48 Hours in Westport. Sightseeing. Eating. Drinking.

48 Hours in Westport. 
Sightseeing. Eating. Drinking.

Keel Bay

Taking the long way round is a regular habit when I'm on the road and so, to get to Westport from Cork, I head to the Galway village of Leenane, at the inland point of Killary Harbour, as I want to drive from there to Louisburgh by the spectacular Doolough route.

Leenane

By the time we reached Leenane or Leenaune (you will see quite a lot of spelling variations of place-names in both Galway and Mayo), we were feeling peckish. The well-known Blackberry was still closed (at 12.15pm) so, after a stroll, we dropped into the nearby Sheep & Wool Centre for a bite. 

And we got a right good one.  They had a Soup and Sandwich offer. For €7.75 we each got a big bowl of soup and a sandwich. And not just your usual veg soup but a Tomato and Roasted Pepper (there was a choice of at least two soups). Great choices (12) also of sandwich fillings and dressings (7). 

For instance, I had tuna with salad and pesto on brown bread while Clare had chicken, roasted peppers, red onion marmalade. So they are not dishing out the same old same old. We thought the quality was very good as was the price.

Aasleagh

We noticed the Blackberry was open and busy as we walked back to the car, Minutes later, we passed the Carraig Bar, the last pub out of Connemara and then, all of a sudden, we saw the Aasleagh Falls in off the road. Walked in for a view and then drove on.

Doolough Famine Memorial

The beautiful Doolough area was, in 1849, the scene of one of the darkest events of the Famine. On a bitterly cold day, some 600 people in Louisburgh were seeking food or a ticket to the workhouse in Westport. They were told to contact the Poor Law officials who were, for some reason, in Delphi, about ten miles away. Some died overnight and the rest struggled over hills and mountains (no road then). The officials rose from their lunch and told the people they could do nothing for them and ordered them back to Louisburgh. No one knows how many died by the wayside.

Still incredibly sad, after all those years.

The Reek

 It is of course a short journey by car and soon we were passing through Louisburgh and on our way to Croagh Patrick. We had no intention of going to the top but did get about a third of the way up. It is rough enough with lots of big rocks and smaller loose stones but the views out over Clew Bay are magnificent, even on a cloudy day.

We stayed in the excellent Westport Plaza Hotel that night and enjoyed a lovely meal in their Merlot, a destination restaurant. Visited the bar afterwards. Didn't see any craft beer on tap. But they did have a fridge full of Mescan beer, 330ml bottles of local excellence!

 Mescan, by the way, was St Patrick’s brewer and no doubt the odd conversion was facilitated by a jug of his brew. The beer is still cloudy! Their Westport Blonde (5.5%) is superb.

But it was their Westport Saison (6.2%), more cutting, more fizzy, with clove and citrus notes, that I really enjoyed. Saison beer is a Belgian style brewed for seasonal workers. Reckon I'd appreciate one (or two) after a hard day’s labour or even after an idle day.

Westport House

 Day two was mostly an Achill Island affair. The sun came out and the lure of the Atlantic beauty was irresistible. We did the main drive, all the way through to Keem Bay. There were detours, of course. We took the loop to the south on the way out, the one to the north on the way back.

There were many stops to admire the stunning views over the cliffs and the seas, though the first stop was at the Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley castle, near to the lifeboat station.

The Pirate Queen's castle in Achill

For lunch, we dropped into the lovely Craft and Coffee shop called the Beehive in Keel. The food was excellent and very well priced (as it had been in Leenane). For just less than twenty euro, we each had a Chicken Bap (with a lovely salad) and tea, all served on beautiful ware by Shannon Bridge Pottery (Offaly).

Just made it back to Westport House about an hour before closing. The house, by the way, now has new local owners who have promised investment and improvements. We had a quick enough look-around upstairs and downstairs. Even visited the dungeon though spent more time in the extensive wine-cellar (now unfortunately empty, aside from a few old wooden markers).

Achill, above and below

We wouldn't be short of wine though when we visited the excellent Black Truffle Bistro in the town centre for a smashing dinner, a dinner that included one of the best fish dishes I’ve ever eaten.

Time then for another taste of the local brews and we headed up to the lively McGings. I passed the night - we had music by DramaCode later - with Clifford's Connacht Champion, or 3C for short, a refreshing golden ale (4%), one of the beers from the Clew Bay Brewery. 

