The best of the licensed industry came together at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, on August 19th to celebrate the Ireland’s most exceptional bars, hotels and staff. More than 650 people attended the sold-out event, hosted by radio presenter Anton Savage. For the second year in a row, Cork bar Paladar brought the top award back to the rebel county.
The Bar of the Year Awards recognise and reward the countries best bars, with categories celebrating everything from hotel and traditional bars, to local pubs and the best bar to watch the match. The awards celebrate innovation, passion and dedication, capturing an incredible ambience that gets served along with drinks.
On the night Trish Murphy, sponsorship director of the Bar of the Year Awards, thanked sponsors, without which the event would not be possible. This year’s sponsors include Maker’s Mark, Roku Gin, London Essence, Bunzle, Beermats.ie, Classic Drinks, Excel Recruitment, Forged Irish Stout, Madrí, Musgrave Marketplace, NPI, O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey, Outcast Spirits, Pure Fitout, Roe & Co, Schweppes, Sky Business, Sullivan’s Brewery, Tequila Rose, Three Cents and Poacher Drinks.
Blood Monkey Gin have said: “It was a pleasure to present the award and we would like to thank all of those involved and congratulate each and every nominee across the evening.”
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Jill Thornton, events manager with Bar of the Year Awards congratulated the finalists in the room stating that their “passion, creativity and heart within this industry is inspiring, and makes the Irish bar culture unique and cherished around the world”.
Paladar may have took home the big prize, but they weren’t the only ones to hit the road with a trophy. Here’s a full list of our gold, silver and bronze winners:
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Overall bar of the year – Sponsored by Licensing World
Paladar, Co Cork
Cocktail bar of the year – Sponsored by Maker’s Mark
Gold – Paladar, Co Cork
Silver – 9 Below, Co Dublin
Bronze – The Little Pig Speakeasy, Co Dublin
Whiskey bar of the year – Sponsored by Roe & Co
Gold – Searsons of Baggot Street, Co Dublin
Silver – Mother Macs Public House, Co Limerick
Bronze – The Shelbourne Bar, Co Cork
Bar manager of the year – Sponsored by Madrí
Gold – Oisín Kelly, Sidecar, Co Dublin
Bar food of the year
Gold – The Black Forge Inn, Co Dublin
Silver – Nanny Kelly’s at the Parkview Hotel, Co Wicklow
Bronze – Blake’s Bar, Co Galway
Innovative bar of the year – Sponsored by O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey
Gold – Pig’s Lane, Co Kerry
Silver – Lock 13 Brew Pub, Co Kildare
Bronze – Crane Lane Theatre, Co Cork
Tourist bar of the year – Sponsored by Sullivan’s Brewery
Gold – The Quay’s Bar, Temple Bar, Co Dublin
Silver – Murray’s Bar, Co Dublin
Bronze – The Locke Bar, Co Limerick
Best live entertainment bar
Gold – 4 Dame Lane, Co Dublin
Silver – Left Bank, Co Kilkenny
Bronze – The Castle Glanmire, Co Cork
Gastro bar of the year
Gold – The Dew Drop Inn & Brewhouse, Co Kildare
Silver – Mikey Ryan’s Bar & Kitchen, Co Tipperary
Bronze – Harrigan’s Bar & Grill, Co Kildare
People’s choice
Leinster – Silken Thomas, Co Kildare
Dublin – McGowans of Phibsboro, Co Dublin
Munster – The Locke Bar, Co Limerick
Connacht/Ulster – McHugh’s Bar, Co Leitrim
Overall – McHugh’s Bar, Co Leitrim
Traditional bar of the year – Sponsored by Forged Irish Stout
Gold – Costigan’s Pub, Co Cork
Silver – Veldons Seafarer, Co Galway
Bronze – Sin É, Co Dublin
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Best bar to watch the match – Sponsored by Sky Business
Gold – Woolshed Baa & Grill, Co Cork
Silver – Forty Four Main Street, Co Dublin
Bronze – Jerry Flannery’s & 1314, Co Limerick
Five-star hotel bar of the year – Sponsored by Britvic
Gold – The Cocktail Bar at the Merchant Hotel, Co Antrim
Silver – Prince of Wales Cocktail Bar in Ashford Castle Hotel & Resort, Co Mayo
Bronze – The Sidecar The Westbury, Co Dublin
Restaurant bar of the year – Sponsored by Pure Fitout
Gold – Sole Seafood & Grill, Co Dublin
Silver – Mama Yo, Co Dublin
Bronze – Hawksmoor Restaurant, Co Dublin
Hotel bar of the year – Sponsored by Poacher Drinks
Gold – Inchydoney, Co Tipperary
Silver – Abbey Court Hotel Bar, Co Cork
Bronze – Sophie’s Rooftop, Co Cork
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Hotel cocktail bar of the year
Gold – The Sidecar, The Westbury, Co Dublin
Silver – Brownes at Great Southern Killarney, Co Kerry
Bronze – Sophie’s Bar, Co Cork
Gin bar of the year – Sponsored by Outcast Spirits (Blood Monkey Gin)
Gold – Andy’s Bar, Co Monaghan
Silver – Tigh Nora, Co Galway
Bronze – Jimmy Rabbittes, Co Dublin
Outside space of the year – Sponsored by Roku Gin
Gold – House, Co Dublin
Silver – Lennan’s Yard, Co Dublin
Bronze – Mary Mullens Bar & Courtyard, Co Galway
Late bar/nightclub of the year – Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace
Gold – 37 Dawson Street, Co Dublin
Silver – 4 Dame Lane, Co Dublin
Bronze – r.i.o.t Dublin, Co Dublin
City bar of the year – Sponsored by Schweppes
Gold – The Mutton Lane Inn, Co Cork
Silver – Mary Mullens Bar & Courtyard, Co Galway
Bronze – Bruxelles, Co Dublin
Wine bar of the year – Sponsored by Classic Drinks
Gold – Ely Wine Bar, Co Dublin
Silver – Moody Cafe Vin, Co Cork
Bronze – The Duke’s Rest, Co Kildare
Staff personality of the year
Gold – Paddy Lynch, Sonny Molloy’s, Co Galway
Local bar of the year – Sponsored by Beermats.ie
Gold – The Kingswood Lodge, Co Dublin
Silver – Old Warehouse, Co Offaly
Bronze – Whelan’s Bar, Co Limerick
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Craft bar of the year
Gold – Mo Chara, Co Louth
Silver – Revolution Craft Beer & Whiskey Bar, Co Waterford
Bronze -Treaty City Brewery, Co Limerick
Best designed bar/inside space
Gold – K Sixty Seven Bar and Grill, Co Dublin
Silver – Seventy Seven, Co Cork
Bronze – The Glasshouse Bar, Co Dublin
Visitor attraction of the year – Sponsored by Excel Recruitment
Gold – Roe & Co Distillery, Co Dublin
Silver – Franciscan Well Brewpub, Co Cork
Bronze – The Brazen Head, Co Dublin
Best newcomer – Sponsored by Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream Liqueur
Gold – NV, Co Cork
Silver – Seventy Seven, Co Cork
Bronze – Gatsby’s Cocktail Bar, Co Tipperary
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Pub group of the year – Sponsored by Bunzl
Gold – Louis Fitzgerald Group
Outstanding customer service award – Sponsored by NPI
Gold – Paladar, Co Cork
Gail Cotter special recognition award
Gold – Darren O’Donovan, Seventy Seven, Co Cork