Monthly Archive for March, 2005

The Sky Bar

Published on March 29, 2005 in Cork. 1 Comment

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The comedy clubs is also part of the complex at city limits. We decided to go in the other night for a few drinks. We encountered two bouncers at the door and they asked the youngest member of our group how many drinks he had. We all went in and discovered it to be practically empty. The Sky Bar is a late night venue and we went in relatively early. As you walk in the door the toilets are on the right. As you walk down there are comfortable couches on the left and right. There is an emphasis on fun in this pub. There is a games room off to the right that contains a pool table and a giant connect 4 board. There is also a football table in the main bar. We had a game of that and it was good fun. The bar reminded me of the one in The East Village Bar and Restaurant in Douglas. There are various big screen tv’s and one projector. There is a beer garden out a door to the left. The walkway out and the beer garden itself is like visiting Madame Tussauds in London. There are plenty of benches available and heaters for smokers who may stay here for the night. They also have a tv and a replica of Elvis and Charlie Chaplin. We sat on the couches and eventually settled at the bar. I was drinking Murphy’s and it was ok. We decided to get baby Guinnesses which were a real treat! The bar staff were extremely friendly it has to be said.

The toilets in the Sky Bar are extremely modern and were very clean. The urinal has a constant flow of clean water and even though there is only one cubicle, it was clean as well. It remained so for the whole night. The bar filled up as the night went on but never got too packed. The dj played her music from an elevated location. It is a bar that i enjoyed visiting. It has a late licence Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Sky Bar on Coburg Street is a short walk from Patrick street and is worth calling into.

Toilet rating: 8 and a half/10
Pint rating: 7/10
Overall rating: 8/10

Final comment: The Sky Bar is an alternative to other late bars and clubs in the city. I have been meaning to go to the comedy club for a while but have yet to see an act there. We had a good night at this venue.

The Vicarstown Bar

Published on March 28, 2005 in Cork. 0 Comments

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Following a trip to The Woodford Bar and going into Cleavers and coming out again because it was too packed we decided on The Vicarstown Bar. This pub is located on North Main Street. As you walk in the door the bar is on the right. There are tables across from the bar. It is very narrow and i happened to knock a glass on one of the tables. I got very evil stares! I was reading a website earlier that states "the vicarstown welcomes customers by day and by night". We were made to feel extremely unwelcome. I have to contradict the statement. If you keep walking down there are more seats and it gets much wider. We sat down near the back. We all commented on the awful stench that was in this pub. The decor was described as very outdated. The Murphy's i got was a nice pint but Kev described his as being 'flat' and only drank half. It was relatively busy with a lot of it's locals.

The toilets are down the back of the pub up a few steps and to the right. They are probably some of the worst i have used. I used the cubicle and found there to be no lock on the door. Their condition was pretty poor to say the least. Normally i like this type of pub but i will not be returning here. There is normally some redeeming features in a pub but personally i can't name one here. Remember this is just my opinion and the experience i had in there last night. By all means visit this pub if you want to experience it for yourself.

Toilet rating: 2/10
Pint rating: 7/10
Overall rating: 4/10

Final comment: The Vicarstown Bar has a prominent location on one of Cork's busiest streets.

The Woodford Bar and Cafe

Published on March 28, 2005 in Cork. 0 Comments

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I paid my first visit in there last night. I have heard a lot about this pub from people over the last few weeks. It is presently one of the most popular nightspots in the city. We encountered a bouncer there last night and he kindly opened the door for us. It was very busy last night and standing room was at a minimum. As you walk in there is seating scattered around. There is a bar off to the right and also to the left. I noticed a big projection on the wall on the right adverstising up coming events in the pub. Everybody there was very well dressed last night. I ordered a Murphys and to be honest it was only alright. I wouldn’t recommend drinking stout in this pub. A pint of Miller draught will set you back a steep 4 euro and 10 cent. There was a good atmosphere and the music wasn’t too loud. To be honest it’s a grand pub but i don’t think i could stay there for the night when it is so busy.

The toilets are down towards the back and up a stairs. As i was walking to them i noticed a place here for smokers. The toilets have coded doors but luckily they weren’t locked. The toilets are small and were alright. I thought they would be better condidering the pub. Overall it’s a nice pub and is certainly very popular. I will head in again as it is a lively spot.

Toilet rating: 6/10
Pint rating: 6/10
Overall rating: 7/10

Final comment: The Woodford Bar and Cafe on Paul Street is one of Cork’s most modern and popular pubs. It is worth popping in for a drink or some food.