Westport House, in the wine cellar

CL settled on a very nice and refreshing Achill beer, made using water from a local corrie lough and Carrigeen moss. 

Each beer came in its own proper glass; McGings don't do things by halves. Staff there are brilliant, very helpful if you are not acquainted with the beers (they include Franciscan Well Chieftain Pale Ale in their selection). The perfect end to another good day in Mayo.

The Black Truffle. A Westport gem that doesn’t cost the earth

The Black Truffle. 

A Westport gem that doesn’t cost the earth.

The Black Truffle is a new culinary gem in Westport, a very reasonably priced gem even it’s called after the expensive French black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), from the Dordogne. Here, on the €25.00 euro menu, you can enjoy three high standard courses, most of which feature on the A La Carte. It is indeed a French style bistro, as they claim, and comes with bistro prices.

I’ll let the owners, Dominique and Anna Miralles, explain: Cooking has always been our passion and here, in this humble French style bistro, we would like to share some of it with you. Working with Irish suppliers, we aim to get the best out of local produce to create simple and delicious dishes. We focus on modern, ambitious cooking using sophisticated techniques. To live up to its name ' the bistro', here at The Black Truffle we serve moderately priced meals, bringing, but not exclusively, some of the French classics.

Three alcohols!

We were there recently on a Friday night and had much to choose from the A La Carte. We were tempted by the Seared Scallops (with sweetcorn and lemongrass velouté, marsh samphire), the star starter.

CL though likes her mussels in a tomato sauce and went for the Chef’s Mussels in Tomato Sauce, saffron, flambéed with pastis and cognac (7.50). Now she likes her mussels in pastis and brandy and, as the chef Dominique later explained, white wine was the third alcohol in a lovely flavourful bowl of the bivalves. The mussels looked well and so did my Ibérico Ham, pickled cucumber, relish, quails eggs, and aioli (8.95).

The mussels (in an even bigger bowl) and Angus Steak both featured among the main course choices along with a tempting Pulled Brisket option. CL though plumped for a French classic: Duck Leg Confit, orange confit, glazed carrots, celeriac and beetroot shavings (19.95). Another superbly executed dish, perfect in every way.

She was happy and I was even happier with my simply described Seafood Gratin. Simple yes, and simply superb, one of the best seafood dishes I've come across in a long long time. I’ll give it its full title: Seafood Gratin, julienne of vegetables, mussels, scallops, smoked cod, hake, and sauce velouté (19.95).

The dessert list was short with a few simple titles also, including Lemon Tart (6.50). Again, no disappointment here, just top class. I like my Crème Brûlée and I like their Pistachio and White Chocolate Crème Brûlée even more. A lovely end to a delicious meal.

No shortage of teas or coffees in this simply furnished but very comfortable place which opened two months ago. The wine list is short but well chosen. The service is excellent, friendly and chatty. And, of course, the food is par excellence.

See also: 48 Hours in Westport

The Black Truffle 

3 Market Lane, 

Bridge Street, 

Westport, 

Co. Mayo

Tel: (098) 25912

On Whiskey Trail in Mayo. Visit to the Connacht Distillery

On Whiskey Trail in Mayo

Visit to the new Connacht Distillery

Connacht Distillery

Last weekend, after a drive from Donegal, we made it just  in time to take the 12.30pm tour of the new Connacht Distillery in Ballina, County Mayo. What else would you be doing on a Sunday morning!

Aside from a spanking new distillery, you need water, barley and yeast to make whiskey. Connacht get their water, clean water, from Lough Conn and Lough Cullen. Lots of iron and calcium in the water so it has to be demineralised before being used in the distilling process.

The malted barley, having come through the milling stage, meets up with the warmed water in the boiler tank. This liquid-y mix is called the mash and is put into the mash tun, another tank.  The sugar, from the barley, dissolves and is drawn off through the bottom of the mash tun. The resulting liquid is called 'wort'. Lautering is the next process, in the third tank (the Lauter tun), and here the mash is separated into the clear liquid wort and the residual grain.

Now we are on to the three wash vats, all stainless steel. Here, the yeast is added and begins to act on the sugar in the wort, turning it into alcohol over a period of two to four days. This wash is low in alcohol, much the same as that of wine.

