Everybody loves Burkes pub in Clonbur - this characterful old family-run pub is one of this attractive village’s greatest assets, well known for atmosphere, music and homely food.
It’s a friendly, welcoming place no matter when you might d ... more...
It may be modest-looking from the road, but this 1960s hotel enjoys a superb shoreside location on the edge of Dingle town and has won many friends over the years.
A well-run, family-friendly hotel with organised entertainment for children in school ... more...
This aptly named hotel just across the road from the river has a dramatic lobby with a large marble and granite fountain feature - and an imposing cast-iron staircase creates a certain expectation.
Bedrooms, many of which have views over the Shannon, ... more...
Just beside the bridge over the Shannon in Tarmonbarry, this well-run bar and restaurant is a favourite watering hole for river folk and makes a great place to break a journey between Dublin and the north-west.
The bar is comfortably set up for food, ... more...
This characterful pub beside the Everyman Palace Theatre was established in 1875 and is named after its founder.
Long before the arrival of the "theme pub", Lowrey's was famous for having windows which originated from Kilkenny Cathedral, but ... more...
This small cut stone hotel is on a height overlooking Kileany Bay and Kilronan harbour; just 3 minutes walk from the main centre, Ostan Arann is the only hotel on the biggest of the Aran Islands and is becoming very popular with both visitors and loca ... more...
An 18th century hostelry in the small village of Donaghmore, Ciaran and Vicki McCausland's appealing pub is the centre of the local community - but, since Ciaran McCausland returned to his home county and took over the family business some years ago, t ... more...
This unusual establishment in the centre of Birr runs through five Georgian townhouses. It was restored and refurbished some years ago, with a central courtyard garden and its surrounding stone arches making a major feature which is still very much a U ... more...
Maurice O’Donovan's well-named bar in Bantry is a cosy and welcoming place, bustling with life and ideal for a wholesome bite at moderate prices.
Maurice is the chef and takes pride in using local produce and giving value for money; his menus fe ... more...
This beautifully located hotel is an attractive building which makes the best possible use of the site without intruding on the surroundings: set on the sea side of the road, in its own extensive grounds, it is hard to credit that Galway city is only a ... more...
Spring brings plenty of reasons to get out and about - and there's cause for celebration too, with Mother's Day, St Patrick's Day and Easter all presenting very good reasons to give in to temptation. And - especially appealing as it's a weather proof option - Afternoon Tea can provide a perfect excuse for a relaxing get together. It's become one of the nation's favourite outings in recent years, with desirable destinations all over the country offering memorable experiences to delight all a ...
Travelling the roads of Ireland more than most, we know what a difference a good journey break can make - and we have dozens of favourite pit stops dotted around the country. For this collection, we have picked some of the best that open fairly long hours, for those relaxing en-route meals.
It's been a strange year so far, weather-wise, but with no shortage of sunshine and - unusually for Ireland - real heat. Met Eireann may say it's warm, but to most of us it's hot and one of the best ways to deal with it is under a parasol while enjoying a drink or a leisurely meal. Here are a few of the many excellent places where you can do that...
Summer may be a long time coming this year, but when the sun is out and you’re off on a break there’s nothing that says ‘down time’ like alfresco dining. So here are just a (very) few of this year’s favourites to enjoy in lovely places on your summer travels around the country.
Summer in Ireland and seafood is at its best...With dozens of seriously good speciality seafood restaurants around the country, our selection below is just a drop in the ocean. Better get started with this little taster then – always remembering there are plenty more (including many deservedly famous places) to choose from as well...
Georgina Campbell suggests some interesting destinations for an off-season break at this time of plenty. These are just a few of the places where nature's bounty is celebrated in wonderful ways: foraging expeditions, cookery courses and, of course, delicious seasonal meals that make the most of the harvest - often with a special focus on vegetarian cooking
No surprise that Kerry came top of a recent survey polling favourite counties for Irish holidays - sure wasn’t Queen Victoria herself a fan? August is a time for casual dining - out of doors if you're lucky - so this month we’ve picked some great summer pubs to enjoy in the top ten 'staycation' counties
Discerning diners are always interested to know where their food comes from, and what could be more delightful than taking a stroll around the garden where it was growing just hours - or minutes - before it landed on your plate. More and more restaurants are taking ownership of their fresh produce supplies now, and these are just some of the most interesting kitchen gardens.
There’s a growing feeling that Ireland is now ready to focus on the needs of the ‘food tourist’, as opposed to the visitor who simply enjoys good food as part of the overall experience. The true food tourist (international and domestic) will choose their holiday destination specifically to explore it through its food.
What a wonderful time to enjoy the spring in County Kerry. Slow down, wander, forage, and savour Killarney on a two-night escape inspired by the land, featuring guided local foraging and a memorable dining experience that captures the spirit, flavour and adventure of Killarney in Arbour restaurant.
Inviting guests to savour a moment of refined indulgence, the Mount Congreve Gardens luxurious Festive Afternoon Tea Experience is offered through November and December this winter...
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.