Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [484]
D’vine ( 041-980 0440; Patrickswell Lane; mains €11-15; noon-3pm Mon-Sat & 6-10pm Wed-Mon) A little wine-bar-cum-restaurant with a cosy atmosphere and a great selection of Mediterranean foods, this place has excellent platters to start, followed by a largely Italian menu with an emphasis on rustic pasta dishes. It has an excellent wine menu and sometimes has live jazz on Sunday evenings.
Other options worth trying include:
Kierans Deli ( 041-983 8728; 15 West St; meals €6-12; 8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) A renowned deli with a great selection of picnic options and a decent cafe at the back.
Brú ( 041-987 2784; Haymarket, Dyer St; noon-10pm; mains €10-16) Despite its slick appearance this contemporary bar and bistro is very child-friendly and serves a good but predictable menu of comfort food.
Drinking & Entertainment
Drogheda has dozens of bars and pubs, many with live music. Check the event guide at www.drogheda.ie for listings.
C Ní Cairbre (Carberry’s; 041-984 7569; North Strand) A national treasure, this pub has been owned by the same family since 1880. Old newspaper clippings and long-faded artwork cover most surfaces and it’s a great place to catch some traditional music. You might find a session going on any night of the week but Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons are your best bet.
Peter Matthews (McPhail’s; 041-983 7371; Laurence St) One of Drogheda’s top spots for live music, McPhail’s (as it’s always called, no matter what the sign says) is popular with a younger crowd and features everything from heavy metal cover bands to trad sessions. There’s a traditional bar at the front and a beer garden out the back.
Clarke & Sons ( 041-983 6724; Peter St) This wonderful old boozer is right out of a time capsule. The unrestored wooden interior features snugs and leaded-glass doors that read Open Bar. The pints just taste better at this corner classic.
Earth ( 041-983 0969; Stockwell Lane; Thu-Sun) Drogheda’s biggest nightclub attracts a fairly young crowd and can be a bit of a cattle mart, but the music ranges from club classics to hip hop, house and techno, and it’s always buzzing.
Drogheda Arts Centre ( 041-983 3946; www.droichead.com; Stockwell Lane) Drama, music, comedy, film and visual art take to the stage at Drogheda’s lively arts centre.
Shopping
Large glitzy malls are coming to Drogheda. Located on the south bank with the D Hotel is Scotch Hall Shopping Centre (Marsh Rd), while down close to the middle of town is the equally large Laurence Town Centre (Laurence St), which was once a grammar school.
Getting There & Away
BUS
Drogheda is only 48km north of Dublin, on the main M1 route to Belfast. The bus station is just south of the river on the corner of Rathmullan Rd and Donore Rd. This is one of the busiest bus routes in the country, and Bus Éireann ( 041-983 5023) regularly serves Drogheda from Dublin (€6, one hour, one to four hourly). Drogheda to Dundalk is another busy route (€5, 30 minutes, hourly).
From Drogheda you can get a bus that drops you off at the entrance of the Brú na Bóinne visitor centre (€2, 15 minutes, four to six daily).
TRAIN
The train station ( 041-983 8749) is just south of the river and east of the town centre, off Dublin Rd. Drogheda is on the main Belfast–Dublin line (Dublin €15, 35 minutes; Belfast €27.50, 1½ hours), and there are six express trains (and many slower ones) each way, with five on Sunday. This is the best line in Ireland, with excellent on-board service.
Getting Around
Drogheda itself is excellent for walking, and many of the surrounding region’s interesting sites are within easy cycling distance. Quay Cycles ( 041-983 4526; 11A North Quay; per day from €14), near the bridge, rents bikes between May and October.
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AROUND DROGHEDA
Beaulieu House
Before Andrea Palladio and the ubiquitous Georgian style that changed Irish architecture in the early decades of the 18th century, there was the Anglo-Dutch style, a simpler, less ornate look that is equally handsome. Beaulieu