Whether you're visiting Shannon, Ireland for a few hours or a few days, here's where you'll find the very best dining, music, and nightlife.
Shannon is the area surrounding Ireland's Shannon International Airport. Whether you're staying at the airport overnight, or vacationing in the four counties that surround it, there are many fabulous ways to enjoy your evenings.
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are just 10km (a little over six miles) from Shannon Airport. It hosts an opulent medieval banquet almost every night. You'll arrive at the Bunratty Entrance Cottage and stroll through the Folk Park until you reach the Castle Gate. From there, you'll climb the stairs and cross the legendary drawbridge to enter the upper Great Hall.
After a short, very funny history presented by the Earl's Butler and a little music, you'll be led to the Banquet Hall. Once you're seated at comfortable benches at long oak tables, the four-course dinner begins. Expect sumptuous medieval-style meat and poultry dishes served with tasty side dishes and wines.
When the meal concludes, the real show begins. The Butler and the Ladies--actually some of Ireland's best female choral singers--will present a fabulous evening of musical entertainment accompanied by Irish harp and fiddle. Dinner and entertainment usually fill about two and a half delightful hours.
Reservations are recommended for this unforgettable dining experience in Bunratty's fully restored 15th-century castle. If you have only one night in the Shannon area, the medieval banquet at Bunratty should be at the top of your to-do list.
Also on Bunratty Castle grounds, Mac's Pub & Restaurant is part of the Folk Park during daytime hours. However, after the park closes at night, the Pub admits the public, free of charge. Mac's is a fully licensed "old world" style pub, and their meals are popular with the locals and visitors alike.
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are located about six miles southeast of Shannon International Airport, off the main road between Shannon and Limerick. Look for signs from the N18 highway, directing you to Bunratty Castle.
If you have an extra evening and have been to Bunratty's famous banquet, rent a car and head to the city of Limerick. This is where you'll find the "real" Ireland, with pubs, restaurants, and clubs. Most barmen will tell you that they serve the very the best Guinness in Limerick, but you'll have to decide that for yourself.
There's something for everyone in this small, friendly city, from Limerick's popular beer garden at Curragower Bar to the traditional pub (complete with a turf fire) at Nelly Blake's. Visit one or several, for a rich and authentically Irish experience.
Because Limerick is often overlooked by travel guidebooks, this is an ideal destination during the busy tourist season. You won't find many neon green leprechaun signs or boorish vacationers in Limerick. Instead, expect some of the best "craic" (traditional Irish music and laughter) and country cooking in Ireland. Pub dress is generally smart/casual, and with a little more formality on Saturday nights.
On the weekends, Limerick stays awake into the early morning hours. If you're there for a "pub crawl," book a room at any of Limerick's fine hotels or B&Bs. Remember, the Irish drive on the left side of the road; after a night of drinking, it's smart to have a hotel room nearby.
Limerick is about 15 miles southeast of Shannon International Airport. From the airport take the N19 highway to the N18 towards Limerick. Follow that directly into the middle of the city.
However, if you're pausing at Shannon International Airport and have an early morning flight, you can still enjoy a relaxing evening.
Inside the Shannon Airport, visitors and locals enjoy the casual atmosphere in "The Pub Upstairs." Whether you want a quick drink while you watch sports on the pub's TVs, or a perfectly cooked steak dinner and a fine wine, The Pub Upstairs is a good choice.
You'll find the Pub Upstairs easily on the first floor (upstairs) of the Departures Terminal overlooking the airport's check-in area. It is open until midnight daily. You won't have to go through security, and the pub is open to the public.
Or, if you're waiting for a late-night flight, head to Shannon Airport's "Sheridan Bar" for a drink or a snack. This comfortable bar is named after Joe Sheridan, the former airport chef who is most famous for inventing Irish coffee in 1943. The Sheridan Bar is open 24 hours a day to airlines passengers only. You'll find it in the Departures lounge area, past the security gates.
Several hotels are close to Shannon Airport and offer pubs, bars, and restaurants. For example, Great Southern Hotel Shannon is just a two-minute walk from the airport, and features Blair's Bar and Restaurant. Nearby, the Shannon Court Hotel has the Rising Dragon restaurant and the Old Lodge Bar.
Five miles from the airport, the Clare Inn Resort is famous for its award-winning Deerfield Restaurant. Their Poacher's Pub is also well known for snacks and bar meals, and an impressive variety of Irish beers and spirits.
Bunratty's Castle Hotel is across the street from Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. In addition to the park's banquet and pub, you can enjoy traditional music and excellent food at Kathleen's Irish Pub & Restaurant. Popular with tourists, Kathleen's is inside the hotel and offers everything from Irish stew to pizza, burgers, and vegetarian stir-fry.
Whether you're in Shannon for a few hours or a few days, there's plenty to do every night, and you'll eagerly return to Shannon during your next visit to the Emerald Isle. It's one of Ireland's best-kept secrets.
