O’Connells Pub, Galway City are celebrating after winning Best Outdoor Pub Space Award having been judged champion from a field of 61 regional winners at a Gala Awards Ceremony in the Round Room at The Mansion House, Dublin.
The Irish Pub Awards are jointly presented by Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI ) and The Licenced Vintners Association (LVA ). With over 700 entries from all over Ireland this awards programme continues to be recognised by publicans around Ireland as a valuable way to promote their business.
The former grocery store that has been solely a pub since the 1970s has become one of Galway’s most loved places to meet, have a drink and eat.
Inside the bar, the décor has all original features including tiled floors, antique lighting, stained glass windows, solid wooden seating and a pressed tin ornate ceiling in the main bar. Nostalgia fills every corner with historic photos lining the walls.
Then outside, enter the O’Connells Beer Garden. The mock street outside is the ideal place to eat the award-winning Dough Bros Pizza and new addition to the garden Pratai Chips whilst enjoying the best of cocktails, pints of Guinness or sampling one of their many bottles of whiskey as well as live music.
A custom-built bar was installed as well as retro fit vintage neon signage to bring the garden beautifully from day to night.
The bar also released exclusively their Powers 12-year-old Single Cask Whiskey in 2021. 200 years of expertise means the people in Midleton know all there is to know about creating some of the best whiskey Ireland has. With their help and guidance O’Connells have chosen a wonderful example of Pot Still Irish Whiskey. This cask was originally laid down to mature on the grounds of Midleton in 2007, released and bottled in 2021 and now available in the bar.
Pop in and enjoy O’Connells in Eyre Square 7 days a week or get social on Instagram at OConnellsGalway.
Speaking at the Irish Pub Awards, Paul Moynihan, VFI President expressed his delight at the number of award entries this year and congratulated all the finalists: “This year’s awards set a new benchmark for excellence in pubs across Ireland. I’m delighted to see some truly fantastic pubs receive their awards on the back of the highest-ever number of entries. The Irish pub is rightly celebrated around the world so it’s important we have a prestigious awards ceremony that captures the unique qualities of our pubs. The level of innovation and excellence on display in our winning pubs should act as an inspiration to publicans thinking about entering next year’s Irish Pub Awards.”
LVA Chair, Alison Kealy said: “The Irish Pub Awards have clearly established themselves as the definitive awards programme within the pub industry by trebling the number of entries in this its fourth year to over 1,700. The programme has been acknowledged for the excellent national and local media coverage attained along with the in-depth management training that all finalists have received that is beneficial to their business. We are very pleased with the growth and success of the Awards in such a short time, and it has now become a great vehicle to highlight the vital contribution that pubs make to Irish business, community, and tourism.”
