'Just Ask!' Restaurant of the Month for June - Flanagan's Gastro Pub, Co. Mayo

Easy to spot with its bright cream and red colour scheme and an old Austin delivery van parked outside, Flanagan's once provided Brickens with the traditional village combination of bar, grocery and hardware that was so common in rural Ireland up to the 1970s.

Big changes came in 2010 when the current owners, Luke and Caroline Flanagan, transformed the old premises into a modern gastro pub.

But if that sounds as if might have lost its old world charm, you should be pleasantly surprised on arrival as there’s a lovely atmosphere - which is largely down to the local staff who are so friendly and helpful, making sure everyone is comfortable and explaining the menus.

And, with their emphasis on food that’s homemade on the premises from scratch, these are no ordinary menus. The tone may seem modern and international - and in fact Flanagan’s was the first establishment in County Mayo to offer a Tapas Menu – but the cooking is firmly grounded in local and other Irish artisan foods, and there’s not only an extensive online Supplier List proudly highlighting the producers of their valued ingredients and craft drinks, but the menu states unequivocally that ‘All our Beef is 100% Irish’ and each page specifies the provenance of the meats used:

“Our pork is from Andarl Farm Glenamaddy, Co. Galway;
Our minced lamb & beef is from Keanes Butchers Claremorris, Co. Mayo; Our beef is from Dawn Meats Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo;
Our chicken is from Costello & McDermott, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo”

It’s a whole-hearted shout out for quality producers and suppliers, and it would be great to see this as the norm in Irish pubs.

And it’s not it’s all about the meats. Starcrest Seafoods of Laghey in Co Donegal supply fresh fish and seafood; and dairy products come from suppliers as diverse as Velvet Cloud of Claremorris, Co Mayo (producers of wonderful sheeps milk yogurt), Galway Goat Farm of Dunmore, Co Galway, Cahills Farm Cheese of Newcastle West, Co Limerick, Toons Bridge Dairy in West Cork and Arrabawn Dairies of Nenagh Co Tipperary. Certified Organic growers Mill House Farm of Williamstown, Co Galway feature strongly throughout all menus, as do Tom Connelly Fruit & Veg of Oranmore, Co. Galway, and also - not local, but very special - Walsh’s Bakehouse of Waterford City, who produce the unique Waterford Blaa bread rolls.

And, when it comes to drinks, the Flanagans can have a field day - there’s much more choice than they had even in 2010, as so many Irish craft breweries and distilleries have since come on stream. So they can feature local craft beers from Mayo and neighbouring counties (Mescan Brewery and Reel Deel, both from Co Mayo, and Black Donkey of Co Roscommon, for example) and also spirits from terrific local start ups like Connacht Distillery at Ballina, Co Mayo and The Shed Distillery Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim (producers of Gunpowder Gin and other excellent spirits.

All round, the Flanagans are doing a great job at this busy pub and it's good to see their hard work bringing success - they have quite recently extended the premises due to growing demand, and their ongoing development and improvement of both the food and drinks offering is a credit to all concerned.

SAMPLE MENUS available here. List of SUPPLIERS available here.

Flanagans Gastro Pub
Treanrevagh, Brickens, Co. Mayo

Food served 12.30 PM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday - Sunday

Tel: (094) 938 0101
Email: info@flanaganspub.ie
 

“Just Ask!” is a public awareness campaign that aims to encourage consumers when eating out to look for information on where the food (particularly meat) on their plate comes from, and encourages chefs to provide this information on their menus. The programme supports both large and smaller artisan suppliers, encouraging both Irish diners and visitors from abroad to support restaurants that are in turn supporting their suppliers.
Here at Georgina Campbell Guides we have always been avid supporters of the ‘eat local’ concept, and we enjoy reading menus that have a real sense of place. The dining experience is greatly enriched by knowing that the food on your plate is inspired by the produce and traditions of the area, and sourced nearby – and we would love to see more chefs sharing that precious information with their guests. If you are a visitor to the area, learning a little about local food and the people who produce it adds a special extra dimension to the visit – and, for residents, it reinforces a natural pride in the good things of their locality and makes a meal all the more enjoyable.
So, we are delighted by the high standard of menus that continue to be submitted for our ‘ “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month Competition’, menus that really speak of the best of Irish foods – and the dedication of both the people who make them, and the chefs who select them to create wonderful dishes with real Irish flavour for our enjoyment.