Limerick pubs win top prizes at Irish Pub Awards
TWO LIMERICK pubs have been named best in the country at the Irish Pub Awards 2023
Aunty Lena’s, Adare is celebrating after being named National Pub of the Year, while Dolans on the Dock Road has taken home the prize for Best Music Pub.
The two Limerick establishments were presented with their trophies at the Gala Awards Ceremony in The Round Room at The Mansion House, Dublin last Wednesday evening.
The Irish Pub Awards are jointly presented by Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) and The Licenced Vintners Association (LVA). With over 900 entries from all over Ireland this awards programme continues to be recognised by publicans around Ireland as a valuable way to promote their business.
Established in 1806 by the Chawke family, Aunty Lena’s has famously served the needs of its patrons with great success keeping the bar as a focal part of the community and serving both locals and visitors from all over the world.
In 2018 the pub re-developed the abandoned Adare Courthouse, annexing it to Aunty Lena’s and completely refurbishing an historic building so linked to Adare since 1836, but forgotten for over 30 years. The Adare Courthouse now has new life breathed into with a bespoke restaurant, bar, and Courthouse Museum, which can also be used as a themed function room.
Dolan's Limerick has been one of Ireland's leading and most iconic music venues for almost 20 years. The Best Music Pub Award, sponsored by IMRO, acknowledges a pub that has introduced innovative and creative live/recorded music entertainment options that demonstrate an exciting atmosphere and are making a positive impact on the growth of the business.
Speaking at the Irish Pub Awards, John Clendennen, VFI President, said the quality of pubs who entered this year’s awards is outstanding: "Every year the standard of pubs entering the Irish Pub Awards improves to the point that the 2023 entries set a new benchmark for excellence in pubs across Ireland. The quality is so high that to win one of tonight’s category awards is an exceptional achievement."