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Mark Nolan, Dromoland Castle, Co Clare
The ancestral home of the O’Briens, barons of Inchiquin and direct descendants of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, Dromoland Castle is one of the few Irish estates tracing its history back ...
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Sally Barnes, Woodcock Smokery, Skibbereen, Co Cork
A passionate believer in the value of tradition when it comes to indigenous food – and especially fish - the legendary West Cork fish smoker and educator, Sally Barnes, is one of the most re ...
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The Coach House, Roundwood, Co Wicklow
Exciting developments in County Wicklow saw The Coach House in Roundwood re-opening in new ownership recently - and joining up with the brilliant Roundwood Stores next door. When Simon Pratt, his ...
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OX, Belfast
Consistency is one of the main themes of this year’s awards and - when a respected reviewer comments that “We had dined here before and, with those excellent memories still fresh in my ...
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House Restaurant, Cliff House Hotel Ardmore, Co Waterford
A bold modern boutique hotel overlooking Ardmore Bay, this chic five-star bolthole near Dungarvan has many strings to its bow, not least its setting. Tucked into the cliff beside the charming vill ...
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The Lemon Tree Restaurant, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
A Letterkenny favourite since 1999, this family-run restaurant celebrates 25 years in business this year although it has been in a spacious new setting near the original premises since 2017. To th ...
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Restaurant Chestnut, Ballydehob, Co Cork
‘Small’ is not the word for this famously big-hearted little restaurant – but ‘bijou’ describes the former pub well, as it really is a little gem. Gifted chef and Wes ...
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Danni Barry, Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, Recess, Co Galway
Hailing originally from Northern Ireland, Danni Barry worked in many acclaimed kitchens including Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume before returning to Belfast a decade ago to work again for her ...
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Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry
Open since 1991 and set in a 300-acre estate across the river from Kenmare town, this gently contemporary hotel has welcoming fires burning in the handsome foyer and in a lounge bar which - like t ...
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Kilkea Castle Estate & Golf Club, Castledermot, Co Kildare
Ireland’s oldest inhabited castle, Kilkea dates back to the 12th century. The original structure is surprisingly small - a ‘boutique castle’ perhaps - but it is authentic and ele ...
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Foyles Hotel, Clifden, Co Galway
As many will know, the Guide has a soft spot for traditional three-star hotels, which so often provide an unassuming, authentically Irish and kindly priced experience that is not likely to be foun ...
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Elephant Rock Hotel, Portrush Co Antrim
The rise of the boutique hotel is a welcome trend in Irish hospitality and, at its best, this is a genre that is providing a wonderfully quirky mix of old and new, with hands-on hospitality, great ...
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The Horse & Jockey Hotel, Horse & Jockey, Co Tipperary
Once discovered, few would travel between Cork and Dublin without a stop at the Horse & Jockey and there are good reasons for that. A hotel of many parts, this family-run four star is exceptio ...
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Ballyvolane House, Fermoy, Co Cork
‘Proper country houses’ that have not been over-modernised and remain true to their roots are becoming a rarity these days, but Justin and Jenny Green’s 18th century gem is just ...
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Teach de Broc, Ballybunion, Co Kerry
Ballybunion has long been a popular seaside resort, welcoming visitors from near and far since the 19th century. And, since 1994, many have wisely chosen to stay at Teach de Broc, a luxuriously ap ...
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Barnahown, Mitchelstown, Co Cork
You don't have to be seeking an active holiday to love Barnahown, but it must help - with wonderful mountain treks and bike trails nearby, you won't find a better base for exploring the beautiful ...
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No. 1 Pery Square, Limerick
There is something seriously enticing about the idea of a hideaway in a city, somewhere special to retreat to away from the hustle and bustle. And, while it may be hard to imagine that one of Lime ...
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Stitch & Weave, Derry, Co Derry
When it comes to restaurants, they don’t do more historic than the delightful Stitch and Weave. Situated on historic Ebrington Square, right beside the Peace Bridge and with panoramic views ...
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Sadler's, Fethard, Co Tipperary
A new venture from the team behind the Cashel Palace Hotel (and with a good kitchen team overseen by their Director of Culinary, Stephen Hayes) and Mikey Ryan's, Sadler's opened in nearby Fethard ...
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The Glass Curtain, Cork
What do you mean ‘smart-casual dining’ I hear you say… Well it’s the way people so often describe The Glass Curtain and once you’ve been there yourself you&rsquo ...
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No 14 Georgian House, Comber, Co Down
A lovely listed building dating back to 1722, No. 14 Georgian House makes an atmospheric setting for this thoughtfully structured enterprise by the highly regarded, classically trained chef Jim Mu ...
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Ursa Minor Bakehouse, Ballycastle, Co Antrim
All over Ireland, there’s been an exciting increase in the number of small bakeries with a deli or café in recent years and this one, run by Dara and Ciara O’hArtghaile right up ...
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Pyke'n'Pommes, Derry
A legend for his authentic, quality-driven street food in Derry since 2013, the internationally-experienced chef and entrepreneur Kevin Pyke developed Pyke'n'Pommes from his original riverside van ...
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The Purple Onion, Tarmonbarry, Co Roscommon
Ireland’s inland waterways are nothing short of a national treasure yet – despite the very welcome recent opening of greenways and blueways around the country, which is ongoing - for m ...
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Ballykilcavan Farm & Brewing Company, Stradbally, Co Laois
It's hard to get your head around the story of a place like Ballykilcavan Farm in deepest Laois, where the Walsh family has worked the land since 1639. But that has meant constant reinvention and, ...
