Dublin's Merrion Hotel (pictured), Ballynahinch Castle in Galway and the Gougane Barra Hotel of Cork were in the winners enclosure today in the categories for best 5-star, 4-star and 3-star Hotel, respectively, at the Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards.
Launched in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, the ceremony was spearheaded by president of the Irish Food Writers' Guild, Georgina Campbell, for the purpose of creating a benchmark system that would motivate the industry to raise the standards of the Irish Breakfast experience.
Speaking at the event, Campbell stated that she "would like to congratulate all the recipients today who have come from the four corners of Ireland to be here. The standards across the country have been set by these Irish hospitality providers and Irish food producers who have excelled in their delivery of and contribution to the Irish Breakfast experience."
Apart from the three hotels mentioned above, those honoured at today's event included Cork's Ballymaloe House, which took home the award for 'Best Country House', Newforge House of Down, which was named 'Best Guest House' and Corrib House of Galway, which won 'Best B&B', while Dundrum's Overends at Airfield Estate snagged the title of 'Best Visitor Attraction',
Meanwhile, Burren Glamping in Clare was proclaimed to have the 'Best Welcome Standard' and Rua cafe of Castlebar was said to provide the 'Best Brunch'.
The full list of winners are as follows:
Five-star hotel: The Merrion, Dublin
Highly commended: Culloden Estate & Spa, Belfast and The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney
Four-star hotel: Ballynahinch Castle, Recess, Co Galway
Highly commended: The Mustard Seed, Ballingarry and Galgorm Resort & Spa, Ballymena
Three-star hotel: Gougane Barra Hotel, Macroom, Co Cork
Highly commended: Killeen House Hotel, Killarney and Raheen House Hotel, Clonmel
Country House: Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co Cork
Highly commended: Roundwood House, Mountrath and Rathmullan House, Co Donegal
Guest House: Newforge House, Magheralin, Co Down
Highly commended: MacNean House, Blacklion and Inch House, Thurles
B&B: Corrib House, Galway
Highly commended: Ballinwillin House, Mitchelstown and The Mill Restaurant & Accommodation, Dunfanaghy
Welcome Standard: Burren Glamping, Kilfenora, Co Clare
Highly commended: Bervie, Achill Island and The Tannery, Dungarvan
Visitor Attraction: Overends at Airfield Estate, Dundrum, Dublin
Highly commended: Native by Yellow Door at the MAC, Belfast and Courtyard Café, Birr Castle, Co Offaly
Brunch: Rua, Castlebar, Co Mayo
Highly commended: Knox, Sligo and Hatch & Sons Irish Kitchen, Dublin
Irish breakfast foods
Meats: O’Neill’s dry cure bacon
Fish: Burren Smokehouse smoked salmon
Cereals: Flahavan’s Oats
Dairy: Clandeboye Estate yoghurt
