Weekend food with Darina Allen

EVERY YEAR the Georgina Campbell Awards are eagerly awaited by the restaurant industry.

Georgina’s highly respected guide has been in operation since 1997, and she continues to think outside the box. Innovation is the name of the game at the moment, so this year she added four new awards and four new criteria awards to highlight establishments who are excelling in unexpected areas.

The Pet Friendly Hotel of the Year took my fancy. Derek Davis, who presented the awards at Bord Bia in Dublin, quipped that “many people would rather leave their husband behind than the dog!” and so were missing an opportunity… not so the Dunloe Castle Hotel in Killarney who, for a nominal charge per night, has created a pet-friendly environment with luxurious kennels or a dog friendly guest room with pet beds and pet treats.