News Archive
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Lucinda's 20 Best Places For Eating & Meeting
21 December 2022
With Christmas closing in fast, and the holiday hustle already in high gear, Lucinda gives you the lowdown on the best spots for seasonal food and fun this December.
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Restaurant Review - Herbert Restaurant
21 December 2022
As the World’s 50 Best Restaurants finally ‘discovers’ our long-standing hotspots, Lucinda leads the way with a true find in Co Kerry.
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Restaurant Review - Paladar
14 December 2022
Bossa nova, baby! With mixologist extraordinaire Andy Ferreira and Hotel Isaacs’ Richard Evans involved, you’ll leave Cork's new cocktail bar and restaurant in good spirits, says Lucinda.
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Restaurant Review - Big Mike's
07 December 2022
We’ve already had Michael’s and Little Mike’s but this time, the irrepressible Gaz Smith is going big in Blackrock, says Lucinda.
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Restaurant Review - Chequer Lane
23 November 2022
While cracking the Irish market has proven calamitous for most UK celeb chefs, Jamie Oliver’s new Irish venture, Chequer Lane, was worth the wait, says Lucinda.
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Restaurant Review - Shock and Haugh
16 November 2022
Lucinda was looking forward to dining at Anna Haugh’s Conrad pop-up, but found the food was pricey and disappointing with an Oirish flavour.
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Restaurant Review - Cavistons
09 November 2022
The Harrods of SoCoDu, has a stylish but pricey new brasserie. The social set have been waiting for this one for a while and their patience has been rewarded.
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Restaurant Review - Alfama
02 November 2022
With Portuguese pasteis de nata suddenly in vogue, Lucinda made a visit to the brand new Alfama in Dublin 14.
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Hidden Stars - 20 Michelin Worthy Restaurants
01 November 2022
It’s the time of year that the Michelin man comes knocking on restaurant doors, says Lucinda. However, he doesn't always go to the right places.
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Restaurant Review - Some Southern Charm
26 October 2022
With lots of updates and additions in the Rebel County, Lucinda spent some time sampling delights in the rebel county.
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Restaurant Review - Dunraven Arms Hotel
19 October 2022
A hit with the likes of the Princess Royal, Grace Kelly, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, Lucinda was more than impressed by the delicious roast meats and legendary breakfast at Adare’s Dunraven Arms Hotel.
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Restaurant Review - Indo-Chine
12 October 2022
With staff shortages and rising costs, the times are, once again, a changing says Lucinda as she checks out the new Vietnam-inspired menu at D4's Indo-Chine.
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Restaurant Review - Terre
05 October 2022
Offering theatrical vibes and a unique flavour, Cork’s Terre at Castlemartyr Resort may be pricey but it’s a fabulous Michelin-worthy experience, says Lucinda.
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Restaurant Review - The Blackrock
28 September 2022
Service and style were great at The Blackrock – the new rugby player-owned pub in SoCoDu – but there was no Triple Crown, with some of the food being more deserving of the Wooden Spoon.
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Restaurant Review - The Flying Duck
21 September 2022
The food was fine, but the service at The Flying Duck, at Dundrum Town Centre, left Lucinda feeling she was at the bottom of the pecking order.
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Restaurant Review - La Terrace
14 September 2022
Having had her taste buds tickled on a previous visit, Lucinda was back to try La Terrace, the newest addition to Limerick's five-star Savoy Hotel.
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Restaurant Review - Dax
07 September 2022
With three critics — including Lucinda — and the RAI chief all at one table, one of the capital’s best restaurants had no problem living up to its stellar reputation
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Restaurant Review - Rugged Lane
31 August 2022
Drawing everyone from Posh and Becks to The Real Housewives, Lucinda visits the historic Luttrellstown Demesne’s Rugged Lane in Dublin’s Castleknock.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Harbor House
29 August 2022
I was passing through Dun Laoghaire with ‘the fashionista’ on a particularly fine Sunday evening, when I spotted the grey fronted Harbor House with its small clapper board out on the pavement.
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Restaurant Review - La Maison
24 August 2022
Summer fun abroad may have been hindered recently, but a fab visit to La Maison in Dublin reminds Lucinda just how lucky we are here.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Mary Barry's Seafood Bar & Restaurant
18 August 2022
As you enter the pretty village of Kilmore in Co. Wexford, you can't miss the suberb Mary Barry’s Seafood Bar & Restaurant bedecked in beautiful colourful flowers.
