Famed for its rustic charm, the Derragarra Inn has always had a good reputation - and it was never better than in the current ownership of chef Fergus Murphy and his wife Susan, who established the popular Murph's Bistro nearby at Cootehill in 2006, and later moved it to this much-loved venue just off the N3 near Cavan Town.
Hard as it is to believe looking at this characterful property now, it was almost destroyed by fire soon after the Murphys opened here - yet, in a remarkably short time, they had re-built it even better than before and re-opened to well-deserved acclaim.The famous old front bar with its time-honoured collection of visitors' bank notes and business cards pinned to the ceiling may have been lost, but the reconstruction remained faithful to the original in many ways while also introducing a refreshingly contemporary tone.
Natural materials and an open fire make the bar a warm and welcoming spot to enjoy a drink or a casual bite to eat, while the appealingly furnished restaurant adds a sense of occasion for those times when a little more formality is called for. Even better, in fine weather, is the enticing riverside terrace, which is an especially relaxing venue for summer dining.
Menus are a good match for the setting, offering a balance of traditional crowd pleasers and house dishes (Murph's Caesar Salad, Murph's Garlic Mushrooms, Murph's Famous Chicken Wings, Slow Cooked Silverhill Half Duck, Prime Sirloin Steaks...) and less usual dishes. Alongside steaks and specials highlighted daily on blackboards, the house speciality, when available, is whole Dover sole on the bone, which is a big treat by any standards and hardly something that many Irish pubs would aspire to.
Fergus is known for his support of local and Irish produce - and prices are fair. There's a wholesome children's menu, special diets are catered for (although it would be wise to check) and there's a full bar that's well stocked with local drinks as well as all the big brands, plus a well priced wine list.
All this and warmly efficient service from the mainly local staff - plenty of good reasons to plan a meal at Murph's.
