Blarney Castle and Gardens. Autumn Colour Arriving

Blarney Castle and Gardens. Autumn Colour Arriving

October 8th, 2024

Fly Agaric Fungus (ID via Google Picture Search)

Magnolia fruit (ID via  Google Picture Search)

Rhus changing colour

Green tree becoming red!

CORK'S MET BAR & RESTAURANT NAMED AMONG THE TOP TEN PERCENT WORLDWIDE BY TRIPADVISOR

press release

CORK’S MET BAR & RESTAURANT NAMED AMONG 

THE TOP TEN PERCENT WORLDWIDE BY TRIPADVISOR 

The Met Bar and Restaurant at the Metropole Hotel in Cork City has received a top honour by the globally recognised travel website Tripadvisor.

The Travellers’ Choice Awards are based on reviews and ratings collected over a 12-month period. The Met Bar and Restaurant scored a spot at the top thanks

Beer of the Week. White Hag Heidrun Bock. Perfect for Oktoberfest!

White Hag Heidrun Bock Beer, 6.5% ABV, 440 ml can, Lidl 

Beer of the Week

Perfect for Oktoberfest

White Hag Heidrun Bock Beer is a rich and satisfying brew that perfectly captures the essence of a traditional bock. This 6.5% ABV malty beer pours a traditional

The best of Irish craft and design at Ballymaloe Craft Fair 2024. And, there'll be food of course!

The best of Irish craft and design at Ballymaloe Craft Fair 2024

200 exhibitors bring their best. And food stalls, of course!

The Ballymaloe Craft Fair 2024 will run from November 15th to 17th and 22nd to 24th. In addition to fantastic gifting options, the Fair will offer a wide range of produce from local artisan food producers, featuring everything from cheese makers to

Saladini Pilastri Falerio, a pure, organic, fresh, and elegant white from the sunny limestone hills of Spinetoli

Saladini Pilastri Falerio (DOC) 2022, 13.5% ABV

€17.95 Bradleys North Main Street Cork and online 

From the sunny limestone hills of Spinetoli, a pure, organic, fresh, and elegant white.

This organic white blend from the Marche on Italy’s east coast has a light straw colour. Its aromas feature subtle white blossom and white fruit notes. That continues into the palate, where it is fruity but in a restrained way, with minerality and elegance. 

The balanced blend of grapes—Trebbiano, Passerina, Pecorino, Fiano, and

Go for Pumpkin Pie, Okra, and Po’Boys. Soul flavours of Louisiana in Cork’s Bayou

Go for Pumpkin Pie, Okra, and Po'Boys 

Soul flavours of Louisiana in Cork's Bayou

Jambalaya

Cork finally has a taste of the real America: Bayou, a vibrant new cafe serving up the soul-satisfying flavours of Louisiana, has a mission to give 

On the craft trail with Galway Bay, Outer Place and O'Hara's. A handy line-up for a session!

On the craft trail with Galway Bay, Outer Place and O'Hara's

A handy line-up for a session!

Galway Bay Brewery Althea Hazy Pale Ale, 4.8% ABV, 500 ml bottle, Dunnes Stores

Unlike many pale ales, Althea is low on bitterness yet massively hoppy in aroma. The brewery tells us it is named “after one of our head brewer’s favourite Grateful Dead songs.” Highly Recommended.

The colour is light gold, hazy, of course, though you can track all

Taste of the Week. Smoked Haddock Lasagne by Seafood Suppers

Taste of the Week. 

Smoked Haddock Lasagne by Seafood Suppers 

I mentioned this last week in a short

POWERSCOURT HOTEL RESORT & SPA IN TOP 20 BEST EUROPEAN SPAS. Condé Nast Reader's Choice Awards

press release

POWERSCOURT HOTEL RESORT & SPA IN TOP 20 BEST EUROPEAN SPAS

Condé Nast Reader's Choice Awards

 

Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, is pleased to announce that they have been listed in the top 20 best European Resorts in this year's Condé Nast Reader's Choice Awards, a well-respected accolade for the travel & tourism industry. 

More than 575,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers across the United States submitted

MICHELIN Keys in Great Britain & Ireland for the very first time. 123 outstanding hotels awarded.

press release

MICHELIN Keys in Great Britain & Ireland for the very first time.
123 outstanding hotels awarded.

The Two Key Award group.

Selected by the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors, these hotels offer the world's most outstanding experiences and can be booked on the MICHELIN Guide’s digital platforms.
The MICHELIN Guide’s ambition is to become the first

Beer of the Week. Eight Degrees Cumulus Lupulus Cloudy IPA. A good day ahead!

Beer of the Week

Eight Degrees Cumulus Lupulus Cloudy IPA, 5.2% ABV

440 ml can No 21 Coburg St

Clouds via pixabay

A cloudy IPA. And a good day ahead! 

A cloudy IPA? It's not very cloudy at all, just see-through hazy. However, when weather forecasters say it will be cloudy, they usually mean it will be both cloudy and sunny. But if they were glass-half-full people, they could just as easily say it will be sunny.

Cloudy or not, this well-hopped IPA is an intense brew. It has an excellent

September Saturday. Down by the River.

Down by the River. 

September Saturday.

28th September 2024, from the Tivoli side of Cork's River Lee

Rowers heading down the river

Seven Swans. Eight Rowers.

Heading towards the city

Full crew power the Tara Warrior Princess (and below)

One eight above, and another below

Three single sculls (above and following)

Double

Four, with cox in a box, and below

River, road, railway. Look closely, beyond the houses, to see yellow train on its way.

Train heading east

Teamhair Saoirse, heading out.

Port of Cork

The Swan family

A superb Malbec from Chateau du Cedre, where almost every vine receives a special attention

Cedre Heritage Malbec Cahors (AC) 2021, 13% ABV

RRP: €19.95. Stockists:  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

almost every vine receives a special attention

Gorgeous fruity aromatics welcome you to this mid to dark ruby wine from the south of France.  It has been produced biodynamically by Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe of Château Du Cèdre, found where the River Lot meanders, meanders a lot, and where I confess