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Restaurant Review - Woodruff
17 August 2022
With ‘fermenting’ and ‘foraging’ the buzzwords, Lucinda headed for Woodruff, but with some rough edges needing to be smoothed out, the experience left a bad taste in her mouth.
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The Sunny South East
10 August 2022
Skipping the ordeal of international travel, Lucinda found plenty of seafood and tasty treats as she travelled the highways and byways of Co Wexford.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Coach House
10 August 2022
The Coach House at Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, is a picture perfect classic Irish Inn, offering restaurant quality pub food and comfortable B&B lodgings with attractive en-suite rooms.
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Restaurant Review - The Duck at Marlfield House
03 August 2022
The surroundings are superb, but Lucinda found the food expensive and some dishes underwhelming on her visit to The Duck at Marlfield House.
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Restaurant Review - O’Mahony’s of Watergrasshill
27 July 2022
On a familiar drive from Dublin to Cork, Lucinda found herself at this superb family-owned pub just minutes from Cork City.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Rongcheng
25 July 2022
With fab views of the water and an exciting, extensive menu to choose from, Rongcheng Chinese Restaurant in Blackrock should be on every foodies’ wishlist.
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Restaurant Review - Oliveto
20 July 2022
The boats were in and the sun was out as Lucinda enjoyed fabulous cuisine and service at Haddington House’s Italian restaurant.
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Restaurant Review - Carton House
13 July 2022
Romance and intrigue emanates from every nook and cranny of Carton House, but Lucinda was there to try the new tasting menu.
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Summer Staff Crisis
13 July 2022
This summer, many hotels, restaurants and hospitality businesses across the country are faced with cutting back opening hours and bookings due to a dire shortage of staff.
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Restaurant Review - Seaview House Hotel
06 July 2022
It’s time to tick off travel to those places we dreamed of in the pandemic, writes Lucinda, who returned to enjoy this legendary West Cork haven on Bantry Bay.
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Restaurant Review - Harbour House
29 June 2022
On happening upon the new Harbor House Chinese restaurant in Dún Laoghaire, Lucinda was captivated by the fabulous food and cool vibes.
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Escape to Schull
22 June 2022
Lucinda got ahead of the annual summertime exodus to the coast to try out the delights of Cork’s popular seaside town.
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Restaurant Review - Dede at the Customs House
15 June 2022
With one Michelin star already under its belt, Dede at the Customs House in Baltimore is sailing serenely towards a second, says Lucinda.
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Wicklow - From Roundwood to Laragh
08 June 2022
With a glimmer of sun on the horizon, Lucinda heads for the hills and discovers some sensational spots in the Garden of Ireland.
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Restaurant Review - Supper Club @ The g Hotel
01 June 2022
Lucinda savours the flavours of some of the country’s best food producers in an outrageously stylish Galway hotel.
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Restaurant Review - Rongcheng
25 May 2022
On a return visit to Rongcheng with magnificent views over Dublin Bay, Lucinda finds the menu and prices have changed for the better.
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Restaurant Review - CN Duck
18 May 2022
Asian food has never been so popular here, says Lucinda, as she visits one of the capital’s most recent additions.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The White Horse
10 May 2022
Set in the busy buzzy town of Ballincollig in Co. Cork, The White Horse Gastropub is a longstanding and enduringly popular spot, first opened as a public house at the turn of the 20th century.
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Restaurant Review - Orwell Road
04 May 2022
Despite its posh rep, Rathgar is rather short on good restaurants. Thank heavens for the Bereen Bros and their delightful Orwell Road, says Lucinda.
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Lucinda's Top 10 Restaurants: Northern Ireland
02 May 2022
As part of her 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland, Lucinda also includes her pick of the bunch for top restaurants north of the border.
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Lucinda’s 100 Best Restaurants: 31-100
02 May 2022
Numbers 31-100 of Lucinda O’Sullivan’s 100 Best Restaurants are not ranked but are instead listed here in alphabetical order.
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Crème de la crème: The Top 30 of Lucinda’s 100 Best Restaurants
02 May 2022
Trophies, fancy plating or hip credentials are not enough to earn a spot on my list, says Lucinda, who, in curating her culinary champions, has considered all the ingredients needed for the very best dining experience.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay & Eat - Glenroyal Hotel & Leisure Club
29 April 2022
A fabulous and wonderfully elegant family owned hotel in the heart of Kildare, the 4 Star Glenroyal Hotel & Leisure Club in Maynooth is an enduringly popular spot for visitors coming from near and far.
