As you park the car at Michael and Annemarie Coyne's neatly presented pub overlooking Kilkerrin Bay, donkeys in the field alongside amble over to the wall, inquisitive noses twitching at the prospect of food - a typical welcome to the Connemara Gaeltac ... more...
The Casey family's striking dark green and red hotel is just outside Baltimore and enjoys dramatic views over Roaring Water Bay to the islands beyond.
Opened by Michael and Ann Casey in 1975 and now assisted by their son Dominic as Manager, it has bee ... more...
During the three centuries that this extraordinary place has been in the Leslie family it has changed remarkably little - and its fascinating history intrigues guests as much as the unique features of Castle Leslie as they find it today.
Guests can ... more...
This famous old 19th century coaching inn has been owned by Ronan and Jennie Sweeney since 2004 and, since then, they have achieved their ambition to restore Balloo’s reputation as one of the finest country dining pubs in Northern Ireland with sp ... more...
Just across the road from the Dunraven Arms, this charming restaurant was established by well known chef Wade Murphy and his wife, Elaine, in 2013. Wade - former Commissioner General of Euro-Toques Ireland and well known as the head chef in several pre ... more...
A hot daytime destination in the Wexford area, this bright and stylish café with speciality food and wine store in Meadows & Byrne is an outpost of the legendary Kelly’s Hotel and bears all of the parent business’s hallmarks of q ... more...
Open since March 2023 this new Thoroughbred Country 4-star is very handy to Dublin and yet with a truly rural feel once on-site - and, remarkably, free of traffic noise from the nearby N4 - it's an ideal meeting place for business or pleasure. &nb ... more...
This fine boutique townhouse in the centre of Kinsale is a favourite with returning visitors, who love the location, the ambience, the spacious rooms, the attention to detail and the good food served.
Frequently renovated guestrooms include two beauti ... more...
Blessed with one of Ireland’s most beautiful locations, on the shores of Lough Eske, this well-managed hotel was first opened by the Gysling family in 1989, when chalet-style buildings linked by covered walkways and pergolas created a distinctly ... more...
In December 2022 Barry and Georgina O'Sullivan passed on the baton of the wonderful gastropub that had delighted so many for 30 years. And, while sad to see them retire, customers were also excited by the handover, as the new owners were none other tha ... more...
Summer may be a long time coming this year, but when the sun is out and you’re off on a break there’s nothing that says ‘down time’ like alfresco dining. So here are just a (very) few of this year’s favourites to enjoy in lovely places on your summer travels around the country.
The first year of spontaneous travel since the beginning of the pandemic, 2023 may have had its ups and downs - including some challenging weather - but overall it was a joy, thanks to the freedom to move around, re-visit old haunts and discover a surprising number of new ones.
Travelling the roads of Ireland more than most, we know what a difference a good journey break can make - and we have dozens of favourite pit stops dotted around the country. As many are on much shorter hours this year, we’ve picked some of the best that open every day or are managing keep to something like pre-pandemic hours for those relaxing en-route meals.
Summer in Ireland and seafood is at its best...With dozens of seriously good speciality seafood restaurants around the country, our selection below is just a drop in the ocean. Better get started with this little taster then – always remembering there are plenty more (including many deservedly famous places) to choose from as well...
Georgina Campbell suggests some interesting destinations for an off-season break at this time of plenty. These are just a few of the places where nature's bounty is celebrated in wonderful ways: foraging expeditions, cookery courses and, of course, delicious seasonal meals that make the most of the harvest - often with a special focus on vegetarian cooking
Although always popular, Sunday lunch has moved into a whole new phase of late and it can be a seriously classy outing, where the venue is chosen with care so that family members of all ages can get together in lovely surroundings and enjoy the very best of food - and at a more reasonable price than is usual at dinner. It’s an especially appealing proposition in spring too, as the days are lengthening - perhaps a voucher could be the perfect treat for Mother’s Day. And accommodat ...
We have long been fans of Loop Head: right in the middle of the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ - between the Atlantic Ocean and the Shannon Estuary - this stunning West Clare destination is an environmental wonderland offering spectacular scenery similar to the Cliffs of Moher - but without the commercialisation.
No surprise that Kerry came top of a recent survey polling favourite counties for Irish holidays - sure wasn’t Queen Victoria herself a fan? August is a time for casual dining - out of doors if you're lucky - so this month we’ve picked some great summer pubs to enjoy in the top ten 'staycation' counties
Discerning diners are always interested to know where their food comes from, and what could be more delightful than taking a stroll around the garden where it was growing just hours - or minutes - before it landed on your plate. More and more restaurants are taking ownership of their fresh produce supplies now, and these are just some of the most interesting kitchen gardens.
With a rich historical and maritime legacy, East Cork has a truly unique variety of attractions to offer the visitor.
It is a haven for family holidays with a huge range of activities and attractions to keep the whole family entertained for hours.
In this extensive county, the towns and villages have their own distinctive character. In West Cork, their spirit is preserved in the vigour of the landscape with the handsome coastline where the light of the famous Fastnet Rock swings across tumbling ocean and spray-tossed headland. The county is a repository of the good things of life, a treasure chest of the finest farm produce, and the very best of seafood, brought to market by skilled specialists.
The town of Killarney is where the Ring of Kerry begins and ends for many, among the lakes and mountains where they are re-establishing the enormous white-tailed sea eagle, has long been a magnet for visitors. Across the purple mountains from Killarney, the lovely little town of Kenmare in South Kerry is both a gourmet focus, and another excellent touring centre. As one of the prettiest places in Ireland, Kenmare puts the emphasis on civic pride.
That Galway Bay coastline in Co. Clare is where The Burren, the fantastical North Clare moonscape of limestone which is home to so much unexpectedly exotic flora, comes plunging spectacularly towards the sea around the attractive village of Ballyvaughan.
Connemara, the Land of the Sea, where earth, rock and ocean intermix in one of Ireland's most extraordinary landscapes, and is now as ever a place of angling renown - you're very quickly into the high ground and moorland which sweep up to the Twelve Bens and other splendid peaks, wonderful mountains which enthusiasts would claim as the most beautiful in all Ireland. Beyond, to the south, the Aran Islands are a place apart.
Rivers often divide one county from another, but Fermanagh is divided - or linked if you prefer - throughout its length by the handsome waters of the River Erne, both river and lake. Southeast of the historic county town of Enniskillen, Upper Lough Erne is a maze of small waterways meandering their way into Fermanagh from the Erne'e source in County Cavan.
Co Cavan shares the 667 m peak of Cuilcagh with neighbouring Fermanagh. No ordinary mountain, this - it has underground streams which eventually become the headwaters of the lordly River Shannon, Ireland's longest river that passes south through many counties before exiting at the mighty estuary in Limerick. A magnet for tourism now with boating, fishing, cycling and walking-a-plenty.
Between the sheltered bays at the foot of the Glens of Antrim, the sea cliffs of the headlands soar with remarkable rock formations which, on the North Coast, provide the setting for the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Giant's Causeway.
A selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection, the ‘glovebox bible’ includes a uniquely diverse range of Ireland's greatest places to ...