Showing posts with label Inchydoney Island. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inchydoney Island. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Cork City newcomer Paladar is Bar of the Year!

 

2023 Bar of the Year Awards Winners Announced!
Paladar in Co. Cork was named Bar of the Year at this year's prestigious Bar of The Year Awards ceremony which took place in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road.
Celebration time for Paladar and Cask


Amongst the galaxy of contenders, the most exceptional bars have been recognized and celebrated for their extraordinary contributions to the hospitality industry. These establishments have elevated the art of mixology, ambiance, and service, captivating patrons with unforgettable experiences.


After rigorous evaluation and deliberation by an esteemed panel of industry experts only the best in the industry were crowned winners. Amongst many other winners on the night, Bar No 23. at The Merrion Hotel in Co.Dublin took home Gold for "Five Star Hotel Bar of the Year" Sponsored by London Essence, while BAR 1661 took home Gold for "Innovative Bar of the Year", Sponsored by Istil 38.

The winners were announced on Monday, the 21st of August at a gala awards ceremony hosted by Anton Savage at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road.
Montenotte's Ray Kelleher has an even bigger smile than usual!




Bar of the Year 2023 Winners
5 Star Hotel Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - Bar No 23. at The Merrion Hotel, Co.Dublin
Silver Winner - The Courtyard Bar at Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, Co.Kildare
Bronze Winner - The Sidecar Bar at The Westbury, Co.Dublin
Sponsored by London Essence
Bar Food of the Year
Gold Winner - Blake's Bar Galway, Co.Galway
Silver Winner- The Blue Haven Kinsale, Co.Cork
Bronze Winner - The Hideout, Co. Kildare
Best Bar To Watch The Match
Gold Winner - Woolshed Baa & Grill Cork, Co.Cork
Silver Winner - Dignam’s Bar, Co. Monaghan
Bronze Winner - Buskers On The Ball, Co. Dublin
Sponsored by Sky Business
Best Designed Bar / Inside Space
Gold Winner - The Montenotte Hotel, Co. Cork
Silver Winner - The Gables, Co. Dublin
Bronze Winner - Paladar, Co. Cork
Best Live Entertainment Bar
Gold Winner - The Porter House, Co. Mayo
Silver Winner - The Blue Haven Kinsale, Co. Cork
Bronze Winner - O’Donoghue Public House, Co. Kerry
Best Newcomer
Gold Winner - Paladar, Co. Cork
Silver Winner - Kodiak, Co. Dublin
Bronze Winner - The Gables, Co. Dublin
Best Value Pub
Gold Winner - Oasis Bar, Co. Donegal
Silver Winner - The Black Forge Inn, Co. Dublin
City Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - Left Bank, Co. Kilkenny
Silver Winner - Lemon & Duke, Co. Dublin
Bronze Winner - The Front Door Pub, Co. Galway
Sponsored by Schweppes
Cocktail Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - BAR 1661, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - Paladar, Co. Cork
Bronze Winner - 9 Below, Co. Dublin
Sponsored by Maker's Mark
Craft Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - Caribou, Co. Galway
Silver Winner - Lock 13 Brewpub, Co. Kildare
Bronze Winner - Impala, Co. Cork
Gastro Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - The Dew Drop Inn & Brewhouse, Co. Kildare
Silver Winner - Monks, Co. Clare
Bronze Winner - Russells Seafood Bar, Doolin, Co. Clare
Sponsored by Classic Drinks
Gin Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - Andy’s Bar Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
Silver Winner - Tigh Nora, Co. Galway
Bronze Winner - HYDE Bar & Gin Parlour, Co. Galway
Sponsored by Xin Gin
Hotel Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - HYDE Bar, Co. Galway
Silver Winner - The Montenotte Hotel, Co. Cork
Bronze Winner - Dunes Bar & Bistro at Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa, Co. Cork
Sponsored by Tia Maria
Innovative Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - BAR 1661, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - Nevins Newfield Inn, Co. Mayo
Bronze Winner - Cask, Co. Cork
Sponsored by Istil 38
Late Bar / Nightclub of the Year
Gold Winner - 37 Dawson Street, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - r.i.o.t. Dublin, Co. Dublin
Bronze Winner - 1314 at Jerry Flannerys, Co. Limerick
Local Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - Dignam’s Bar, Co. Monaghan
Silver Winner - Peadars Bar Moate, Co. Westmeath
Bronze Winner - The Railway Tavern, Fahan, Co. Donegal
Sponsored by New Payment Innovation Limited
Outside Space of the Year
Gold Winner - House Dublin, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - Kenny’s of Lucan, Co. Dublin
Bronze Winner - Nevins Newfield Inn, Co. Mayo
Outstanding Customer Service Award
Gold Winner - The Landmark, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - Russell’s Saloon Gin Emporium, Co. Louth
Bronze Winner - Harrigan’s Bar & Grill, Co. Kildare
Sponsored by Cointreau
Restaurant Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - FIRE Steakhouse & Bar, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - The Club At Goffs, Co. Kildare
Bronze Winner - Mama Yo, Co. Dublin
Sponsored by Coole Swan
Tourist Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - The Brazen Head, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - The Locke, Co. Limerick
Bronze Winner - Brass Fox Wicklow, Co. Wicklow
Sponsored by QuickTips
Traditional Bar of the Year
Gold Winner - The Stag’s Head, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - Gracie’s Bar, Co. Sligo
Bronze Winner - The Brazen Head, Co. Dublin
Visitor Attraction of the Year
Gold Winner - Roe & Co Distillery, Co. Dublin
Silver Winner - Lock 13 Brewpub, Co. Kildare
Bronze Winner - The Black Forge Inn, Co. Dublin
Sponsored by Excel Recruitment
Whiskey Bar Of The Year
Gold Winner - The Shelbourne Bar Cork, Co. Cork
Silver Winner - Sonny Molloy’s Irish Whiskey Bar, Co. Galway
Bronze Winner - Costigan’s Pub, Co. Cork
Sponsored by Roe & Co
Pub Group of the Year
Gold Winner - Nola Clan
Sponsored by Alliance Ireland
Staff Personality of the Year
Ian Murray
Bar Manager of the Year
Conor Moloney
People's Choice Award
Dublin - The Black Forge, Co.Dublin
Leinster - The Hideout, Co.Kildare
Munster - The Locke, Co.Limerick
Connacht / Ulster - McHughs Bar, Co.Leitrim
Overall Winner - The Locke, Co.Limerick
Judges Choice
Winner - Jimmy Rabbittes
Gail Cotter Special Recognition Award
Winner - Mary Kerrigan, Clayton Hotel Burlington Road
Bar of the Year
Winner - Paladar
Sponsored by Licensing World

