underneath.

Step 5

Leave it on a wire rack to cool, and serve very fresh in crusty slices, spread with Irish butter.

Step 6

This bread is also lovely fresh from the oven on a cold winter weekend and served for tea with butter and homemade jam.