BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2022; National Finalists Announced. Vote for your favourite!

 press release

BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2022; National Finalists Announced Vote here! Link at bottom. Following extensive deliberations and many miles travelled up and down the country visiting all the entrants, the finalists for the 2022 Bar of the Year Awards have been announced. From over 500 entries, the judges have whittled down the shortlist to 176 outstanding bars.Now in their 17th year, the awards celebrate all that is great about Irish pubs, clubs and bars, showcasing the high standards of the Licensed Trade across the country. All shortlisted premises are eligible for the Dingle Gin People’s Choice Awards, voted for by the public. Voting will be carried out provincially in Dublin, Leinster, Munster, Connacht/Ulster with the winners of each province announced on the night from which the coveted Dingle Gin People’s Choice winner will be chosen! Vote Here The winners of all categories will be revealed at a gala awards ceremony on 22nd August in the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin and will be hosted by Alan Shortt. Once again this year the Tasting Village will give the opportunity to the best in the industry to showcase their unique products to over 500 of the best in the trade. The quality of the offering in the licensed trade sector was highlighted during the site visits for this year's awards. Bar of the Year 2022 Finalists BAR FOOD OF THE YEAR INNOVATIVE BAR OF THE YEAR 101 Limerick Sponsored by Moutai 33 South Main An Poitin Stil 1824 Bar Blakes Corner Bar Andy’s Bar Flanagan's Gastro Pub Anti Social Molloys Bar & Grill Bar 1661 Oasis Bar & Restaurant Brickyard Gastropub Oriel Bar & Bistro Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel Searsons of Baggot street Franciscan Well Bar & Brewery TOWN Hamlets Street Food & Gastro Garden The Black Forge Inn Jackies The Blue Haven Lock 13 Brewpub The Igo Inn Mother Macs Public House The Martello Rare 1784 Wrights Cafe Bar TOWN The Martello The Shire The Virgin Mary Bar BEST BAR TO WATCH THE MATCH TRADITIONAL BAR OF THE YEAR Sponsored by SKY Sponsored by Mad March Hare An Púcán Barr An Chaladh Buskers On The Ball Dolans Limerick Hamlets Street Food & Gastro Garden Gertie Brownes Seven Bridgestreet John Kehoe's Slattery's Pub D4 Mother Macs Public House The 51 Bar Paddy’s Country Pub The Camden Peadars Bar Moate The Castle Sports & Gastro bar Reilly’s Bar The Cellar Bar The Fishermans Thatched Inn The Old Lodge Gastro Pub at Shannon Springs Hotel The Hibernian Bar Kilkenny The Stores at 33 South Main The Porter House Warehouse Bar + Kitchen The Stags Head Wrights Findlater Howth The Strawberry Hall BEST DESIGNED BAR /BEST INSIDE SPACE DOG FRIENDLY BAR OF THE YEAR Sponsored by ABSOLUT & MALFY GIN Antisocial Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel 101 Limerick Peadars Bar Moate Jackies Street 66 Left Bank The Shire Lennan’s Yard McKendry’s Bar at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE Molloys Bar and Grill Chasers Bar Bistro Old Town Whiskey bar @Bodega Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel Panorama Bistro & Terrace Hamlets Street Food & Gastro Garden Sonny McSwine's (McCafferty's Bar Group) Judge Roy Beans TOWN McSwiggans Galway The Black Forge Inn Panorama Bistro & Terrace The Blue Haven Schull Harbour Hotel The Garden Bar Tabasu Bar & Tapas Restaurant The Snug Skerries The Black Forge Inn The Stores at 33 South Main The Blue Haven The Garden Bar The Hibernian Bar Kilkenny BEST LIVE ENTERTAINMENT The Lane Bar Square Ballina The Shelbourne Bar Buskers Bar The Shire Cosy Joe's Bar Vintage Cocktail Club Dolans Limerick Fibber Magees Foley's Bar WINE BAR OF THE YEAR J. M. Reidy's Butler's Bar & Eatery at the Abbey Court Hotel Judge Roy Beans House Limerick | Amber Nightclub Kavanagh's Bar & Venue McSwiggans Galway Silken Thomas Piglet Wine Bar Sonny McSwine's (McCafferty's Bar Group) Vikki’s Cafe & Wine Bar The Blue Haven Vincenzo Bar at the George Hotel The Quays Bar Temple Bar The Quays Bar and Music Hall The Workman's Club & Cellar OUTSIDE SPACE OF THE YEAR Warehouse Bar + Kitchen An Púcán Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel 33 South Main CITY BAR OF THE YEAR Franciscan Well Bar & Brewery 101 Limerick Hamlets Street Food & Gastro Garden Americana bar Lennan's Yard An Púcán Old Town Whiskey bar @Bodega Bruxelles Panorama Bistro & Terrace Cafe en Seine Peadars Bar Moate House Limerick | Amber Nightclub