This attractive and characterful pub in Carrick on Shannon is run by brothers Conor and Ronan Maher, sons of former Carrick-on-Shannon hoteliers, Rosaleen and the late Tom Maher (see entry for Hollywell), and it will be very clear to anyone who visits that they’ve inherited “the hotelier’s gene”: everything is invariably spick-and-span, very welcoming and efficiently run, even at the busiest times.
The bar - which is very pleasantly set up in a solidly traditional style with two welcoming fires, comfortable seating arrangements for eating the excellent bar meals, and occasional contemporary tastes in the decor - leads off towards a sheltered beer garden at the back, which makes a spot for a sunny day.
A strong kitchen team produces consistently excellent food, offered on appealing lunchtime bar menus and more extensive à la carte evening menus, and food is also served in an attractive semi-open first floor dining area that overlooks the bar.
Dinner can be a real treat, beginning perhaps with Donegal crab, served with warm lightly-breaded trout mousseline, Goatsbridge trout caviar, cucumber and squid ink crackers, and followed by any one of half a dozen terrific main courses, perhaps Andarl farm free-range pork, served with apricot & raisin stuffing, pork cheek & apple spring roll, leeks, onion puree, potato & sage bon bon and jus.
And desserts have always been a speciality here, so don’t forget to save a space for a wonderful ending such as a delicious avocado & lime cylinder, strawberry & cucumber salsa, lime carpaccio and Drumshanbo gunpowder gin syrup or dark chocolate ganache tart, white chocolate creameaux, caramelized hazelnuts, hot peanut butter & caramel sauce.
Although the Sunday and Monday closure can be disappointing for visitors to the town, this is one of the country’s pleasantest pubs and it just goes on getting better - definitely worth a detour.
