Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [219]
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An Súgán B&B ( 023-883 3719; www.ansugan.com; Sand Quay; r €50-70; mid-Mar–Oct) There are few frills at this B&B, but you do get a relaxed atmosphere and enormous rooms in a great location a couple of doors down from An Súgán restaurant Click here.
O’Donovan’s Hotel ( 023-883 3250; www.odonovanshotel.com; Pearse St; s/d €50/100; ) Behind the vintage vivid-red exterior beats the heart of a classic old hotel. Service is simple but friendly. Rooms are straightforward and you can’t beat the central location. A WWII plaque out front will intrigue Americans.
Emmet Hotel ( 023-883 3394; www.emmethotel.com; Emmet Sq; r €75-120; ) This lovely Georgian accommodation option on the elegant square happily mixes period charm and old-world service with the perks of a modern hotel. The 20 rooms are large and plush; O’Keeffe’s restaurant on site serves up tasty Irish food made from organic and local ingredients.
Eating
Clonakilty is the source of the best black pudding in Ireland. It features on many local restaurant menus and you can buy varieties based on 19th-century recipes from Edward Twomey ( 023-883 3733; www.clonakiltyblackpudding.ie; 16 Pearse St; puddings from €2.50). Try to pay a visit to the twice-weekly farmers market (McCurtain Hill; 10am-2pm Thu & Sat).
Harts ( 023-883 5583; 8 Ashe St; meals €5-10; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat) Always busy, this classic city-centre caff surprises with creative takes on standards. Ciabatta sandwiches, fine baked goods, local cheese plates and homemade preserves set the tone.
Betty Brosnan ( 023-883 4011; 58 Pearse St; meals €5-13; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat) A prime place for lunch, this historic cafe offers lots of breakfast choices (including a 14-inch cooked Irish feast for the ‘very hungry’), sandwiches, lasagne, smoothies and puddings. The upstairs gallery displays black-and-white travel photography by owner Dermot Brosnan.
Courtyard Bar & Bistro ( 023-883 5802; 3-4 Harte’s Courtyard; mains €5-15; 10am-9pm) Tables out back overlook the brook, out front they are sheltered from the rain and have heaters. Inside a fire burns and you’ll enjoy the scents of excellent baked goods, fine sandwiches and other comfort foods. Superb coffees.
An Súgán ( 023-883 3719; 41 Wolfe Tone St; bar meals €5-28, restaurant mains €13-28; meals noon-10pm) This snug little oasis exudes idiosyncratic style. The bar and restaurant are crammed with knick-knacks – jugs dangle from the ceiling, patrons’ business cards are stuffed beneath the rafters, and lanterns and even ancient fire-extinguishers dot the walls. Seafood is the thing here – try the chowder and anything with the smoked salmon.
Malt House Granary ( 023-883 4355; 30 Ashe St; mains €18-25; 5-10pm Mon-Sat) You’ll be able to check out the Clonakilty black pudding, Boilie goat’s cheese, Gubbeen chorizo and Bantry Bay mussels among other ingredients on the menu at the Malt House, as everything on your plate originates from West Cork. The interior design is a hotchpotch of stylish and kitsch. The seafood platter is a classic.
Gleesons ( 023-882 1834; www.gleesons.ie; 3-4 Connolly St; dinner €19-29; 6.30-9.30pm Mon-Fri, 6-10pm Sat) Gleesons is a temple of fine dining that melds Irish produce with continental technique. The surrounds are nicely understated, with a wood and slate decor. The seafood, not surprisingly, is tasty. Early diners can enjoy a good-value three-course set menu (€35).
Entertainment
De Barra’s ( 023-883 3381; www.debarra.ie; 55 Pearse St) A marvellous atmosphere, walls splattered with photos, press cuttings, masks and musical instruments, plus the cream of live music every night of the week (starting around 9.30pm) make this a busy pub.
An Teach Beag ( 023-883 3883; 5 Recorder’s Alley) This intriguing pub, out back from O’Donovan’s Hotel, has all the atmosphere necessary for good traditional music sessions. You might even catch a scríocht (a session by storytellers and poets) in full flow. There’s music nightly during July and August; at weekends, the rest of the year. Check out the historical plaque at the start of the alley –