Silken Thomas Jackies 101 Limerick Left Bank The Martello Old Town Whiskey Bar at Bodega The Rooftop Bar R.I.O.T. bar The Secret Garden at the Carrickdale Hotel Revolution Craft Beer & Whiskey Bar The Strawberry Hall Sober Lane The Front Door Pub The Savoy Bar BEST NEWCOMER The Shelbourne Bar Sponsored by Istill 38 Vintage Cocktail Club Anti Social Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel COCKTAIL BAR OF THE YEAR Guinness Bar Marqette Anti Social Jackies Bar 1661 Lennan’s Yard Cask McKendry's Bar at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort Krewe O'Donoghue Public House Lennan’s Yard Tabasu Bar & Tapas Restaurant No.27 The Shelbourne Bar The Black Forge Inn Oasis Bar & Restaurant The Hill Ohm @ Electric Thomas Clarke's Park Hotel Kenmare R.I.O.T. bar LATE BAR / NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR Rare 1784 Sponsored by Southern Comfort The Black Forge Inn The Liquor Lounge Cosy Joe's Bar The Little Pig Speakeasy House Limerick | Amber Nightclub The Tack Room at Adare Manor Left Bank Vintage Cocktail Club Lilly's Bar & Kitchen Old Town Whiskey bar @Bodega Opium Live Dublin GASTRO BAR FOOD OF THE YEAR R.I.O.T Bar Bar Square Ballina The Camden Brickyard Gastropub The Front Door Pub Carrolls The Living Room Hamlets Street Food and Gastro Garden The Quays Bar and Music Hall JP Clarke’s The Roost Knight's Bar The Workman's Club & Cellar Lennan’s Yard Time Square Night Club Lock 13 Brewpub Wrights Cafe Bar Oasis Bar & Restaurant Oriel Bar & Bistro RESTAURANT BAR OF THE YEAR Russells Seafood Bar Doolin Annie Mays The Castle Sports & Gastro bar Bia & Co Gastro Bar and Restaurant The Queens Bar Electric The Station at Molloys Fishers Bar at The Kingsley The Tavern Bar & Restaurant Hogs and Heifers Wrights Anglers Rest Judge Roy Beans Krewe McSwiggans Galway GIN BAR OF THE YEAR Panorama Bistro & Terrace 101 Limerick Railway Tavern Andy’s Bar Rare 1784 Gin Library at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort Silken Thomas Hyde Bar, Galway The Lane Lock 13 Brewpub The Old Lodge Gastro Pub at Shannon Springs Hotel Russell’s Saloon Gin Emporium The Tavern Bar & Restaurant The Gin Palace Vincenzo Grillhouse Tigh Nora TOURIST BAR OF THE YEAR 1520 Bar 5 STAR HOTEL BAR OF THE YEAR Bruxelles Sponsored by Schweppes Durty Nellys Bar and Restaurant Fishermans Thatched Inn 1824 Bar Foley's Bar Hayfield Manor Gertie Brownes Bar and Bistro Park Hotel Kenmare Old Town Whiskey bar @Bodega Prince of Wales Cocktail Bar at Ashford Castle Searsons of Baggot Street The Garden Bar The Locke Bar The Marker Bar at the Marker Hotel The Porter House The Savoy Bar The Quays Bar Temple Bar The Quays Bar and Music Hall The Shelbourne Bar The Shire VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Excel Recruitment LOCAL BAR OF THE YEAR 33 South Main Ballykilcavan Brewery An Poitin Stil Franciscan Well Bar & Brewery Brady's of Shankill Guinness Open Gate Brewery Carrickdale Hotel & Spa J. M. Reidy's Molloys Bar & Grill Jackies Oriel Bar & Bistro Lock 13 Brewpub Pennyhill Stillgarden Distillery Revolution Craft Beer & Whiskey Bar Teeling Whiskey Distillery The Brass Fox Wicklow The Power House Bar at Roe & Co Distillery The Hibernian Bar Kilkenny The Igo Inn The Martello HOTEL BAR OF THE YEAR The Old Mill Sponsored by The London Essence The Porter House The Strawberry Hall Brownes Bar Tom Sheridan's Bar & Restaurant Galway Harvey's Bar & Terrace Hayfield Manor Hyde Bar Galway DINGLE DISTILLERY WHISKEY BAR OF THE YEAR McKendry's Bar at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort Sponsored by Dingle Distillery O'Donoghue Public House Oriel Bar & Bistro Brownes Bar Panorama Bistro & Terrace Mother Macs Public River Bar & Restaurant at the Limerick Strand Hotel Park Hotel Kenmare Royal Bar & Bistro Revolution Craft Beer & Whiskey Bar Schull Harbour Hotel Russell’s Saloon Gin Emporium The Blue Haven Sonny Molloy’s Irish Whiskey Bar The Garden Bar The 51 Bar The Hibernian Bar Kilkenny The Horseshoe Bar The Savoy Bar The Stags Head The Sideline at the Croke Park The Shelbourne Bar The Tack Room at Adare Manor CRAFT BAR OF THE YEAR Americana bar Brickyard Gastropub DINGLE GIN PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS Dead Centre Brewing TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THE NIGHT Franciscan Well Bar & Brewery Lock 13 Brewpub BAR OF THE YEAR Mother Macs Public House TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THE NIGHT BAR MANAGER OF THE YEAR TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THE NIGHT Vote here! Link Here

