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...
A brightly painted and, in summer, flower-bedecked traditional pub frontage sets a welcoming tone at Spitalfields. Situated in the heart of The Liberties - the 'auld Dublin' of song and legend - it's near St Patrick's and Christchurch cathedrals and a ... more...
Small, stylish and light-flooded, Margadh RHA is a café by day and wine bar by night. No ordinary wine bar, it punches well above its weight with the kind of menu that wouldn’t be out of place at a top restaurant. Tapping into the zeitgeis ... more...
Hidden away in the centre of Clonakilty, on a lovely serene Georgian square that (except on Friday mornings when the local farmers Market is held here) contrasts unexpectedly with the hustle and bustle of the nearby streets, The Emmet Hotel is somethi ... more...
This tall, narrow pub in Clonmel is packed with “artefacts of bygone days”, in short a mini-museum - but one with a giant screen which is discreetly hidden around the corner, for watching matches.
Upstairs (and there are a lot of them, thi ... more...
This chic, contemporary French restaurant could easily be missed given its location above their ground floor speciality grocery and food market (which simply begs you to browse). But once up the flight of stairs or lift, you'll find a bright and airy r ... more...
In the centre of Drogheda town, Sonia Micalef and Damien Leddy’s relaxed basement restaurant has long been a favourite for its atmospheric setting, lively menus and the obliging, good-humoured staff, who ease customers into the way that things ar ... more...
A covered area with outside seating and views of the working harbour just across the road beckons customers in to this nautically themed café-bar and, inside, window tables in the bright front rooms also offer harbour views.
Further back, the m ... more...
Aside from the spectacular oceanside location, the most striking thing about the Burke family's Armada Hotel is the staff - warm, friendly, efficient and engaging, they set the tone from the minute of arrival, so first time visitors to this impressive ... more...
You can’t miss this pretty white cottage pub with its cheerful red paintwork, at Garrykennedy’s charming little harbour. Maura and Cormac Boyle have gradually done a little gentle modernisation since they took over ownership of Larkins in 2 ... more...
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 ...
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.
The ‘glovebox bible’ is back! This selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection includes a uniquely diverse range of Ireland's greates ...