Exciting developments in County Wicklow of late, with The Coach House in Roundwood re-opening in new ownership - and not just new ownership, but a seriously promising change of direction. After Simon Pratt, his wife Monique and two former Avoca associa ... more...
You can call in by boat, of course, and if you arrive by road, a little ferry takes you over to the island. It’s an unusual place and worth a visit, if only to call into the pleasant waterside pub for a drink, a cup of tea or an informal bite.
H ... more...
Billing itself originally as a wine café, this quirky riverside venue run by Beverley Mathews is part tapas bar, part wine bar and it has always had a distinctly continental flair.
Re-opening in November 2020 following a long closure after ... more...
Enjoying a picturesque location beside the Royal Canal, this boutique hotel near Blanchardstown offers contemporary accommodation, a pleasant bar and restaurant, and a large heated deck with outdoor seating overlooking the lock.
Under new ownership si ... more...
Now run by 7th generation owner Catherine Moran, this is just the kind of Irish pub that people everywhere dream about. It’s as pretty as a picture, with a well-kept thatched roof and a lovely waterside location (with plenty of seats outside wher ... more...
Thankfully, at least the heart of this renowned pub seems to be resistant to change. It's one of those lovely places with a grocery at the front and an unspoilt hard-floored pub with an open fire at the back.
Visitors returning after a long absence wi ... more...
One of the great classic pubs of Ireland, Blakes has been in the same family since 1887 and, up to recently, was always one of the few places that could be relied upon to be unchanged. Not a food place, a pub; maybe a sandwich, but mainly somewhere to ... more...
Part of the handsome Clonakilty Distillery complex and overlooking the Whale's Tail artwork on the waterfront, Kirby’s @ The Whale’s Tail is in an airy open plan dining room with the added theatre of an open kitchen - the perfect buzzy ... more...
After nearly two decades on Lower Main Street, the Molloy family's popular restaurant in the centre of Letterkenny moved around the corner in 2017, to spacious new premises (with parking) at the Courtyard Shopping Centre.
As they say themselves, much ... more...
Only a stone's throw from Toner's (see entry), Doheny & Nesbitt is another great Dublin institution, but there the similarity ends.
Just around the corner from the Dail (Irish Parliament), this Victorian pub has traditionally attracted a wide spec ... more...