The Swiss Cottage at Cahir. And don't miss the castle and the Apple Farm.

 The Swiss Cottage at Cahir

Don't miss the castle and Apple Farm.

Perhaps the first thing to say about Cahir’s Swiss Cottage is that it is not Swiss at all, not even related! Apparently some local said the 1810 house reminded him or her of a Swiss chalet and the name stuck.

Bridge to the cottage

You will see a signpost for the cottage in the castle car park in the Tipperary town. In fact, there are two more or less parallel paths. The lower one, nearer the golf course and river, is also the Fairy Path, so keep your eyes open! The other is a little higher up and is paved. Both end up in the same place. Of course, you may drive to the cottage (by the Ardfinnan Road) but the 2 kilometre walk is a pleasant one by the banks of the Suir. 

The paths are signposted all the way. You keep the river on your right and cross when you come to a white bridge. The cottage (in the care of the OPW)  is built on a little height so there are some steps involved, not too many though.

A magic shed on the Fairy Path

It was built in the early 1800s by Richard Butler (an Earl whose family owned thousands of acres in the area), to a design by John Nash, a famous Regency architect. The Butlers had a townhouse in Cahir and this cottage was intended as a little country retreat where one could take a party for afternoon tea, maybe even more judging by the amount of beds there.

One of the beds is quite interesting and is termed a campaign bed. The campaign came from its original army use, a fold-up easily transportable bed for the officers, and led to the well known camp bed. None of the furniture is original but most is very close to it.

What is original though are some of the wallpaper panels which amazingly have survived for over 200 years. All the rooms are elegantly decorated with nature the main theme.

It has been beautifully restored and looks more like the original that it did in the middle of the previous century. No photography is allowed inside but it certainly makes a pretty picture on the outside.

By the way, the proper term for this type of structure is a cottage orné. According to Wikipedia, similar buildings exist at Burrenwood, Co. Down; Derrymore, Bessbrook, Newry, Co. Armagh (National Trust); and the Petit hameau de la Reine at Versailles.

Fishing is important around here!

There's a large town centre car park alongside Cahir Castle.
The castle is open to the public and worth a visit.

Geese were introduced to the castle and its environs in 2019.
They sleep as a group under the walls and are multiplying!

Wildflowers by the cottage path.

When in Cahir, be sure and visit the Apple Farm and
treat yourself to some of their delicious produce.

Taste of the Week. Cherries from The Apple Farm

Taste of the Week

Cherries from The Apple Farm

The juicy and delicious cherries grown on Con Traas’s Apple Farm are simply superb! It's been four years since I featured these beauties as Taste of the Week.

Easy to appreciate these juicy fruits. But not easy to grow. If that were the case, you’d find them in every farmers market. When grown in Ireland, cherries need protection for a number of reasons, and typically most growers use some form of simple tunnel to grow them in. 

Thanks to Con and his team for making the extra effort. Put these cherries on your list if you’re anywhere near the Apple Farm, just a few minutes off the M8 on the N24 (Cahir-Clonmel Road)! Lots of other fruit available too, in season.

We bought a few boxes during a recent visit and, of course, the first thing to do is to eat a few simply as they are. Step it up a bit by making the classic French dessert flan called Clafoutis.

