From five star hotels to food trucks, representatives of the very best in Irish hospitality gathered at Bord Bia’s Thinking House in Dublin this week for the announcement of the 2018 Georgina Campbell Awards. An annual celebration of excellence associated with the respected Georgina Campbell’s Ireland independent hospitality guides, and Ireland’s most popular independent hospitality and travel website www.ireland-guide.com, these are Ireland’s longest-running food and hospitality awards, and highly respected by the industry.
At the awards ceremony held in Bord Bia in Dublin, Georgina Campbell presented the Pub of the Year Award to Mark Cadden of Bar One in Castlebar. About Bar One, Georgina Campbell has this to say: “This family’s hospitality history in the area dates back to the 1970s, when Mary and Michael Cadden opened the famous Westport bar and restaurant, The Asgard. It set a benchmark for food and hospitality in the west, something that they have continued to nurture here in Castlebar.
"Now run by Mary and Michael’s son, Mark Cadden — whose brothers operate Dublin’s stylish Saba, and Saba to Go — this smart gastropub is the busiest bar food venue in the area and it’s easy to see why. Modern and well designed, the welcome is warm and friendly — an early sign of the high standards that epitomise this fine pub, where hospitality is king. Nothing is ever too much trouble for the kind and well trained staff, and the philosophy of seeking out and taking inspiration from the best local foods and drinks (proudly acknowledged ) shows in the flavour and quality on the plate. This must be one of the best run establishments in the country — and not only is the food superb but, at weekends, it is Castlebar’s night time hotspot too.”
