Winners at the Irish Pubs Global Awards, which took place yesterday (27 September) in the Citywest Hotel, Dublin included The Irish Village in Dubai, which won the award for Irish Pub of the Year, while An Púcán in Galway was named Best Irish Pub at home.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to the late publican Oliver Hughes, co-founder of the Porterhouse group and owner of both Lillie’s Bordello and the Dingle Whiskery Distillery.
McGettigan’s, Abu Dhabi, won the award for Best International Irish Pub Food, while The Old Spot Gastropub in Dublin won the award for Best Irish Pub Food at home. Other winners on the night included Kevin Barry’s Pub in Savannah, which won Best Authentic Irish Pub, and The Jar in Dublin which won best Marketing Campaign of the Year.
The awards were held as part of part of the fifth annual Irish Pubs Global Federation Gathering event which runs from 26-28 September. The awards honour business excellence in the Irish pub industry at home and abroad.
"The Irish pub continues to enjoy iconic status around the world and this conference and the awards are testament to this," said Enda O’Coineen, Founder and President of the Irish Pubs Global Federation. "We’re delighted to welcome so many pub owners from abroad who understand the value and special place that the Irish pub continues to hold. Congratulations to all those shortlisted and the winners who took home their awards tonight."
Delegates from the Irish pub sector from Ireland and abroad attended this year’s gathering which also included a conference, the theme of which was ‘Creating A Destination Pub’.
Senator Billy Lawless, who previously headed up the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI), and is also owner of a number of successful pubs and restaurants in Chicago, delivered the keynote address.
"The Irish pub has always been at the heart of communities the length and breadth of this country and it’s an integral part of our social, cultural and economic life” said Senator Billy Lawless. "The Irish pub is changing and keeping pace with a changing Ireland. I commend The Irish Pubs Global Federation for organising this event which is needed to enhance the collective experience of the Irish pub sector and connect the several thousand Irish pubs that are found as far afield as Auckland and Alaska," he said.
Other speakers at the event included Peter Nash from Tourism Ireland, Seamus O’Hara from the Carlow Brewing Company, Kay McCarthy who spoke on how best to market the pub to Generation Y, and Kevin Arundel from the Chophouse Gastropub who gave advice on how to cook traditional Irish food with a twist.