This time, I "discovered" another delicious way. As the Clafoutis was being prepared, I remembered I had a bottle of Rutherford Muscat produced by the Pfeiffers of Rutherford Glen in Australia. The Glen is rightly famous for its dessert wine and you'd be hard pushed to find a better wine to go with the Tipperary cherries!

As I write this, I'm finishing off the final cherries - the Clafoutis long gone. The wine from Oz is also almost gone. So I enjoy  the last few sips with raw cherries. Cheers and cherrio!

Radisson's Brasserie Features Irish Producers. Andarl Farm A Star

Mayo's Andarl Farm A Star

Radisson's Brasserie Features Irish Produce 

Andarl Farm. Masterfully executed dish.

With many restaurants, mainly because of staffing difficulties, choosing not to open on Mondays and Tuesdays, its becomes more difficult to find meal on those days. The solution, for us, on a recent Tuesday, was the nearby Radisson and its Brasserie. The sun was shining as we arrived and the car temperature (it had been parked facing the sun, was some 27 degrees!.

Indoors, in the large Brasserie, it was much cooler; they had doors and windows open. It was on the cusp of a menu change when we arrived. We worked off the lunch menu; had we waited 20 minutes longer, we would have had the dinner menu in front of us. Perhaps because of the changeover time, service was a little slow, nothing serious though and it was well up to standard when extra staff arrived as dinner-time approached. All by the way were friendly, helpful and efficient.

Another ace dish, this time the chicken shines in a superb sauce.

I had already checked the menu online and had put my eye on a dish featuring the produce by Andarl Farm, the Castlebar home of Velvet Pork that has been making a name for itself in restaurants around the country. There was a fairly similar dish on the evening menu.

Anyhow, I ordered the Roast Bacon Cutlet (Andarl Farm pork, Sautéed greens, spiced carrot Grain mustard reduction, all on cream potato). And I did hit the jackpot! Right on the money with amazing flavours and texture, superbly executed and very neatly presented indeed. Nothing redundant here, all the elements, including the mustard and veg, played a role and all that was left was a very clean bone! Well priced too, I thought, at €15.50.

Chicken Supreme and Braised Thigh Chasseur (19.50) was CL’s dish.  It was served with plum tomatoes (some puréed, some whole), forest mushrooms, silver skins onions, Tarragon cream and creamed potato. Quite a plateful! More or less half a chicken, good quality and lifted by that gorgeous sauce, the only downside being that the two whole baby carrots could have done with a fraction longer in the pot.

Moretti. Not bad at all.
Would have preferred
a local craft beer.

They have a nice selection of sides including Salad, Creamed potatoes, Skinny skin on chips, Roast root vegetables, and  Cheesy garlic bread. We did share a tub of the chips and they were just perfect.

Aside from Andarl Farm, they do support quite a few Irish producers including Ardsallagh, Hegarty’s, Mozzarella from West Cork, Gilligan Farm beef, West Cork beer (in their batter), Loughnane’s of Galway, and their cheese board is a selection from West Cork. They say: All our beef, chicken and pork is of Irish origin unless stated otherwise.”

The Drinks List features a terrific selection of local gins: Beara, Bertha’s Revenge, Cork Dry, Method & Madness, Mike, Kinsale and Míl. So I was hopeful that they’d have an Irish craft beer especially when I saw two by Franciscan Well listed. But they didn’t have either of those and that was it. 

Studied the list a bit further and I eventually settled on a bottle of Peroni (which I’ve seen praised by one of the top American beer writers recently). So my server went and came back, again empty-handed. No Peroni! At least, I knew now that they had Moretti as CL had one in front of her! So I settled for that well known Italian beer. They’ve been making it since 1859 so they must know a thing or two about it. And I was indeed well pleased with it, its flavour and refreshing qualities, especially on such a lovely warm evening!

Really well pleased overall with the comfort of the place, the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the food.

A Quart of Ale± #112. On the craft journey with Third Barrel, Kinnegar, Clonakilty and Trouble Brewing

 A Quart of Ale± #112

On the craft journey with Third Barrel, Kinnegar, Clonakilty and Trouble Brewing

Third Barrel Day Drinkin Simcoe Session IPA 4%, 440 ml can Bradleys

Day Drinkin is the first of a series of “summer slammers” by Third Barrel. It’s a hazy lemon colour with a soft bubbly head that loses volume slowly. And with Simcoe taking the solo hops role, you can expect aromas of citrus and pineapple. 

And it starts with the nose, pineapple and orange zest popping out of the glass. And more of the duo on the palate as the engagement gets a little more serious (in a good way!). No letting go now, as Wayne Wonder might have sung. Well he did sing it:

Got somebody she's a beauty

Very special really and truly

Take good care of me like it's her duty

Want you right by my side night and day.

