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Irish Examiner
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner Eats: Magical 'after hours' dining at iconic Farmgate Café
The Irish Examiner Eats Club kicked off its summer season with a truly unique offering, an exclusive 'after hours' evening dinner in Cork's iconic English Market. Exclusive to Irish Examiner subscribers, a special menu awaited diners at the Farmgate Café, after the historic market had shut up shop for the day. Following the roaring success of last year's IE Eats Club dinners, in Goldie and Good Day Deli, anticipation was high for this first event of 2025, and delighted diners were rewarded with a luxury Farmgate menu served up in the restaurant, as the evening sunlight filtered through the market's soaring rafters high above. Irish Examiner food editor, Jillian Bolger officially welcomes the guests to the event in the Farmgate Café. Picture: Chani Anderson The Farmgate Café was originally opened by Máróg O'Brien and her sister, Kay Harte, in 1994, with Kay then taking over the reins and it is now operated by Kay's daughter, Rebecca Harte. Over the years, it has become a local favourite and a national institution, and is very firmly on the map for international tourists and visitors seeking the finest Irish food, sourced locally, much of it from the market below, and delivering menus of traditional Irish dishes with a contemporary twist. Under head chef Pamela Kelly and front of house manager Tricia Cronin, IE Eats Club diners were first greeted with a welcome drink and then served up a fabulous four course menu which was rapturously received. Beginning with canapés (Arancini with Toonsbridge scamorza, and corned beef and caper turnover), it was then followed by a first course of mackerel, soused beets, remoulade, before moving on to the main course of lamb cutlets, barley, and vegetable broth, colcannon potato, and then finishing with dessert of buttermilk Panna cotta, served with Bushby's strawberries, from Rosscarbery, in West Cork. Deirdre and Denis O'Mahony clink glasses in the Farmgate cafe. Picture: Chani Anderson Exclusive tickets to IE Eats Club events can only be purchased by Irish Examiner subscribers and before the wonderful night was out, excitement was already building in anticipation of the next such event in August, as part of the Cork on a Fork food festival, and with details to be announced in the very near future. The Irish Examiner food writing team also dined, with food editor Jillian Bolger introducing the dinner and the team, with wine writer Leslie Williams introducing the wines, before the curtain was drawn on yet another magical night out of wining and dining for the Irish Examiner Eats Club. Read More Winning €250m EuroMillions ticket sold in Cork city centre
Irish Examiner
14-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
The Hotel Examiner: Read our reviews of some of Ireland's top-rated hotels
Adare Manor, Co Limerick Impressive and opulent with wonderful staff, this luxurious hotel wants you to have fun while enjoying serious comfort. Our reviewer, travel editor Jillian Bolger, clearly aligns with Adare's ranking as the best hotel in Ireland. Her 10/10 review says the landmark property delivers 'everything you'd expect from a leading five-star estate'. Read our review here. The Merrion, Dublin Fashioned from four adjoining Georgian townhouses, built in the 1760s as the homes of nobility and notable merchants, the handsome heritage property looks across to Government Buildings and is a saunter to St Stephen's Green and Grafton Street. Earning a 9.5/10 score from our reviewer, Jillian was particularly taken by The Merrion's style and design. 'Comfortable and elegant, it offers a stylish cocoon away from the city centre's busy-ness.' Read our review here. Harvey's Point, Co Donegal A warm welcome was among the standouts for Jillian at Harvey's Point, which she awarded 8.5/10. 'The welcome at Harvey's Point is just as I'd hoped. Warm, emphatic and authentic, we are greeted by concierge Ailish McGlone, sister of former owner Deirdre and Marc Gysling,' she writes. Read our review here. Hayfield Manor, Cork Old world elegance and brilliant staff make Cork city's five-star Hayfield Manor shine, Jillian writes after her 9.5/10 stay. 'Despite being walking distance from the city centre, this Ireland's Blue Book property offers a real sense of rural escapism, thanks to private and fabulously leafy grounds in a mature, residential area.' Read our review here. Dromoland Castle, Co Clare Dromoland Castle scooped a 9/10 rating from reviewer Thom Breathnach earlier this year, for whom iot was love at first sight. 'Winding down its woodland and fairway-flanked driveway, Dromoland Castle emerges across the lake and fluttering bulrushes with legendary impact prompting, in my case, an audible 'wow' moment,' he writes. Read our review here. Intercontinental Dublin Dublin's Intercontinental Hotel, ranked 19th in Ireland by Tripadvisor, failed to elicit such a positive response from Jillian last September after the dinner service left a sour taste. 'Things fall apart at dinner where service swings between friendly, forgetful, and careless,' she writes, adding: 'Dirty tables pile up around us and the staff seem more intent on clearing these than looking after diners.' Read our review here.