Our guide now enthusiastically points to their three gleaming stills, which were made in Victoria, Canada. They have different necks which influence character and texture etc. The first tank is called Wash; the alcohol evaporates up the neck and leaves this tank at about 20% abv.

On then to the Feint tank where the process is repeated and the alcohol increases, this time to about 35%. The final, the third, tank is called the Spirit. Irish whiskeys are traditionally triple distilled. When the Spirit has done its work, the liquid, still clear (no colour) has an abv of about 70%!

Ballina last Sunday (28.08.16)

You’ve heard of flying winemakers. Well Connacht’s distiller Rob runs two distilleries in Pennsylvania and flies over regularly to Ballina. He also sources the oak casks which are charred and impart flavour and colour and in which the Connacht whiskey will be matured. The casks are made in Kentucky and are ex-Bourbon. All bottling is done here, all by hand.

Like many new distilleries, Connacht makes some white spirits to get the cash flow going while waiting the mandatory three years (and a day) for the whiskey. They are planning their gin and there will be some interesting botanicals included! The Poitin was due to be bottled the day after our visit but we did get a taste of their smooth Straw Boys Vodka. This wheat based drink is good and smooth, with a hint of  pepper in the aftertaste. The Straw Boys are a Mayo tradition, a sign of luck if they turn up at your wedding. “They are all about fun and getting the party going!”.

You will have to wait until 2019 to taste their own whiskey but in the meantime, they have been putting their own finish to a bought-in whiskey. It is called Spade and Bushel (after the tools of the trade) and is light amber in colour, smooth and sweet, hints of caramel and a “great after dinner drink”. No bother agreeing with that. Be careful with it though. One thing that sets this apart is that it is a cask strength whisky with an abv of 57.5%! It comes in a 37.5cl bottle.

The Straw Boys love a party

 When their own whiskey comes on the market, it will feature a rather special logo, a Celtic Dragon with a bunch of corn stalks in his claw.

There is another distillery starting up in Mayo, the Nephin, named after the county’s famous mountain. This is different. They are creating peated single malts made in a small Mayo village using locally grown barley, locally cut turf and triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills, then matured in unique casks handcrafted in their own cooperage. Must call there the next time!

My base for the night was the Grand National Hotel Ballina. They have a rather large bar and I was disappointed, considering the amount of breweries around the county, that they had no craft beer. Luckily, I spotted a Jameson Whiskey menu on the counter and spent an enjoyable hour or two sampling.

The new Connacht distillery. A new Greenway, from Ballina to Killala, starts alongside it.

The favourite was the Powers John's Lane Release at €9.00 a glass. The drop of water, the only other thing needed, was free! There is an abundance of aromas - don't stick your nose into the glass - just hover above it; it is full bodied, spicy and sweet and has a lingering finish. Think this is my new number one!

And if I can't get it, I’ll go for the Yellow Spot 12 Years Old, another single pot still whiskey, another smooth sweet customer at €9.50 a glass. It is complete from start to long finish with a distinctive sweetness at all stages. Sophisticated and complex they say. And it sure is. Reckon the Mayo distillery, indeed all new distilleries, have a fight on their hands. Perhaps, the best way to go about it is to avoid the direct collision and find your own niche.

Great for us customers though to have the choice!

Beers from the local Reel Deal

Aside from pulling a blank in the Ballina Hotel, craft beers, especially in bottle, were easy enough to find during this quick trip to Donegal Town and Ballina. Kinnegar Brewing and Donegal Brewing were available in The Harbour Restaurant in Quay Street in Donegal. And beers from the same two breweries were enjoyed over in the Village Tavern in Mountcharles. Last call in Donegal was the Olde Castle where the restaurant were offering their own beer called, appropriately, Red Hugh, and brewed in the county.

Ballina had started well enough with a couple of decent beers, the Irish Blonde amber ale and the General Humber French fusion ale, both by Mayo’s Reel Deel and both available in bottle in the upstairs restaurant of the lively Bar Square in Garden Street. And then came the blank in the hotel. The joys of researching. Still the whiskeys were a considerable consolation!

Killala, known to M. Humbert

Dine by the Water!

Dine by the Water

Superb food and superb views

Ostan Gweedore at Bunbeg, Donegal

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

Let me start with river views. One of the best is from the newly opened Fish Bar inElectric. 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. But have you been to Indigo Brasserie on Washington Street? Here too you have a fine view of a bend in the same river. 