Monday, April 15, 2019

Dine by the Water. Superb food and superb views

Dine by the Water
Superb food and superb views

Bunnyconnellan's
I’ve been very lucky this past few years to have dined in some well placed restaurants and cafes, places from Cork to Donegal that have a dining room with a view over water. Sometimes over a river, maybe over an estuary, over a lake perhaps, and then sometimes over the ocean. I was lucky too to have brilliant weather in most of the places.
Carrig Country House

Caragh Lake is in Kerry, not too far from Killorglin, and you have great views over its waters when you dine in the splendid Carrig Country House
Screebe House - their photo

There are some similarities between Carrig House and the lovely Screebe House  in Connemara; great food and great views. 
Blairscove

And in West Cork, near Durrus, there is Blairscove House. Here you can enjoy a splendid dinner and views over Dunmanus Bay. And another waterside gem in West Cork is Heron's Cove, perched nicely at Goleen.
Heron's Cove

Breakfast view (just a small section of it!) from the Trident's Pier One
There are no shortages of harbour views in Kinsale. One of my most recent visits was to Man Friday on the hills above the bay . And another recent visit was to the Trident Hotel, right in the town and so close to the waters that you think a boat is going to come through the dining room windows.
Sunrise at Garryvoe
The Samphire at the Garryvoe Hotel has expansive views of Ballycotton Bay and the lighthouse, excellent food too. 
Bayview, Ballycotton

And across the bay, its sister hotel, the Bayview has an even more spectacular cliff-top situation and amazing fish dishes.
Hake at Celtic Ross
The views at Rosscarberry’s Celtic Ross, where French chef Alex Petit maintains a high standard, are quieter but no less pleasant.

No shortage of views from the Inchydoney Hotel (above) which is situated on the spectacular beach of the same name.
Window view from the Eccles

Further west, go and stay at the Eccles Hotel, once home of the rich and famous.

Also in West Cork, be sure and visit beautiful Courtmacsherry and the small Courtmacsherry Hotel with its gorgeous views.
Enjoying a local beer on the terrace of the Lifeboat Inn

Also in Courtmac, you'll find terrific food at the Lifeboat Inn
Lunch-time view at the Cliff House

Ardmore’s Cliff House is renowned for the food, the views over the bay!
Blaa Eggs Benedict at The Granville
View from Strand Inn
overlooking Cahore in Wexford
Prawns Pil Pil
at The Strand

Waterford's excellent  Granville Hotel overlooks the harbour, right in the city centre. 

