At the end of the Prom in Salthill the locals all kick the wall for all kinds of reasons, some lofty and some daft. Now they go 10 more steps to visit Blackrock Cottage, alongside the iconic Diving Tower. Some go after their 7am swim to join the high achievers ...
John Moran and his wife Ellen, who always seemed to wear a scarf and lean over the half door, lived there for years. Even better known was their donkey, who kept the field onto the cottage in neat trim. Later, after too many years as a derelict site, McHugh Property Holdings bought it in 2018 and turned it into a well planned food business. The cottage itself is a near copy of what was there, even down to a real-looking gas fire at the end of the big room, and - while it is a reconstruction - many of the original materials were re-used. The new addition is a gleaming glass box, so different and modern, with an "almost" open kitchen, a large seating arrangement along one wall and tables looking onto a wonderful series of raised pods for sheltered outdoor eating with views across Galway Bay.
Breakfast is hugely popular here and the place is full for morning coffee, so for lunch you need to join a queue before 1pm as there are no daytime reservations. For dinner, online booking is required - while not popular with everyone ans - while online reservations are not popular with everyone - all is forgiven by most, thanks to the quality of the experience and the respect given to local producers (see website for details). While not inexpensive, the appealing à la carte menu is fairly priced with accessibility for local diners in mind and that makes a refreshing change from the trend towards high-end tasting menus. There's plenty of choice, including some imaginative vegetarian dishes, and the cooking is spot on. Lucky Galway.