Bunnyconnellan's Myrtilville (Cork)

And another excellent river view is to be found at the Market Kitchen restaurant, above the Murphy Brothers bar in Ballina. It wasn't quite warm enough to dine outside on the balcony but the Moy looked very well from the inside.

Time to move on now, nearer to the ocean, to the bays and estuaries and places such as the Rising Tide and Marlogue Inn in East Cork and further east you have the WalterRaleigh Hotel. You have no shortage in Cobh where you’ll find The Quays and The Titanic Bar. The Boathouse at Dromquinna, near Kenmare, is also well situated, right on the northern flank of the bay.

The Boathouse, Kenmare Bay

No shortage of seaside restaurants in Donegal. One of the best is the Seaview Tavern in Malin Head village but the view to the sea is somewhat interrupted by the cars parking across the road. No such problems at the Rosapenna Golf Hotel, whose dining room overlooks Sheephaven Bay and the beach at Downies. Further west along the same bay, the bar at the Cove at Portnablagh, another top restaurant, overlooks a different part of the same bay.

Back to Cork and to Baltimore and Le Jolie Brise where I’ve sometime enjoyed a dish of mussels as the day drew to a close with the island of Sherkin out in front. Locally, perhaps the best ocean view is that enjoyed from your table in Bunnyconnellan’s, a very pleasant view and very enjoyable food here. Hard to top that. One view that comes close, maybe level, maybe even better, is from the restaurant of Ostan Gweedore where there is the most fantastic view over the beaches and the waters of the Atlantic.

Rosapenna Hotel, Downies (Donegal)

Views are pleasing but you need good food too,
like this platter at the Seaview Tavern in Malin.

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

Mayo Stop-over

Mayo Stop-over

I enjoyed my recent one night in Ballina (County Mayo), especially the meal in the Market Kitchen and the overnight stay at the nearby Quignalegan House. The Irish don’t seem to have discovered Quignalegan yet as most of the guests come from the continent!

Amuse Bouche

Met up with my Mayo relations during the day and then checked in with Breege Padden at her Quignalegan House just about a mile out the Sligo Road from the well known Ice Hotel. Breege runs a four star guesthouse here and had the kettle on even before we thought of a cuppa. We enjoyed the tea in her well equipped lounge which has comfortable chairs, a TV and plenty of books.

Crab claws

The bedroom too was comfortable and spacious and had all the mod cons, including a flat screen TV. All rooms are ensuite and you’ll also find information here on what to see and do in the area. There is a breakfast menu. Cereals and fruits and yoghurts are on side tables and you might need to give Breege your cooked breakfast preferences in advance – otherwise it is the full Irish!

Scallops

Had heard only good things about the Market Kitchen, the restaurant that is on the floor above the Murphy Brothers Bar in Clare Street in the town. The kitchen is a big supporter of local producers and they are listed on the menu.

Duck

It comfortably seats 80 and it was busy on the Saturday night. We really enjoyed our dinner there. The local produce stood out in the starters, both top class. CL went for the Seared Scallops (pan-fried, with asparagus, chorizo, béarnaise, and Kelly’s black pudding crumbled). Mine was one of their signature dishes: the Achill Island crab claws (baked, with roast baby potatoes, garlic, chilli and lime cream).

Salmon

The main courses were also local, also superb. Mine was the Roast Breast of Silver hill Duck while CL went for the Grilled Fillet of Clare Island Salmon. The restaurant, as I said, was busy, but the bar was positively abuzz as we walked down the stairs and most of the punters seemed to be eating. Highly recommended!

River Moy, Ballina

Seaweed ingredient in Mayo Pudding

Kelly’s Greenway Pudding

Pictured at the launch of Kelly’s Greenway Pudding yesterday (Monday 30th July) at Mulranny Park Hotel were Anna Connor (Walking Development Officer, Mayo County Council), Sean Kelly (Kelly’s Butchers, Newport) and Dermot Madigan (Manager, Mulranny Park Hotel).

Here’s a clever response to the highly successful Greenway walking and cycling trail. Kelly’s Butchers, Newport, Co. Mayo have introduced Kelly’s Greenway Pudding sporting a map of the Greenway trail on the label. The new pudding, which contains Atlantic seaweed, was launched at Mulranny Park Hotel by Anna Connor (Walking Development Officer, Mayo County Council) and Dermot Madigan (Manager, Mulranny Park Hotel). The Greenway goes through Newport and walkers and cyclists pass by Kelly’s door when they are on it.

