The latest arrival in Northern Ireland's premier hospitality group, Hastings Hotels, and unarguably the most spectacular, the aptly named Grand Central towers above Belfast city centre and offers unrivalled views of the cityscape below - notably from i ... more...
New gastropub life and quite a bit of love have been invested into this longtime Dalkey favourite, which was established in 1745 and more recently rescued by hoteliers Ray Byrne and Eoin Doyle from becoming a pandemic closure casualty. Hit it up ... more...
The Levis sisters, Julia and Nell, ran this 150-year-old bar and grocery for as long as anyone can remember.
Although both have now died, younger members of the family have stepped into their legendary shoes and, while the experience is certainly rath ... more...
Pearse and Mary O’Sullivan’s very popular restaurant is located at the famous Bulman bar at Summercove, near Charles Fort.
Uniquely situated on the outskirts of Kinsale - it looks across towards the town and has a sunny western aspect - Th ... more...
This is a pub of great character and is much-loved by locals and visitors alike. It's been in business for over 40 years and it's comfortable and cosy, with wood panelling and traditional Irish seating in 'snugs' - and the large extension built a few y ... more...
Mike Burke’s well-located harbourside establishment has lots of maritime character and views out over the harbour to Dunguaire Castle.
You’ll find seafood like fat, tasty mussels in moules marinière, with a milky onion and wine brot ... more...
Open since 1964, and run by Grainne O’Connell since 1975, informal restaurant/bar was among the first to establish a reputation for good food in Kenmare, and is a daytime sister restaurant to Packie’s (see entry).
It’s a traditional ... more...
The McDermott family’s picturesque and beautifully located thatched pub seems too good to be true when you first find it in this quiet and unspoilt place, but there it has been since the 18th century when, apparently, it was a shibín known ... more...
Behind a smartly painted two-toned grey frontage with a bright red door in the heart of Arklow town, you’ll find the equally smart bright room that is Christy’s lounge.
With comfortable banquettes around the walls separated into booths by ... more...
One of Dublin's best, unspoilt traditional pubs, Kehoe's changed hands relatively recently and added another floor upstairs, but without damaging the character of the original bar.
Very busy in the evening - try it for a quieter daytime pint instead.
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Pubs with B&B are familiar in Britain but less so here, where you’re likely to find something nearer an inn, or perhaps a restaurant with rooms that also has a bar. But it’s an appealing combination and makes for an especially relaxing laid-back atmosphere – well worth seeking out if you like to keep things casual.
The arrival of autumn brings with it a return to grown up pleasures after the long summer holidays – so what could be better than a short break with a great wine experience as the theme?
Caroline Hennessy and Kristin’s Jensen’s superb book Sláinte, The Complete Guide to Irish Craft Beer and Cider really does tell you everything you ever wanted to know about craft beer and cider in Ireland (plus a whole lot that you hadn’t ever thought about) and, among many other things, it details the brewpubs and craft breweries that have emerged since 1981. There are dozens of them and the number is growing all the time, so we’ve picked just ten to illustrat ...
Two iconic houses of great taste create the perfect blend this March when The K Club hosts a very special Laurent Perrier Champagne Dinner in the Barton Restaurant
Enjoy an overnight break with dinner at Great Southern Killarney. This package includes Overnight accommodation, Gourmet 4 course evening meal in the award winning restaurant, The Garden Room and full Irish Breakfast.
Denotes genuine Irish food culture, ie special Irish food products/companies/producers, and highlights the best places to shop for regional and artisan ...
With a rich historical and maritime legacy, East Cork has a truly unique variety of attractions to offer the visitor.
It is a haven for family holidays with a huge range of activities and attractions to keep the whole family entertained for hours.
In this extensive county, the towns and villages have their own distinctive character. In West Cork, their spirit is preserved in the vigour of the landscape with the handsome coastline where the light of the famous Fastnet Rock swings across tumbling ocean and spray-tossed headland. The county is a repository of the good things of life, a treasure chest of the finest farm produce, and the very best of seafood, brought to market by skilled specialists.
The town of Killarney is where the Ring of Kerry begins and ends for many, among the lakes and mountains where they are re-establishing the enormous white-tailed sea eagle, has long been a magnet for visitors. Across the purple mountains from Killarney, the lovely little town of Kenmare in South Kerry is both a gourmet focus, and another excellent touring centre. As one of the prettiest places in Ireland, Kenmare puts the emphasis on civic pride.
That Galway Bay coastline in Co. Clare is where The Burren, the fantastical North Clare moonscape of limestone which is home to so much unexpectedly exotic flora, comes plunging spectacularly towards the sea around the attractive village of Ballyvaughan.
Connemara, the Land of the Sea, where earth, rock and ocean intermix in one of Ireland's most extraordinary landscapes, and is now as ever a place of angling renown - you're very quickly into the high ground and moorland which sweep up to the Twelve Bens and other splendid peaks, wonderful mountains which enthusiasts would claim as the most beautiful in all Ireland. Beyond, to the south, the Aran Islands are a place apart.
Rivers often divide one county from another, but Fermanagh is divided - or linked if you prefer - throughout its length by the handsome waters of the River Erne, both river and lake. Southeast of the historic county town of Enniskillen, Upper Lough Erne is a maze of small waterways meandering their way into Fermanagh from the Erne'e source in County Cavan.
Co Cavan shares the 667 m peak of Cuilcagh with neighbouring Fermanagh. No ordinary mountain, this - it has underground streams which eventually become the headwaters of the lordly River Shannon, Ireland's longest river that passes south through many counties before exiting at the mighty estuary in Limerick. A magnet for tourism now with boating, fishing, cycling and walking-a-plenty.
Between the sheltered bays at the foot of the Glens of Antrim, the sea cliffs of the headlands soar with remarkable rock formations which, on the North Coast, provide the setting for the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Giant's Causeway.
A selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection, the ‘glovebox bible’ includes a uniquely diverse range of Ireland's greatest places to ...