Lively and friendly bars to help get you in the festive spirit
December 13: Embrace the giant ‘spirits’ in any of its lively and friendly bars this Christmas and you will understand why Northern Ireland has earned a reputation as being a great place for a night out.
From creamy pints of Guinness to sophisticated cocktails and premium spirits, beers and ciders which celebrate Northern Ireland’s natural bounty, this place has come a long way from pints of Porter served in ‘spit and sawdust’ pubs.
You’ll find welcoming bars across all corners of Northern Ireland and with a pub and club culture which stretches back over decades, there’s everything from the traditional to modern and quirky bars with some amazing nightclubs to help keep the festive party going.
The Cathedral Quarter was once considered Belfast’s Fleet Street and was a centre for literature and newspapers. Today, it’s full of those in the know, out for a night of craic and fine food. It’s hip, it’s trendy and has that touch of class…and makes for a great bar crawl.
We can’t guarantee a talking camel when you order a pint of Harp and a packet of dates or a partridge in a pear tree, but with Discover Northern Ireland’s ‘12 pubs of Christmas’ there’s plenty of great options to get you in the festive spirit.
- The Sunflower, Belfast
- The Sunflower is a simple corner pub, it is free of gimmicks or themes which is quite rare these days. With ‘good beer and good music’ as core values, you can be sure of a good night out at the Sunflower. You could also catch Belfast’s next big star with live music seven nights per week, ranging from open mic nights to hand-picked performers. The Sunflower is instantly recognisable by its front door, a relic from 1980s Belfast, preserved as part of the city’s social history. Little did the men who erected it think that one day it would become a tourist attraction – just another small example of how much Belfast has evolved.
- The Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast
- A little history goes a long way in places like Belfast’s Crown Liquor Saloon. Located in a magnificent Grade A listed building that dates back to the 1880s, the Crown was once one of the iconic Victorian Gin Palaces. The impressive façade is one of the Belfast’s most popular photo spots, and it only gets better when you step inside. Originally designed to protect Victorian drinkers from the prying eyes of the busy Great Victoria Street, the stained-glass windows are etched with fairies, pineapples, fleur-de-lys, and clowns. The traditional gas lighting also remains and if you’re lucky to find a free one, they have wonderful cosy snugs for drinks with mates.
- Duke of York, Belfast
- Follow the cobblestones down an alleyway in the Cathedral Quarter, and you’ll stumble upon the Duke of York, where you’ll find a real Belfast welcome, craic and tunes. Appreciate the superb décor and special atmosphere with beautiful antique mirrors, local furniture and artefacts from some of the city’s most famous hotels and buildings from bygone times – providing a rather rare and unique glimpse of Belfast’s historical past. And if it’s a tipple you’ve got in mind, you’ll find a fantastic selection of Irish whiskey.
- The Copper Tap, Omagh, County Tyrone
- You just can’t miss it as you turn the corner on Castle Street. A bar and restaurant recently refurbished with something for everyone, with cuisine on the menu from near and far and plenty of drinks to choose from. And if you find yourself here on a weekend, you can be sure you’ll catch some of the local musical talent.
- Blakes of the Hollow, Enniskillen, County. Fermanagh
- Nestled on Church Street, Blakes of the Hollow is one of the oldest Victorian pubs you’ll find in Ireland, with its Victorian bar to the front remaining untouched since 1887. Cosy up in one of the snugs with a pint and some of the finest food you can find. Live traditional music is played every Friday while it also houses one of the iconic Game of Thrones doors which were made from trees felled during a storm at the Dark Hedges.
- Peadar O’Donnell’s, Derry City
- Brimming with charm and buzzing with live traditional music, Peadar O’Donnells is one of Derry’s most well-known and popular bars. With historic memorabilia as far as the eye can see, grocer pub decor and no shortage of local characters full of lively stories, this pub in the Derry City Walls is a must stop for a nightcap. Call in during a trad session and you will enjoy a night to remember.
- Friels Bar & Restaurant, Swatragh, County Derry
- There’s a cosy place full of history and charm in Swatragh, a perfect pit stop called Friels Bar & Restaurant. This fifth-generation family pub and restaurant will delight you with its original wooden ceiling and ornate bar. It had various owners throughout the 1800s when it was previously a coaching inn, hotel, and then a Post Office. It was also used as a dispensary and surgery, where many a tonic was given, and ailment cured – nowadays their tonics are mostly served with gin. And if you need any more convincing, they’ve won plenty of awards too.
- Crosskeys Inn, Toomebridge, County Antrim
- Dating back to the 1740s, the Crosskeys Inn is a former coaching stop between Belfast and Derry. The bar is now considered the oldest thatched pub in Ireland. Renowned for its traditional music offering, the Crosskeys Inn is a unique, authentic Irish traditional pub. Welcoming visitors from all around the world, it is famous for its Guinness and Irish Whiskey offering. Musicians from all over Ireland have at one time or another played within (and outside) its walls.
- The Harbour Bar, Portrush, County Antrim
- A feast for the senses is the fine Harbour Bar, one of the oldest bars on the Causeway Coast. With great views overlooking Portrush Harbour, an upstairs Gin Bar and live music seven days a week, you’ll find it hard to ever leave! Pop next door to one of the restaurants or enjoy the Harbour bar’s snacks and wood-fired bites to eat. It’s the perfect place for a cosy pint and a haven from the bracing wind rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean.
- Bridge Bar, Newry, County Down
- A wise man once said that the best way to get to know a place is to get to know its local. Well, opening the door of The Bridge Bar is like opening the book on Newry City itself – everyone’s here. The couple in the corner, the storyteller bending ears at the counter, the band tuning a banjo, they’re all here for the great drink, the craic and the music. And that wise man? He’s in the beer garden out the back.
- Hillside Bar and Restaurant, Hillsborough, County Down
- A stone’s throw from Belfast in the historic Georgian village of Hillsborough, The Hillside is renowned for its homely roaring open fires with a peaceful atmosphere in winter and their quaint and pretty cobbled stone beer garden in the summer. The bar serves a wide selection of ales, beers, stouts and spirits featuring local craft drinks and the very finest whiskeys.
- Keegan’s Bar, County Armagh
- Now here’s a place that wears its heart on its sleeve with its bright painted front and its dinky little windows. After a visit to Ireland’s ecclesiastical capital, famous for its two St Patrick’s Cathedrals and Georgian architecture, some time in Keegan’s Bar is the perfect way to end the day. The food is home-cooked, family-served and guaranteed to put a smile on your face and there is live music every weekend.
For more information on great places to visit in Northern Ireland visit, www.discovernorthernireland.com
https://gowildmagazine.com/one-of-irelands-top-music-festivals-to-usher-in-2023/