The Riverstown Inn

Published on March 25, 2005 in Cork. 0 Comments

It was the last pub we called into last night. There are two entrances and we went in the one on the right as you are looking at the pub. I think we went into the bar. As you walk in the bar is in front of you and there is seating to the left and right. If you past the bar on the right there is more seating on the right, left and straight ahead. We sat on the right just next to the back entrance. I didn’t have a pint of Murphy’s myself but i was informed that the pints are fine. We noted that there was an older crowd in the pub and a lot of regulars. The seats are comfortable but we did notice that the tables seemed to be slanting one way. This caused some interesting experiments with a coin. A mirror gave a brief moment of confusion that was quickly sorted.

The toilets are out the back door and straight ahead. There was no indication that it was the gents but the ladies had a sign so used the opposite one! The toilets were in a bad state. They were small and not in good condition. I noticed a smoking area on the left as you walk out and there was a few people sitting on the benches and snuggling up to the heaters. The pub was busy and considering it was holy Thursday this is not suprising. I am sure that the off licences did fantastic business tonight, did you see any queues?

Toilet rating: 4/10
Pint rating: 7/10
Overall rating: 6/10

Final Comment: The Riverstown Inn has a good roadside location. I saw an advert for a poker classic with good prize money on Wednesday nights.

The Castle Tavern

Published on March 25, 2005 in Cork. 0 Comments

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The Castle Tavern is another Riverstown pub. We were passing and were inpressed by its exterior so we stopped off. We parked across the road from the pub but there was no obvious car park. To be honest i thought the pub would be ok but i was pretty shocked in a good way as i walked in. The bar is in front of you as you go in. There are seats on the left and right. If you walk up with the bar on your right there are seats to the left. There is another area past the bar straight ahead where we noticed a gas fire. There was a table quiz on in there tonight and PJ Coogan from 96fm was the quiz master. The questions appeared to be very difficult. If you take a right when you walk in the main door there is another section over here. This also leads to an area behind some glass that i didn’t check out. It is a great pub. There are very high ceilings and some nice wood furnishings around the bar. We were all very impressed with the pub. The pints of Murphy’s were very good, they both came in Murphy’s glasses which we were happy about.

The gents toilets are very big with 5 cubicles, three hand dryers and a couple of sinks. The urinal was blocked off with tape for some reason. Sandy stated that she thought the ladies was very impressive and took a photograph. We left the pub through a door near the back and it is most definately a place we would consider in the future.

Toilet rating: 8/10
Pint rating: 8/10
Overall rating: 8/10

Final comment: The Castle Tavern is a modern, spacious and airy pub that is very comfortable for a drink. I would reckon it gets packed at weekends.

John Barleycorn Hotel

Published on March 25, 2005 in Cork. 0 Comments

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This hotel had a fire a while back and is now closed down. (march 2007)

The John Barleycorn hotel is in Riverstown near Glanmire in Co Cork. We were here tonight to review it for the site. There is a big car park outside and we had no problems in getting a space. We chose a brightly lit area. We walked in through the reception and turned left into the pub. I am not sure if the pub has a specific name. I didn’t notice one. As you walk in there is a good amount of seating to the left and straight ahead. The bar is in another section on the right. The two sections are seperated by arches. We sat in seats straight ahead just under the tv. The pub was quite busy and it appeared like an older crowd. Myself, Ryan, Sandy and Fos came to the conclusion that this is a locals pub. It is very comfortable to sit and have a drink in. Someone commented that it seemed somewhat outdated. The pints of Murphy’s came in Beamish glasses but the quality was quite good.

The toilets are just off the reception area and they are fine. I had heard of this hotel before but this was my first visit. Apparently they have music on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday nights. There’s a beer garden that will be open from April to September and bar food is available.

Toilet rating: 7/10
Pint rating: 7 and a half/10
Overall rating: 7/10

Final comment: The John Barleycorn hotel is a small hotel bar that is nice for a drink. It’s certainly one to consider.

The Oyster Bar

Published on March 23, 2005 in Cork. 1 Comment

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The Oyster Bar is situated at 4 Market Lane in Cork city center. Myself and Ryan had a few drinks here in the past. It is quite a trendy pub with some nice decor. As you walk in there is seating all around and the bar is straight ahead. The bar itself is big and we had no trouble getting served. On the night we were there, there was quite a young crowd present. As i was waiting for our drinks i sat on a stool by the bar and was accused by this unhappy chap of stealing his ‘oul doll’s’ seat. I quickly moved off to avoid having to talk to this idiot. The stool wasn’t even near him! The pints of Murphy’s weren’t too bad in fairness. We sat by the bar and noticed the place filled up quickly. Another friend subsequently joined us and we had a second pint which was fine too. It is a nice pub inside but the crowd there on that particular night could only be described as dodgy.