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Wren Urban Nest, Dublin
The 2007 closure of Andrew's Lane Theatre caused a lot of angst, but its eventual replacement with 'Dublin's most sustainable hotel' has proved a welcome outcome - and its memory lives on here too ...
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QC's Seafood Restaurant, Quinlan & Cooke Boutique Townhouse, Caherciveen, Co Kerry
With its welcoming fire, striking modern zinc-topped bar and nautical antiques and pictures, Kate Cooke’s atmospheric bar and restaurant with rooms abounds with character. A favourite Kerry ...
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Aishling Moore, Goldie, Cork
At the helm of this small but very exciting fish restaurant in Cork city centre, Goldie, the talented young owner-chef Aishling Moore’s courageous and adventurous approach to sustainability ...
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Nightmarket, Dublin
Restaurateur Conor Sexton and his partner Juturat Suwankeeree (aka R) bring deeply flavoured regional Thai cooking of the rustic food of Chiang Mai and Hua Hin seafood to this exciting restaurant ...
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Osteria Lucio, Dublin
‘The food of friendship’ is what they say on their website and, when it comes to explaining why Osteria Lucio might be the restaurant for our ‘Happy Place’ award, that says ...
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The Drawing Room at Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo
The ‘Memorable Experience’ award is one that resonates with everyone – and it’s interesting to see how many of those experiences relate to small meals or very short visits ...
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Farmgate Lismore, Lismore, Co Waterford
The Newcomer award is always exciting and every year the nominations list is very long indeed. Even at a time when the talk is mainly of closures, optimism surfaces phoenix-like in the form of new ...
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Deerpark Inn, Virginia, Co Cavan
Nobody does it better than Richard Corrigan when it comes to creating a sense of authentic Irish atmosphere - and with terrific local food, friendly staff and a bit of quirky luxury thrown in, wha ...
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Thomas Connolly Traditional Pub & Whiskey Bar, Sligo, Co Sligo
Everybody loves a good old fashioned Irish pub complete with cosy snugs and grocery shelves behind the bar, but too many are closing and we need to look after them before they slip away. Our wonde ...
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Ristorante Rinuccini, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny
Established in 1989 by Antonio and Marion Cavaliere, this well-known restaurant is in a semi-basement in the impressive terrace opposite Kilkenny Castle - at the beginning of what is now known as ...
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McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, Co Mayo
In new ownership since 2018 and recently revamped, this well located, well-run and fairly priced hotel makes a good base for exploring the wider region and nearby sections of the Wild Atlantic Way ...
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Seaview House Hotel & Spa, Ballylickey, Co Cork
Finding the right place to stay can make all the difference to a holiday or short break when travelling with your four-legged friend. But it’s not always as easy as it should be in Ireland, ...
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The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn, Co Down
Simply oozing with genuine old-world ambience, this famous 16th century inn - the oldest in continuous use in all Ireland - is sure to steal your heart away. The quaint village setting belies its ...
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Margaret & Laura Bowe, Marlfield House, Gorey, Co Wexford
The hospitality gene runs strong and deep in the Bowe family, who have operated their Wexford gem, Marlfield House, as ‘the luxury country house hotel par excellence’ for over forty ye ...
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Mary Wall Hanora's Cottage Nire Valley Co Waterford
It’s been a tough time for Irish hospitality over the last few years - but the resilience of the industry is extraordinary and the way that businesses have dealt with the many challenges the ...
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Gregans Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
One of Ireland’s top food destinations for many years, Simon and Freddie Haden’s quietly luxurious and restorative country house hotel offers simple West of Ireland joys like warming t ...
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Rathsallagh House, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow
The O’Flynn family’s large, rambling country house on the Wicklow-Kildare border is just an hour from Dublin, but it could be in a different world. Insistent that it is ‘not an h ...
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Castlewood House, Dingle, Co Kerry
Run by Brian and Helen Heaton - who have both worked in some of Ireland’s finest hotels, and for whom nothing is too much trouble to ensure that their guests enjoy the very best of Irish hos ...
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POTA Café, Inverin, Co Galway
Half an hour west of Galway city on the Wild Atlantic Way, Cork chef Diarmuid O’Mathúna’s vibrant bi-lingual café is billed as ‘the last stop before the Aran Island ...
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Castle Grove Country House, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
Simple as it may sound, The Irish Bread Award is one of our most important accolades. Originally the idea of Donegal native and former Director General of Bord Fáilte (now Fáilte Ire ...
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Higgins Family Butchers, Dublin
Rick Higgins is the fourth generation to run this business and it is no ordinary butchers. How many butchers have a glass-walled dry-ageing room at the back of the shop, where the full carcasses a ...
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Dart Mountain Cheese, Claudy, Co Derry
Dart Mountain Cheese is the big dairy success story of the North-West region. Julie and Kevin Hickey’s business on the banks of the Faughan River produces an impressive range of hand-made tr ...
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Sliabh Aughty Honey, Leahy Beekeeping, Carrownmore, Co Galway
Near Loughrea in East Galway fourth generation conservationists, Leahy Beekeeping, produce the gorgeous Sliabh Aughty Honey - and it’s not only a delight to find on your breakfast table but ...
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Waterfall Farms, Waterfall, Co Cork
A name to look out for on menus in the Cork region, Declan and Rosemary Martin started Waterfall Farms in 1967 growing just a few vegetables and salads, but the business now comprises two farms wi ...
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