Life’s a beach at the dock of the bay
WHAT makes a great beach bar? That’s a question I’ve been pondering ever since this heatwave (other countries would term it a summer) began.
Whilst Ireland boasts dozens of world-class beaches, our climate isn’t exactly conducive to the kind of Greek-style taverna, Bondi Beach barbecue, or Caribbean castaway joint where you can crack the shells off prawns as white sand sifts between your toes.
Ireland has wonderful waterfront hostelries — take your pick in Baltimore, Howth, or Westport — but bars and restaurants within a minute or two’s stroll from a beach are in shorter supply. That said, there are some crackers out there.
This list is in no particular order, and by no means comprehensive. Should hotel bars be included? Should Joe May’s in Skerries be excluded? But I do think it has the makings of a great weekend.
The same family has run O’Carroll’s bar and restaurant since 1984, and the plaudits keep pouring in. O’Connell’s was nominated in Kerry’s Best Restaurant and Best Casual Dining categories in the 2013 Irish Restaurant Awards, and fronts right onto a gorgeous cove at Glenbeg. Steaks and seafood are a speciality, pizzas are stone-baked, there’s a play area for kids, and you can grab ice-creams and slushies to snack on over views of Kenmare Bay. What’s not to like?
Details: 066 9475151; facebook.com/ocarrollscove.
“Remember that a nearby pub on the day of a big match can be crucial if Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh’s headphone commentary gets too much and you just have to see the game live.” So said peoplesrepublicofcork.com in its review of The Dock in Kinsale. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh may since have retired, but The Dock pub is still going strong, set just a short stroll from this hidden gem on the Castlepark peninsula. You’ll find both bar and beach by taking the R600 south from Kinsale and turning left after crossing the bridge.
Details: Castlepark, Kinsale; 021 4772522.
In the summer months, the strand at Lahinch can be crammed with surfers, sunbathers and stag parties, and sooner or later, at least 97% of them are guaranteed to end up in O’Looneys. With a name like that, don’t expect any great subtlety, but the bar does a decent job dishing up big portions with prices to match. Views over the beach are reminiscent of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall on Watergate Bay.
Details: 065 7081414; olooneys.ie.
There’s been a hostelry on the site of the Strand Inn for close to 300 years, dating back to the days when Dunmore East’s coves were rife with smugglers. Today, of course, the only things being smuggled are dishes like baked lobster with lemon butter, or strand seafood pie, into the bellies of satisfied customers. Get cosy enough in the sprawl of pubs, lounges, snugs, and patios, and you may have to smuggle yourself into a sea-view room upstairs too.
Details: 051 383174; thestrandinn.com.
This beach bar is a rare beast — a coastal hideaway suited as much to summer scorchers as chilly winter evenings. When the mercury rises, the thatched pub makes a plum spot to sit outside following a swim in Sligo Bay.
When it falls, the turf fires are lit and a steady procession of chowders and sambos warms the cockles.
Old photos, stone walls, and classic Guinness ads are the finishing touch… sure you’d never find the like in the Caribbean.
Details: 071 9176465; thebeachbarsligo.com.
John Creedon tipped me this one on Twitter — he says his ideal romantic date would include walking Inch Beach end to end before arriving into Sammy’s for a creamy pint of stout and the catch of the day.
Who’s to argue? Specials range from parmesan-crusted cod to seafood pasta swimming in prawns, mussels and smoked salmon, there are marvellous views over Dingle Bay, and the café does a nifty brunch.!
Details: 066 9158118; inchbeach.ie.
OK, you’d have to run pretty fast to get from the Pine Lodge to the water’s edge in a minute, but you’d definitely make it in two. Even so, this weird and wonderful bar deserves inclusion for its live music — a crack programme of indie, rock, blues and metal. Acts from David Kitt to Explosions in the Sky have rocked out in the bay window, but the Pine Lodge’s commitment to under-the-radar bands is its lasting legacy — and true to the spirit of the best beach bars.
If it’s not your scene, Bunnyconnellan’s is a wee waddle down the road.
Details: 021 4832171; pinelodge.wordpress.com.
Ireland has a fine tradition of seaside hotels ranging from Kelly’s in Rosslare to the Cliff House in Ardmore. The Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa is another institution. Set on a tiny island close to Clonakilty, its beachside bar is pit-stop for legions of guests and daytrippers enjoying the twin beaches on its doorstep — so be sure to time your arrival to avoid the scrums on the outdoor terrace. Food is served until 9pm.
Details: 023 8833143; inchydoneyisland.com.
Spillane’s could take the prize for Ireland’s most remote beach bar. Clinging like a barnacle to the windswept Maharees, the family-run bar and restaurant nevertheless serves up a coolly cosmopolitan menu — with highlights including Comrane mussels and crab claws landed nearby.
“Marilyn and Mike [Spillane] are like mom and dad” to customers piling in, they say.
Details: 066 7139125; spillanesbar.com.
Could this be Ireland’s classiest beach bar?
Claire McGowan’s baby is all about quality and taste, with heritage colours, subtle lighting and splashes of brass setting the tone for lunch and dinner menus offering everything from Lough Swilly seafood chowder (€6.95) to pan-fried Greencastle cod with ratatouille and lemon butter (€18.95).
The sand blows up against the front door, but don’t even think about showing up in your flip-flops.
Details: 074 9361050; thebeachhouse.ie.
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