The toilets were quite near to where we sat and they were fine when i checked them. The Oyster Bar regularly has dj’s playing and i know Mick Mulcahy, instigator of the famous Cork wind ups can often be found entertaining crowds here. They have a room upstairs called ‘The Lennon Room’ named appropiately after former beatle John. I haven’t been up there but i know it is available for functions. The pub itself is fine but i won’t be rushing back in a hurry. Pubs in the vicinity have much more to offer in my opinion. Pay a visit to make your own informed decision.

Toilet rating:6/10
Pint rating: 7/10
Overall rating: 7/10

Final comment: I have heard that it can get extremely packed in this pub so that indicates it’s very popular with people.

Foley’s

Published on March 19, 2005 in Kerry. 0 Comments


Henry Street is where you will find this pub and restaurant. Myself, Ryan and Fos went into the restaurant for dinner during our trip and it was great. I payed a return visit there today as we stopped in the town. We decided to head into the bar for a bite to eat. The menu outside was very inviting and reasonable. When you walk in the main door the restaurant is on the left and the bar is on the right. As you walk into the bar there is seating near the window on the right and straight ahead. If you turn left and walk down the bar is on the left and there is seating on the right. Continue walking down and there is seating straight ahead. If you follow the bar around you end up in the restaurant area. We sat near the front by the window and were served by a polite foreign waiter. We ordered our minerals and food and sat in very comfortable surroundings. We didn’t sample the stout in Foley’s. The food was very tasty and we both enjoyed it.

The toilets are located down the back of the bar and i found the gents to be a reasonable size and well maintained. Jen told me that there was a bad smell in the ladies toilets. Cheltenham was finishing and people were having their food and watching the television there. I have sampled the restaurant and bar food and can recommend it fully.

Toilet rating: 7/10
Overall rating: 7/10

Final comment: Foley’s is a very well established well run pub and restaurant. Foley’s is also a B+B so you have the option of staying here too.

Crowley’s

Published on March 19, 2005 in Kerry. 2 Comments

This is another one we inhabited on our visit to Kenmare. This is the kind of pub that appeals to me because it’s basic but in a good way. This is a very small pub that we went to one night. It is on the same street as the others but it’s across the road. As you walk in you will realise just how small it is. The bar is on the left and is tiny and there are two seating areas to the right. The two seating areas are seperated and you sit on wahtever sort of seat you can get. Space is limited but we were lucky to get a seat. It is a very popular bar for music sessions. We didn’t det to hear or take part in one but the reputation is certainly there. The pints of Guinness from what i remember are very good. This kind of pub is a breath of fresh air and even though it’s not every body’s cup of tea it oozes character.

The toilets were as basic as can be. Jen had to use the toilet while she was there and she had to use the family toilet up stairs! She said she passed an elderly lady up there and not a tack of notice was taken of her presence. Obviously where she was supposed to go. I think and i can be corrected that the gents are outside. We went back another night but we couldn’t get in the door it was so packed. This is one of the good ones.

Toilet rating: 5/10
Pint rating: 8/10
Overall rating: 8/10

Final comment: Crowley’s is a fun pub to visit in the town. Make it your business to go in here.

Sigerson’s

Published on March 19, 2005 in Kerry. 1 Comment


Dun Geagan is where Siegerson’s pub can be found. Ballinskelligs is another of Irelands beauty spots. Ballinskelligs beach is just a short drive away. It is a fantastic beach and is very clean and good for swimming. I had a tradition of going for a new years day swim but had to break it this year. There is a lounge and a bar in the pub. I have only been into the bar. This is an area of An Gaeltacht so some words of gaelic are expected! As you walk in there is seating of the left. As you walk down the bar is on the left hand side. I have only had the one pint in here and it was very good. Guinness would be a big seller in this pub. It is popular with locals and tourists alike.

The toilets were fine when i saw them. There is a heritage center just down the road that may be of interest. Sigersons is very much a traditional Irish pub. I don’t know if they have music at night there. I was in there during the afternoon. If you are at the beach or holidaying in the area a visit here is a must.

Toilet rating: 7/10
Pint rating: 8/10
Overall rating: 7/10

Final comment: Dun Geagan is a very small place but it has a lovely pub.