“We’re part of the Gourmet Greenway food trail”, says Sean Kelly of Kelly’s Butchers, “We have a lot of cycling and walking tourists coming into the shop and we wanted to create something specially for them. That was the inspiration for Kelly’s Greenway Pudding. We find the tourists are fascinated by the label, they love a souvenir that shows the Greenway itself. It’s our modern twist on the old stick of rock.”

Seaweed from the wild Atlantic shore is the special ingredient in the Greenway Pudding which is available as both a black and a white pudding. The taste is distinct, with a delicate hint of the ocean, but still has the unique Kelly’s flavour and texture. As with all Kelly’s puddings it holds its shape very well when cooked, which chefs love.

Kelly’s have also introduced a brand new seaweed flavoured sausage to their range, bringing the total of speciality sausages to an impressive 15.

At just €6 a pop Kelly’s Greenway Pudding  is proving an irresistible draw for Greenway users and locals as well. It is exclusively available in Kelly’s Butchers Shop, Newport and at Knock Airport. You have to come to Mayo to get Kelly’s Greenway Pudding .

CUINNEOG CELEBRATE 21ST BIRTHDAY

TAOISEACH HELPS CUINNEOG CELEBRATE 21^ST BIRTHDAY

Taoiseach Enda Kenny led the congratulations for Cuinneog Ltd., Balla, Co. Mayo, who are celebrating twenty one years in business. The birthday party took place at Rua, Castlebar and included celebration of their two gold stars presented at the 2011 Great Taste Awards earlier this year. Cuinneog also launched their new branding and packaging which will make the butter and buttermilk more visible on supermarket shelves countrywide. Cuinneog’s award winning products are Cuinneog Irish Farmhouse Country Butter and Cuinneog Buttermilk.

The Taoiseach a particular fan of  Cuinneog Buttermilk and took the opportunity to toast the celebrations with a glass full of creamy buttermilk. He said, “It really is the taste that makes the difference. I was at the State Banquet for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in May and had the pleasure of seeing Cuinneog products there. You can’t get on a stage like that without having excellence as a hallmark”.

The Taoiseach also spoke about the importance of small business to the economy, saying, “Despite our economic difficulties, we must look at every new job we create as being a step in the right direction. It is SMEs and micro enterprises which are the areas of real growth for this country. That’s businesses like Cuinneog”.

Speaking at the event, Seamus Mulligan, Business Development Manager, Cuinneog said, “All of us at Cuinneog would like to thank our many thousands of customers for their loyal support as well as all the stores that stock our products. We are also very grateful to our skilled and dedicated staff and quality suppliers. We could not have reached this business milestone of 21 years without them.”

21 years in business

Tom and Sheila Butler set up Cuinneog Ltd. in 1990 in Shraheens, Balla. They drew on their family history of butter production, using traditional recipes and methods. Today, although the business has expanded and changed, they remain loyal to the traditional processes. The production cycle takes four days and Cuinneog is the only company producing fermented butter in Ireland. Cuinneog is a valuable employer in the Shraheens area.

New branding

To celebrate their 21 years in business, Cuinneog have launched new packaging. Both Cuinneog Butter and Cuinneog Buttermilk now come in attractive burnt orange packaging bearing the slogan ‘Cuinneog ... for the flavour’. The instantly recognisable Great Taste Award logo is also featured.

Cuinneog products came to the attention of the nation during Queen Elizabeth II’s visit last May when both Cuinneog Butter and Cuinneog Buttermilk were used during the State Banquet.

Both Cuinneog butter and buttermilk are widely used in the restaurant and catering trade. Cuinneog Buttermilk comes in a 4 litre catering pack and Cuinneog Butter is supplied in a convenient cylindrical form, suitable for slicing into portion sizes in restaurants and hotels.

Cuinneog products are available in all major retail groups including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Superquinn/Musgraves, Supervalu, Costcutters, Euro Spar and independent stores. Artisan shops throughout the country carry Cuinneog products. Cuinneog products are also available in the UK.