Next door in Wexford, check out the views from the Strand Inn in Cahore, in the north-east of the county, and also from the dining room at Hook Head Lighthouse in the south-west

Pier 26
Back again to Ballycotton and to Pier 26. This restaurant overlooks the harbour and the lighthouse island and the fish is highly recommended, of course! And down in Schull, L'Escale is right in the harbour area; the lobster here is a must try.


And if you really want a 360 degree ocean view while dining then take a trip from Ringaskiddy in Cork to Roscoff in Brittany on board the Pont Aven.  Splendid food and views!

Dingle
For harbour views, you'll find it hard to beat the sights as you come and go to Dingle’s Out of the Blue. And close by is the Boatyard. Fish will be on the menus of both for sure. Then again, there's a splendid view of Cork Harbour from the tea rooms at Camden Fort Meagher (below).
View over Cork Harbour from Camden Fort Meagher

Rosapenna
No shortage of seaside restaurants in Donegal. One of the best is the Seaview Tavern in Malin Head village even if the view to the sea is somewhat interrupted by the cars park across the road. No such problems at the Rosapenna Golf Hotel, whose dining room overlooks Sheephaven Bay and the beach at Downies. Further west, the bar at the Cove at Portnablagh, another top restaurant, overlooks a different part of the same bay.
The Bayview, Ballycotton
Perhaps the best ocean view is that enjoyed from your table in Bunnyconnellan’s, a very pleasant view and very enjoyable food here at this renowned Crosshaven (Cork) venue.
Islander's Rest on Sherkin
Back to West Cork and to Baltimore and Le Jolie Brise where I’ve sometimes enjoyed a dish of mussels as the day drew to a close with the island of Sherkin out in front. Speaking of Sherkin, the Islander's Rest sure has great water views!
Ostan Gweedore
Hard to top that. One view that comes close, maybe level, maybe even better, is from the Donegal restaurant of Ostan Gweedore where there is the most fantastic view over the beaches and the waters of the Atlantic.

Turbot at Electric Fish Bar
Perhaps you prefer river views. One of the best in Cork is from Electricespecially from the Fish Bar. From the first floor of the South Mall building, you have fine views of the southern channel of Lee to the west and to the east.
River Lee Hotel, top left
Also in the city, you can almost dip your fingers in the Lee as you wine and dine at the River Club  of the lovely River Lee Hotel.  
View from the restaurant in Dripsey Garden Centre

The Garden Restaurant, above the same River Lee, is at the very popular Griffin’s Garden Centre in rural Dripsey. Here you can enjoy some of Granny Griffin’s delights as you watch the water-skiers speed by down below.

Never know what you might see passing as you dine in Cobh
You have no shortage of harbour views in Cobh where you’ll find The Quays and The Titanic Bar & Grill.  And you’ll also find pleasant estuary views not too far away at Murph’s  in East Ferry. 
Kenmare Bay
The Boathouse at Dromquinna, near Kenmare, is also well situated, right on the northern flank of the bay. And, in Limerick, the place to be is Locke Bar
Locke Bar's water-side tables

The Fish Basket on Long Strand, Castlefreke, Co. Cork, has recently opened here
in what was previously the Puffin Cafe

Have you a personal favourite view over water while dining? If you'd like to share, please use the Comment facility below.

Monday, June 18, 2018

Clonakilty Street Carnival. The more we pull together, the further we will go.

Clonakilty Street Carnival. The more we pull together, the further we will go.
Volunteers

I spotted a demi-sphere in a Clonakilty back-garden last Saturday. It was made of old bicycle wheels. Inside there were a few hens and outside it supported some thriving peas. It struck me later that this kind of inventiveness, this ability to think outside the box and to cherish those who do so, is part of the town’s success. 
Chris O'Sullivan introduces Mayor Gretta O'Donovan

The motto at Richy’s Restaurant, now celebrating 16 years in the town - Think Global, Eat Local - is another example, another spur to raise the bar. Richy is full of enthusiasm. He doesn’t see barriers, he says. Richy doesn’t hum and haw. “If you want me to cook a meal on top of Carrigfadda Hill, I’ll do it.” 
Work to be done!

