THE hardworking team at the Blue Haven Hotel in Kinsale are celebrating their Gold Medal win at this week’s Irish Bar of the Year Awards, writes Kieran O’Mahony.
The Kinsale hotel came tops for ‘Bar Food of the Year’ and the hotel later posted online that it was a huge honour for them to win this award.
‘We are deeply honoured and so proud of our amazing team,’ they said.
Meanwhile, Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa was also celebrating after it won a Silver award for ‘Hotel Bar of the Year’.
Cask at Hotel Issacs on MacCurtain Street in Cork city took the Gold award in the same category and it has strong West Cork connections led by Andy Ferreira, who heads up the award-winning team at the popular bar.
Cask also picked up a Silver Medal for ‘Cocktail Bar of the Year’ while its sister bar Paladar on Bridge Street won Bronze in the ‘Bar Manager of the Year’ category for Akram Bendjeddo.
Other notable Cork winners include Cork Heritage Pubs who won ‘Pub Group of the Year’ while Costigan’s Pub on Washington Street in Cork city won the ‘People’s Choice’ for Best Bar in Munster.
The Anglers in Cork picked up the award for ‘Outside Space of the Year’, while Arthur Mayne’s in Cork city won a silver award in the ‘Gastro Bar of the Year’ award and Old Brennan’s Wine House on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork city won a Gold award for ‘Best Wine Bar.’
Both Canty’s Bar and Dwyer’s of Cork also picked up Gold and Bronze respectively for ‘Best Live Entertainment Bar’.
Jill Thornton, senior event manager for the Irish Bar of the Year Awards, said this year’s winners have not just excelled in mixology and service, but have done so while navigating an exceptionally challenging landscape.
