March 21st, 2024 – COUNTY winners from across Connaught were unveiled yesterday at the Irish Restaurant Awards Connaught Regional Final 2024.

The event, held at the Knockranny House Hotel in county Mayo on Wednesday, March 20th, brought together culinary talents and hospitality greats from across the province to celebrate Ireland’s food-led hospitality industry.

The celebration of food and hospitality in Connaught drew a significant crowd, with almost 650 attendees joining in the celebrations on the night.

The Irish Restaurant Awards – now in its 15th year – garnered over 160,000 nominations from the public for restaurants, cafés, and other food service establishments across the country this year, setting a new record for participation.

Nominations were made through The Irish Times website, the Irish Restaurant Awards’ media partner.

Following the completion of all regional events and the announcement of county winners, attention will turn to the unveiling of Regional and All Ireland Winners at the prestigious All Ireland Awards Gala Dinner, set to take place at the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road, Dublin 4 in May.

Further ticket and event information for the All Ireland Awards Gala Dinner will be released in April following the Regional Events.

Speaking about the significance of the Irish Restaurant Awards during last night’s event, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Paul Lenehan, emphasised the resilience and innovation evident within Connaught’s food industry:

“Amidst the challenges faced by our industry, celebrating Connaught’s vibrant food and hospitality sector is more important than ever.

“The Irish Restaurant Awards continue to provide a vital platform to acknowledge the dedication of Connaught’s and the country’s talented restaurant, café and food-led hospitality staff.

“Once again, this year’s Connaught Regional Final showcased the unparalleled culinary talent within the province. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and nominees for their dedication and passion really paying off.”

Please find below the list of this year’s county winners from across Connaught:

Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Flogas

Galway – Kenneth Keavey, Green Earth Organics

Leitrim – Patrick J Rigney, The Shed Distillery

Roscommon – Mike Waldron, Waldron Family Meats

Sligo – Lindy O’Hara, Coopershill Venison

Mayo – Eddie O’Malley, Jack & Eddie’s

Innovator of the Year – Sponsored by Diageo

Galway – Builín Blasta Cafe & Bakery

Leitrim – Leitrim Hill Creamery

Roscommon – Éabha’s Street Kitchen

Sligo – Stoked

Mayo – Ryan’s Food Emporium

Best Sustainable Practices – Sponsored by Familia Torres

Galway – Kai Restaurant

Leitrim – Riverbank Restaurant

Roscommon – Bastion K2tchen Castlerea

Sligo – Honestly Farm Kitchen Strandhill

Mayo – Foxford Cafe

Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by San Pellegrino

Galway – Neo

Leitrim – The Cottage Restaurant

Roscommon – My Kitchen by Sham Hanifa

Sligo – Funké – Afro Caribbean Restaurant

Mayo – Jalan Jalan

Best Café – Sponsored by Illy

Galway – Wylde

Leitrim – Tegi’s Tearoom Carrick On Shannon

Roscommon – Rogue & Co Cafe

Sligo – Vintage Lane Cafe

Mayo – Postbox Coffee

Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Restaurant-Insurance.ie Provided by Dolmen

Galway – Rusheenduff Restaurant at Renvyle House Hotel & Resort

Leitrim – Dartry Cafe

Roscommon – Bastion K2tchen Castlerea

Sligo – Lyons Café and Bakeshop

Mayo – La Fougère Restaurant Westport at Knockranny

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Bibendum

Galway – Daróg Wine Bar

Leitrim – The Sandstone Restaurant at Lough Rynn Castle

Roscommon – The Old Stone House Restaurant Roscommon

Sligo – Hargadon Bros

Mayo – The Gallery Cafe, Wine & Tapas Bar

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by Square

Galway – The Willow Tree Restaurant Clifden

Leitrim – Morning Glory Cafe

Roscommon – The Coachman’s Inn

Sligo – Otto Pizza

Mayo – The Moy Hotel

Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by FBD Insurance

Galway – Owenmore Restaurant at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel

Leitrim – The Red Bank Restaurant

Roscommon – Keenan’s Hotel Bar & Restaurant

Sligo – Fish & Bean

Mayo – Cronin’s Sheebeen

Best Gastropub – Sponsored by Molson Coors

Galway – The Huntsman Inn

Leitrim – The Oarsman

Roscommon – Hester’s Golden Eagle Bar and Restaurant

Sligo – Harrisons Bar & Restaurant

Mayo – Nevin’s Newfield Inn

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace

Galway – POTA

Leitrim – The Selkie

Roscommon – Athlone Golf Club Restaurant

Sligo – Davis’ Restaurant & Yeats Tavern

Mayo – The Cot and Cobble

Pub of the Year

Galway – Freeney’s Bar

Leitrim – Flynn’s Bar

Roscommon – J Beirne’s

Sligo – Foleys Bar

Mayo – Warde’s

Employee Excellence Award – Sponsored by Peninsula

Galway – Catalina Gabriela Caltun, 56 Central Restaurant Cafe

Leitrim – Saoirse Supple, Honestly Farm Kitchen

Roscommon – Lauren Walsh, Regan’s Gastro Pub and Restaurant

Sligo – Deirdre Quinn, Waterfront House & Restaurant

Mayo – Niamh Walsh, The Creel Castlebar

Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant – Sponsored by Frylite

Galway – Pullman Restaurant at Glenlo Abbey Hotel & Estate

Leitrim – The Sandstone Restaurant at Lough Rynn Castle

Roscommon – The Douglas Hyde Restaurant at Kilronan Castle

Sligo – The Coral Restaurant at Diamond Coast Hotel

Mayo – George V at Ashford Castle

Best Restaurant Manager – Sponsored by Elavon

Galway – Zsolt Lukács, Daróg Wine Bar

Leitrim – Gabriel Camburu, Buffalo Boy

Roscommon – Michele Montis, The Waterfront Restaurant

Sligo – Angela Davis, Davis’ Restaurant & Yeats Tavern

Mayo – Fatima Santos, Flannerys Bar & Restaurant

Best Chef – Sponsored by BWG Food Service

Galway – Danny Africano, Lignum

Leitrim – Piero Melis, The Courthouse Restaurant

Roscommon – Martin Duffy, Athlone Springs Hotel

Sligo – Stéphane Magaud, Montmartre

Mayo – Kevin Stirzaker, Dining Room

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by San Miguel

Galway – Blackrock Cottage

Leitrim – The Red Bank Restaurant

Roscommon – The Purple Onion Kitchen

Sligo – Eala Bhán

Mayo – Poacher Restaurant

All sponsors of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2024

• Avonmore
• BDO
• Bibendum
• BWG Food Service
• Cashel Blue
• Customer Perceptions
• Diageo
• Elavon
• Familia Torres
• FBD Insurance
• Flogas
• Frylite
• Generation Apprenticeships
• IMRO
• Illy
• Ireland’s Blue Book
• Irish Times
• Istil
• Molson Coors
• Monin
• Much’d by Zoma
• Musgrave Marketplace
• Peninsula
• Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet
• Restaurant-Insurance.ie Provided by Dolmen
• San Miguel
• San Pellegrino
• Square

For more information on the Irish Restaurant Awards 2024 visit: https://irishrestaurantawards.com/faqs

Official Photographs from the Connaught Regional Awards: https://irishrestaurantawards.com/official-photos-connaught-regional-awards-2024/

All Images Credit: Paul Sherwood

For media queries contact adam@rai.ie or (01) 677 9901.