And they do support local here as was underlined the following morning when we sat down to breakfast at Glendine, a lovely B&B run by Mick (Clonmel) and Mari (Youghal) Hanly, both members of the brass band, and involved in the carnival and the town. Local all the way on the plate here.
Getting there

Clon, as it is popularly known, has a string of awards to its credit, including Tidy Town and Entente Florale. It is designated an Irish Heritage town. It is the first official Fair Trade Town in Ireland and, more recently, was named European Town of the Year in 2017, that after a major refurbishment of the main street, the very street in which they hosted, for the third time, an amazing street carnival, the highlight of which was the feeding of about 2,000 people last Saturday. Population of the town is about 4,500.

We got down there early-ish on Saturday morning. Three massive rows of tables were laid out. But they were bare. Not for long though. Soon the organised volunteers appeared. The tables were covered and then pots of wild flowers began to appear. At the entrance to the street, the providers, local restaurants and hotels, were setting up in the covered area.

In Clon, there is something for everyone: “Social Together” was the theme for the 2018 festival and that of course meant kids, lots of them. And they had their own long table. And much more besides. 

All day long, amidst the colourful ribbons, bubbles and bunting, there was live music, a kids’ zone with supervised bouncy castles, pottery classes, penalty-shootouts, face-painting, magicians, bubbles and popcorn machines, as well as giant games, ping pong, and crazy golf, and an enclosed area for the real smallies. Street performers, with games and costumes, helped the kids enjoy themselves.

Gradually the momentum began to build as the weather held good and the locals and visitors began to arrive in force to enjoy the free entertainment and to make the  theme of “Social Together” a lively fun-filled reality. The more we pull together, the further we will go.

And there was music, lots of it, off all kinds, from jazz to pop groups to their own magnificent Clonakilty Brass Band (founded in 1900). Some played in the Astna Square area near the kids zone while others took to the big stage at the other end of the street. And there were others trying their luck, even a teenage quartet belting out Beatle numbers on a side street.

While music in Clonakilty, like life in the town, has many strands, the town credits Noel Redding’s impact on his adopted home as “monumental”. In 1972, Noel, the original bass played with Jimmy Hendrix, moved to Clon and stayed there for the next 27 years. His legacy continues in the venues he performed at, the festivals he helped to inspire and the abundance of musical talent he fostered and attracted to the locality.

Of course, the main focus in the afternoon would be back at those tables. As three o’clock approached, we joined the queue, a long one but very good humoured. Soon, we were making choices, so many as you can see on the photo of the menu, everything from Quality Hotel’s Falafel and trimmings to Lettercollum’s Paella, from Celtic Ross’s Bacon and Cabbage croquette (very good reports on that one) to Hart’s Cafe’s veggie curry. I enjoyed the Asian style Seafood Noodle salad by Scannell’s while CL’s choice was the Nasi Goren by Richy’s. 

But there was something for everyone. Oh yes and there was dessert also, big pots of stunning fruit yogurt by Irish Yogurts. And a drink? Of course. Plenty of water, wine and a special beer for the day (a good one too!) by the local brewery. All for fifteen euro! The kids meals, by the way, cost seven. 
The queue!
Looking for a seat!

And once we had our meal in hand, the next question was where to sit? But no problem. As we left the serving area, we were met by one of the fantastic volunteers. She had a tray, put our food on it and guided us, chatting and laughing, to seats that we, left to our devices, might have found difficult to spot. So we ate and the music played and the sun shone! Great stuff.

So well done to the committee and the volunteers, people who also had their businesses and shops to run on the day. I met some of them including Kevin O’Regan, Mick Hanley, Michelle Mitton, Trish Kerr, Tim Coffey, Andrew Loane, Chris O’Sullivan, Robert O’Keeffe and Richy Virahsawmy.
from Scannell's

If Chris was everywhere music was happening, Richy was everywhere there was food! And he was a happy man as the rush wound down. “Would you find this anywhere else in Ireland?”, he asked. So big congrats to Richy and all his colleagues behind the scenes for another fantastic day in Clonakilty.

Sponsors too play a major role here and the list is as long as Mick Hanley’s arms (both of them!). This year the Street Carnival committee were delighted to welcome Irish Yogurts as a platinum sponsor. Irish Yogurts is a family run business and was founded in Clonakilty in 1994 by Diarmuid O’Sullivan.

Kevin O’Regan, Clonakilty Carnival Committee: “This is a community effort driven by commitment, enthusiasm and great energy.” Craic, ceol, bia, comharsanna, cuairteoirí = an meitheal is mó ar domhan. See you next year in Clon!