Killarney's Pig’s Lane named Bar Of The Year 2026. Cork Heritage Pubs named Pub Group of the Year

Top Bars Revealed in 2026 Awards

2026 The Square Bar of the Year Awards in Ireland

#barawards2026

PUB GROUP OF THE YEAR GOLD FOR CORK HERITAGE PUBS

- Pig’s Lane in Co. Kerry was named Bar Of The Year, also winning Gold for Best Designed Bar / Inside Space and Cocktail Bar of the Year.

- Dublin led the way with multiple Gold wins across various categories, including The Merrion Hotel, Café en Seine, and The Stags Head.

- Cork and Kerry excelled in the south, with venues like Paladar and Woolshed Baa & Grill taking home Gold awards.

- Silken Thomas in Co. Kildare was the People's Choice Overall winner, along with winning People's Choice Leinster.

The Report:

IRELAND’S FINEST HOSPITALITY CELEBRATED AS WINNERS OF THE 2026 THE SQUARE BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS ARE REVEALED. 

The premier stars of Ireland’s licensed trade were crowned on Monday 24th of August at the gala ceremony of The Square Bar of the Year Awards 2026, hosted by Anton Savage, held at the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road, Dublin. Following a record-breaking year featuring over 1,000 national entries, the industry gathered to honour the extraordinary innovation, resilience, and craftsmanship defining Irish bars, hotels, craft breweries, and hospitality venues.

Led by overall headline sponsor Square, the national competition recognised gold, silver, and bronze winners across more than 30 dynamic categories. 

"The sheer calibre of entries we received this year was nothing short of inspiring," said Trish Murphy, Sales and Sponsorship Director at Licensing World. "Across every region, venues are setting new benchmarks and re imagining what top-tier hospitality looks like. The standard of entries highlights an industry rich in innovation, passion, and an unyielding commitment to delivering remarkable experiences." 

Pig’s Lane Sweeps Top Honours as Bar Of The Year: Pig’s Lane, Co. Kerry emerged as the undisputed star of the night, taking home the overall title of Bar Of The Year. The Killarney venue proved its unmatched excellence across the board by also sweeping Gold for both Best Designed Bar / Inside Space and Cocktail Bar of the Year.

Connacht & Ulster Victories: The West and North-West made a major impact, taking home several prestigious Gold titles. Galway shone with Tom Sheridan's Bar & Restaurant (Joe O'Callaghan, Bar Manager of the Year Gold), The Kings Head (Gold - Best Live Entertainment Bar), and Sonny Molloy's Irish Whiskey Bar (Gold -Whiskey Bar of the Year). Maddens Bridge Bar & Restaurant in Donegal won Gold for Best Wine Bar of the Year, while Mayo scored Gold in Outside Space of the Year (Henehans Venue) and Staff Personality of the Year (The Porter House Westport).

Dublin's Gold Rush: The capital led the charge across multiple major categories. Highlights include The Merrion Hotel (Gold - 5 Star Hotel Bar ), The Sackville Lounge (Gold - Best Newcomer), Café en Seine (Gold - City Bar of the Year), Rascals Brewing Company (Gold - Craft Bar of the year ), The Old Spot (Gold -Gastro Bar of the year), The Collins Club at The Leinster (Gold - Hotel Cocktail Bar of the year ), The George (Gold - Late Bar/Nightclub of the year), The Laurels Clondalkin (Gold - Local Bar of the year ), 37 Dawson Street (Gold - Outstanding Customer Service of the Year), SOLE Seafood & Grill (Gold - Restaurant Bar of the Year ), The Stags Head (Gold - Traditional Bar of the Year), and Celtic Nights at The Arlington Hotel (Gold - Visitor Attraction of the Year).  

Leinster Champions: The Dew Drop Inn & Brewhouse in Kildare claimed Gold for Innovative Bar of the Year and Silken Thomas, Co. Kildare sweeping both People's Choice Leinster and People's Choice Overall. High-concept venues across the region rounded out a powerful showing, with Silver awards for mo chara, Co. Louth (Craft Bar of the Year), McSorley's Kilkenny (Best Newcomer).  Left Bank, Kilkenny (City Bar of the Year), alongside Peadars Bar Moate (Traditional Bar of the Year), The Make & Mark, Laois (Outstanding Customer Service Award), and The Terrace, Carlow (Outside Space) won Bronze.

Munster Excellence: Cork and Kerry led a massive wave of wins in the south. Beyond Pig's Lane in Kerry, Cork venues took Gold in Bar Food of the Year (Paladar), Best Bar to Watch the Match (Woolshed Baa & Grill), Cocktail Bartender of the Year (Akram Bendjeddou, Paladar), Hotel Bar of the Year (Cask), and Tourist Bar of the Year (Sin É). Cork Heritage Pubs was named Pub Group of the Year.

People's Choice Winners: Voted directly by the public across the four provinces, Silken Thomas, Co. Kildare achieved national glory by taking home both People's Choice Leinster and People's Choice Overall. Regional public favourites also included The George, Co. Dublin (People's Choice Dublin), Geary's Bar Charleville, Co. Cork (People's Choice Munster), and Mc Hughs Bar, Co. Leitrim (People's Choice Connacht/Ulster).