DOUBLE GOLD FOR CUINNEOG

Cuinneog Ltd. (Balla, Co. Mayo), are celebrating after winning coveted gold stars for both Cuinneog Irish Farmhouse Country Butter and Cuinneog Buttermilk at the 2011 Great Taste Awards. This prestigious award scheme is run by the Guild of Fine Foods in the UK and a grand total of 7481 entries were received this year.

“Cuinneog Ltd. are really pleased with this result”, said Seamus Mulligan, Business Development Manager, Cuinneog, “We’ve received a Great Taste Award for our butter on three occasions before, but never for both our products. Cuinneog is the only buttermilk to achieve this award. It’s a real endorsement for Cuinneog and for genuine traditional Irish food”.

Bob Farrand, Chairman for The Great Taste Awards, said: “Winning Gold in the country’s largest and most respected independent food accreditation scheme is a massive pat on the back for any producer - independent proof their products are of the highest quality.

The Judges comments are made available to entrants and it was no surprise to Cuinneog that the flavour was specifically mentioned. “For the flavour” is the tagline used on Cuinneog butter and buttermilk and it’s good to know that the Judges at the Great Taste Awards agree with the sentiment.

Cuinneog can be found in all major retail groups including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Superquinn/Musgraves, Supervalu, Costcutters and Euro Spar. Artisan shops throughout the country carry Cuinneog products. Both Cuinneog butter and buttermilk are widely used in the restaurant and catering trade.

The Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, are now in their 18^th year and going from strength to strength. 7481 products were entered from 1600 companies for the 2011 Great Taste Awards. It took 350 experts 34 days to blind taste all the entries and decide which entries would achieve the coveted awards. The Great Taste Awards judging standards, devised by the Guild of Fine Food, are the most rigorous in the UK.

THE BROKEN JUG

For more on Mayo trip see: http://swissroll07.blogspot.com/

Ballina - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs


THE BROKEN JUG

“Situated in the heart of Ballina this extensive pub is really warm, welcoming and cosy. Providing the very best in food and drink, their carvery lunches are superb. A haven for the tourist or the weary shopper the Broken Jug is also very popular with the younger age group. The friendly and efficient staff will make your visit here truly memorable.”

The opening paragraph comes courtesy of the Broken Jug itself, a pub cum eatery in the Co. Mayo town. It is warm and friendly but the bare timber furniture and backless seating is more for the “younger age group”!

The restaurant section is a shade more comfortable and the food is very good, the service friendly and efficient and the prices reasonable.

The other night, I started with a magnificent chowder, very very tasty (indeed one of the best I've come across) and not suffocated with cream as happened in a Cork venue recently.

Main course was a lasagne. It was almost top class, and would have been but for it being a little overdone in the heating which made some of the edges too hard. Overall though – the cheese and mincemeat were excellent – it was a fine dish, served with chips and an undressed well mixed salad.

Dessert, there were about five choices, was homemade apple tart with cream and, yes, the apple was real chunky stuff, just the way I like it.

I have given it four stars but three and half would be more like it - if you're over forty!

Check out my review of The Broken Jug - I am cork - on Qype
For more on Mayo trip see: http://swissroll07.blogspot.com/

DOWNHILL HOUSE HOTEL (Ballina)

For more on Mayo trip see: http://swissroll07.blogspot.com/

DOWNHILL HOUSE HOTEL

The Downhill House Hotel, on the Sligo Road, was our Ballina base for a recent trip to County Mayo.

The Hotel, in a wooded riverside location quite close to the town centre, is well up to its 3 star rating.

All the staff are friendly and efficient; the rooms and public areas are comfortable, the leisure centre is popular and the Hotel also boasts well kept gardens where you can sit and stroll.

We enjoyed an excellent evening meal there: braised shank of lamb with an exceptional red wine sauce. A bottle of red from one of the Bordeaux chateaux cost just €20.00.

Service here is also friendly though sometimes a bit over attentive – you don't need your glass of water topped up each time you take a sup!

The breakfast was also very good and the full Irish was perhaps the best that I’ve come across.

If dinner is not included in your package, the restaurant prices can be very stiff and this is where the bar comes to the rescue.

Prices are reasonable here and the chef’s special often includes two or three items from the restaurant menu. We had a mild chicken curry one evening and it was a superb example of the type.

Check out my review of Downhill House Hotel - I am cork - on Qype

For more on Mayo trip see: http://swissroll07.blogspot.com/