Not too sure about night and day but Day Drinkin, at the 4% abv, would certainly make for a good session, night or day. As they say themselves: “be sure to pick up a few for your next bbq, camping trip or even just sitting on your own in the kids paddling pool.”

Kinnegar Brewers at Play #24 Summer Ale 4%, 440 ml can Bradleys

Colour is close to lemon, topped by a soft foamy head that sinks slowly. And a soft citrus breeze wafts up from your glass. This is summertime and the soft and supple citrus continues its merry way on the palate.  

You deserve refreshment at the end of a hard hot day and this Donegal Summer Ale opens the door to a relaxing interlude whether in the newly opened Kinnegar taproom or in your own back garden. And, at four per cent, you and your buds could well have a summertime session. It’s a won won situation as someone might say.

One thing that is not immediately apparent, not that anyone is trying to hide it mind you, is that this beer, number 24 in the excellent Brewers at Play series, is a wheat ale. But be aware too that this is a once off. You get one chance. Jump aboard and sip in that rounded citrus experience.

They say:“Brewers at Play presents new beers designed to keep our brewers on their toes and our customers on their tenterhooks.” I say: “Keep ‘em coming!”

Ingredients: Water, barley, wheat, hops, citrus peel, yeast. 

(No bergamot then?)

Clonakilty Foxy Red Ale 5.0%, 500ml bottle O’Donovan’s

Clonakilty’s “fierce” independent brewery are the producers of Foxy, a Red Ale. They have stopped short of proclaiming it as an Irish red ale. 

Colour is a murky red brown with a bubbly white head that won’t keep you company for long. Aromas are pleasant and mildly malty; they have oats in here as well as barley. And it continues on its modest way on the palate, smooth of texture and smooth of flavour, the malt, with the slightest hint of sweetness, leading the way to a refreshing and satisfactory conclusion. One to note, methinks.

Ingredients: Well water, Irish malted barley and oats, hops, yeast and lots of passion.

Just one hop used, the East Kent Golding, brewer Frank Fredriksen told me. 

He had bad news: It’s was a seasonal beer last autumn, only did a few batches of it, you might still find it a few places, but we're not stocking it at the moment. 

And he had good news: Might brew it again in a few months though as many are asking for it.

They say: We are passionate about making beer with no compromise, brewing small batches with big personality. Using locally sourced grains, the best hops and water from our own well, our beers are handcrafted with care in our Brewhouse in Clonakilty by head brewer ‘Thirsty’ Frank Fredriksen and his team.

Clonakilty is at the centre of such a positive mix of beautiful scenery, amazing food, interesting characters, quirky local stories and strong town spirit. We consider ourselves hugely lucky to be able to make our beer here and become part of the tapestry of this place. It also pushes us to brew beer that stands with the best and make the town proud of what we do.

Trouble Brewing Trick Of Light IPA 6.3%, 440 ml can Bradleys

This recent Trick of the Light IPA from Trouble pours a hazy orange in the glass and there’s a soft white head that stays around for a spell. Tropical aromas rise up to greet you. And there’s a tropical posse on the palate also, along with the none too subtle spice of the rye, no shortage of citrus either, as all the hops contribute. Quite a forceful palate actually before a lip smacking finish.

The Kildare brewery, who also added oats here, say: “…Trick Of Light, a 6.3% IPA that has been dry hopped with Azacca, Cascade & Idaho 7 to deliver a big fruity blast of orange & grapefruit pith. The Idaho 7 gives a hint of pine that balances beautifully with the spiciness of the rye malt.”

Trouble Brewing was founded in 2010 by three friends: Paul, Tom and Stephen. Tom had been homebrewing for years (there’s always one!) and insisted on sharing the fruits of his labour with Paul and Stephen.  On nights out, he dragged them to drink pints of various styles and flavours at pubs like the Porterhouse and the Bull and Castle beer hall, both Mecca’s for great beer in Dublin.  

Paul soon developed an interest in brewing himself, and it wasn’t long before he realised making beer was a relatively inexpensive process and buying it was quite the opposite.  With this in mind he approached Tom and Stephen with the idea of setting up a brewery of their own. It could provide an income for the three and get them out of the unfortunate situation of working for “the man”. They gathered up all the money they could (about €45k between them) and borrowed the same from the bank with the help of a well prepared business plan. Then they set about putting together a functioning brewery.

And they are functioning very well indeed, thank you!