Staycations 2025: A short tour of our finest watering holes
Fiona Sherwood in the tasting room for visitors to Blacks Brewery & Distillery, Kinsale, Co Cork. Photo: Larry Cummins
The public are always keen to try new tastes, and this is certainly the case with Ireland’s craft beers.
What was once a very niche occupation for a small number of purists has now ballooned into an industry offering a plentiful variety of beer experiences in some of the country’s most scenic locations.
Spread all across Ireland, here are 10 of the more interesting breweries and the stories behind them.
Founded in 2016 Lough Gill Brewery restored the lost tradition of brewing in Sligo town that once hosted five breweries. As an independent family-run brewery situated close to the shores of Lough Gill on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, it is operated by a passionate team who takes pride in each beer brewed. “Our Beer philosophy is to brew the best hand-crafted beers using the best ingredients and where possible to add some local indigenous ingredients to the brews. Our prime location along Ireland’s stunning Wild Atlantic Way makes it the perfect destination for visitors seeking authentic local experiences, while also experiencing the rich history of Sligo’s brewing heritage in breathtaking scenery.”
Black Donkey Brewery was started in 2014 after much planning, deliberation and craft beer consumption.
The first beer planned was a stout called ‘Asal Dubh’ — which took inspiration from the Irish short story ‘M’asal Beag Dubh’ (My Little Black Donkey) by Galway born writer Pádraic Ó Conaire and his timeless account of the purchase of a donkey at a fair. And so, ‘Black Donkey Brewing’ was born — as no one could ever dislike a donkey.
For over two hundred years, brewing and distilling has thrived along the banks of the river Shannon. Historically, the river provided excellent accessibility while the adjoining rich limestone land ensured the midlands was the perfect location for growing malt barley, distilling and brewing. “Thankfully this remains the case today as our River Shannon Brewery team adopts a craft brewing approach inspired by its natural environment and enriched by the traditions and tastes handed down through our ancestors. Brewing is in our DNA.”
Robert and Oran created Jumping Church Brewery on their family farm in Ardee, Co Louth.
Their family have been farming for four generations in an area that sits between the Dee and Glyde valleys — geographically ideal for growing world-class malt barley. A land also steeped in myth and legends, it's where they take their name from the Jumping Church of Kildemock. Nobody knows for sure whether it was natural or supernatural causes that prompted one of the church's walls to mysteriously relocate some two or three feet from its foundations 289 years ago, and prospects of solving the riddle are still remote.
Visitors to The Brehon Brewery and Farm will feel immediately immersed in Irish culture and history.
The name is inspired by the old Brehon Laws that governed medieval Ireland, which stated that every clan was allowed to brew beer for their own family. It was founded by dairy farmer Seamus McMahon, who wanted to diversify his homestead taking inspiration from the wealth of literary and familial history in the area. The farm has been in the McMahon family for generations, and still home to a dairy herd milked every day. The brewing aspect offered a way to boost the productivity of the homestead.
An award-winning Irish microbrewery renowned for its innovation and experimentation, Eight Degrees was established at the foot of the majestic Galtee mountains by Kiwi Scott Baigent and Aussie Cameron Wallace who readily admit they were “lured to Ireland by two Irish cailíns.” Eight Degrees beers include Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale and Bohemian Pilsner Lager, as well as a Full Irish Single Malt IPA.
Brewed in the shadow of Clifden's Old Gaol, the Bridewell was built over two hundred years ago as part of an effort by the British Government to tame the area rife with smuggling and illegal alcohol production. Bridewell Brewery draws on the rich, sometimes harsh history and the continuous foreign influences associated with this beautiful part of the world. Bridewell Blond is brewed, fermented and matured underground in small vessels made from stainless steel, copper, brass and wood. The name Bridewell also has a historical connection to Ireland’s St Brigid - the patron saint of brewing.
Sam and Maudeline Black have been living the dream since 2013. Born out of passion by the husband and wife duo, it has now become an award winning brewery in one of the country’s most beautiful towns. What started as a hobby, after Sam was gifted a home brewing kit for Valentine’s Day from Maudeline many years ago, quickly became an obsession and a burning desire to experiment and create. It is this enthusiasm and drive that saw Blacks Brewery become a reality.
Tom Crean left the family farm in Kerry to enlist in the British Royal Navy at the age of 15. In 1901, he volunteered to join Robert Falcon Scott’s 1901 British National Antarctic Expedition on Discovery, thus beginning a distinguished career as an explorer during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Today his granddaughter Aileen and her partner Bill run the Tom Crean Brewery at the rear of their restaurant in the scenic Kerry town. The craft beers available in the Ice Bar include Scurvy Dog IPA, Six Magpies Stout and Last Man Standing.
The brainchild of three brothers from Wicklow — Barry, Brian, and Paddy O’Neill — who, in December 2014, swapped the 9-5 jobs for beer 24/7 and set up a brewery in the beautiful village of Kilcoole.
“We set up O Brother Brewing with the clear intention to brew beers that excite and delight the senses on every level, and to break down the barriers that prevent consumers from discovering and experiencing fresh Irish beer at its very best. We do this by working with independent Irish artists, passionate and progressive artisan food producers, and brewing industry experts, to deliver a smile to our customers at every step of their O Brother experience.”
