Sunday, June 23, 2024

Pergola Roses Shine in Blarney Castle Gardens

Pergola Roses Shine in Blarney Castle Gardens

Pics June 19th 2024


Sun lover



Picnic time!

Allium

Carnivorous (and below)




Lebanese cedar

Eternal Ascent by Blessing Sanyanga

Red seat



Sitka spruce tree (Picea sitchensis) is the highest tree our estate, 

measuring approximately 45 metres/145 teet in height.



Friday, June 21, 2024

Tenuta Bellafonte Pomontino Montefalco Rosso, an excellent blend of Sangiovese and Sagrantino

Tenuta Bellafonte Pomontino Montefalco Rosso (DOC) 2019, 13% ABV 

RRP: €22.95. Stockists: 64 Wine, Greenman Wines, Bradleys Cork, Le Caveau online



An excellent blend of Sangiovese and Sagrantino from Umbria.


This Montefalco Rosso from the centre of Italy has a mid-ruby colour. The nose is inviting and elegant with cherry, smaller red fruit and a touch of

Thursday, June 20, 2024

On the Craft Trail with Hopfully, Eight Degrees, Kildare Brewing and Chouffe


On the Craft Trail with Hopfully, Eight Degrees, Kildare Brewing and Chouffe.



Hopfully Eyecatcher Session Pale Ale, 4.8% ABV, 440 ml can 

Bradleys


Hopfully welcome a new brewer and a new beer.


Pale orange, close to lemon, is the colour of this session ale by Hopfully. It is also hazy as might expect from a New England style. Juicy stuff on the palate where exotic fruits lead the way before a dry and slightly tart

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Wexford: A 48-hour visit

Wexford: A 48-hour visit 

Cuan Aingeal. A remembrance garden for children who have died in tragic circumstances

Arriving in Wexford around lunchtime on Thursday, we immediately headed for La Vista, the restaurant with a view and pretty decent food also, nestled in the renovated Opera House. Took in those views over the city and estuary and, suitably refreshed, headed down to

Taste of the Week. Tuna Poké Bowl by Maki Sushi.

Tuna Poké Bowl

Taste of the Week. 

Tuna Poké Bowl by Maki Sushi

Back to the English Market for this Taste of the Week, an amazing Tuna Poké Bowl by Maki Sushi. Full title is Ahi Tuna Bowl and it consists of Fresh Tuna, Mango, Avocado Wakame, Edamame and

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

METROPOLE HOTEL LAUNCHES THIS YEAR’S JAZZ FESTIVAL CLUB

 METROPOLE HOTEL LAUNCHES THIS YEAR’S JAZZ FESTIVAL CLUB

Fiona Tierney "Lady Fi" and Jorge Kachmari of the Underscore Orchestra.  Pic: Brian Lougheed


New York Brass Band, The Swing Cats and Harry Connolly on the bill

Dual Dine and Swing options too


The Metropole Hotel, original home of the Cork Jazz Festival, will once again play

Guinness with Timmermans Lambic & Stout. Beer Of The Week Exceptional as you might expect from five centuries of brewing heritage

Beer Of The Week


Exceptional beer as you might expect from five centuries of heritage

Guinness with Timmermans Lambic & Stout 6% ABV, 37.5 cl bottle, Carry Out Wexford



Blended and bottled in Belgium, this Lambic & Stout is a terrific drink. It is a blend of three beers: the Guinness West Indies Porter (1801), Guinness Special Export (first brewed in 1944 exclusively for John Martin) and Timmermans Oude Kriek (from the world’s

Journey Through Time: A Glimpse into Johnstown Castle's Upstairs Downstairs.

 Journey Through Time: 

A Glimpse into Johnstown Castle's Upstairs Downstairs.

Ready for dinner? Ashworth Soup Tureen

Johnstown Castle in Wexford isn't just a historic landmark; it's a time capsule whispering tales of bygone eras. My recent visit, fueled by a curiosity sparked by a €7.5 million renovation project, was an eye-opening adventure into Ireland's rich past.


A food safe was quite common, usually made of timber

 with a tight mesh over the front to deter flies and so on 

and was often hung on outside walls. 


A Glimpse into Gilded Age Gastronomy

Imagine a lavish feast fit for royalty. Our journey begins with a

Monday, June 17, 2024

Try it with Florentine Steak, rare of course. Poggiotondo Terre di Cresci Chianti Classico (DOCG) 2021

Poggiotondo Terre di Cresci Chianti Classico (DOCG) 2021, 14.5% ABV


RRP €30.95. Stockists: Blackrock Cellar, wineonline.ie


Try it with Florentine Steak, rare of course


Our latest Chianti Classico has a vibrant garnet colour. Black cherries and plums, floral notes and spice may also be detected in the aromatics. Spice and fruit on the palate are matched by the lively acidity as the elegant delightful

Farol Illuminates Sundays Well with Authentic Portuguese Delights!

Farol Illuminates Sundays Well with 

Authentic Portuguese Delights!
Exquisite clams!

Craving a taste of Portugal? Look no further than Farol, the exciting new restaurant lighting up Sundays Well! Nestled in the former Vikki's space, Farol offers a vibrant taste of Portuguese cuisine that's sure to tantalise your taste buds. Farol, meaning "lighthouse" in Portuguese, isn't just

Friday, June 14, 2024

For One Night Only New York’s "The Dead Rabbit Bar" To Take Over Cask in Cork

press release

For One Night Only New York’s The Dead Rabbit Bar 

To Take Over Cask in Cork 


Ian Alexander, Bar Director of the world-renowned The Dead Rabbit will be in Cask serving cocktails on June 18th from 7 pm to 10 pm

The Dead Rabbit, a highly acclaimed New York bar, has been recognised with

A pure expression of the land where it is grown. Integro Negroamaro Puglia.

Integro Negroamaro Puglia (IGP) 2022, 13.5% ABV

€16.95 at O’Briens Wine


A pure expression of the land where it is grown

 

Intense ruby is the colour of this organic wine from the heel of Italy. Very fruity nose with cherry prominent. Cherry and red berry fruit flavours in the palate and it is a little on the

Thursday, June 13, 2024

On the craft trail with two Kerry beers and a Kilkenny cider. West Kerry Brewery, Killarney Brewing and Highbank Orchards

On the craft trail with two Kerry beers and a Kilkenny cider. West Kerry, Killarney Brewing and Highbank Orchards


 


West Kerry Blue Rose Ale 5.1% ABV, 500 ml bottle Bradleys


West Kerry threw out their rule book and this beautiful traditional ale is the result.


Colour is a light hazy gold with zillions of microbubbles crowding towards the soft white top. That dry hopping, an extra touch, is immediately noticeable in the aromas and on the palate. It has a pleasant, flowery, spicy, citrus-like quality with a slight