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Restaurant Review - Table Forty One
27 April 2022
Michelin-Bibbed chef Andrew Duncan flies solo at this Wexford restaurant, and while our food critic found much to enjoy, some of the dishes on her visit were overcooked.
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Restaurant Review - Davy Byrnes
20 April 2022
After a rude encounter at a new spot in Dublin, Lucinda was delighted to be back in the safe and steady hands of the iconic Dublin pub.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Kitchen 28
13 April 2022
A fab gourmet deli and café in Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow, Kitchen 28 is the perfect place for a casual daytime bite, whether it’s a social outing, a lazy lunch or if you just want to fuel up for a busy day.
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Restaurant Review - Babette
13 April 2022
With the popular Dublin 6 tapas spot of La Bodega closing and Babette, a new brasserie, taking its place, Lucinda couldn’t wait to try out Ali Barker’s rebrand.
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Restaurant Review - Cashel Palace Hotel
06 April 2022
Having first whetted her appetite with some casual dining in the Queen Anne Room, Lucinda enjoyed the royal treatment at the five-star hotel’s restaurant, The Bishop’s Buttery.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay & Eat - Kinsale Hotel & Spa
05 April 2022
Beautifully situated, just outside of the town, in Ireland’s beloved gourmet capital of Kinsale, Co. Cork, Kinsale Hotel & Spa is the perfect place to escape from the world for a weekend.
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Restaurant Review - Lady Helen @ Mount Juliet
30 March 2022
The fabulous Lady Helen restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate, Co. Kilkenny has retained its Michelin star but executive chef John Kelly’s fare deserves a second, says Lucinda.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Old Couch Cafe
28 March 2022
Having been at The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Damira Levacic and Przemyslaw Muszynski moved to Waterford to set up their terrific Old Couch Cafe in 2020 in the heart of Waterford’s Cultural Quarter.
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Restaurant Review - The Montenotte Hotel
23 March 2022
Lucinda made a few foodie stop-offs, including cake, fish and chips and more cake, before settling down to a memorable dinner at the Montenotte Hotel.
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Restaurant Review - Barrows Keep
16 March 2022
Having had the Chef Stephen McArdle's food before, Lucinda reckoned she was in for a treat as she headed to Thomastown in Co. Kilkenny.
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Snubbed again by Michelin Man
11 March 2022
Irish chefs keep looking to the stars for validation, but do awards ever give us more than a passing glance? asks Lucinda.
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Restaurant Review - Mama Yo
09 March 2022
High prices for bog standard fare at the Press Up Group’s newly opened Mama Yo leave a bad taste for our critic.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Hen's Teeth
04 March 2022
If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air, in the culinary realm, I recommend checking out Hen’s Teeth in Dublin 8. Not only do they have a fab café cum restaurant, but they also operate a bright and bubbly store, and art space.
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Restaurant Review - Wildflower
02 March 2022
Chef Adrian Martin has had a rapid rise from container cuisine to D2 fine dining, and Lucinda couldn’t wait to try his new Wildflower.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Olive Tree Kitchen
28 February 2022
Nestled at the gateway to Connemara, 10 minutes from Galway City on the main Galway Clifden Road, Wildlands opened in August 2020 offering Galwegians, staycationers and tourists alike, a unique and exciting adventure experience for all ages.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Pier Cafe
24 February 2022
Tramore has long been one of Ireland’s favourite holiday destinations. Known for its wonderful beach and, of course, its famous amusements which delight all of the family.
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Restaurant Review - Osteria Lucio
23 February 2022
Dreaming of romantic Paris? Lucinda was just as captivated by Grand Canal Quay and chef Ross Lewis’s fabulous Osteria Lucio.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay & Eat - Caisleáin Óir Hotel
22 February 2022
Set in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht on Ireland’s famous Wild Atlantic Way, Caisleáin Óir Hotel is a wonderful place to visit. Offering twenty spacious and tastefully appointed guestrooms.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Walker 1781
21 February 2022
Having previously operated Luna Italian restaurant in Dromahair, Co. Leitrim, Joe Grogan and Grainne Sheridan decided to set themselves a new challenge, transforming an old bar on O’Connell Street, into the contemporary Walker 1781 Bar & Restaurant.
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Restaurant Review - Masala
16 February 2022
This tasty takeaway is just one of the many Indian restaurants across the country that would be perfect for a romantic night out, says Lucinda.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Fish & Bean
14 February 2022
When it comes to seafood you won’t find any better man behind the stove than Dave Mullan. Top notch chef Dave has worked down the years in prestigious restaurants such as the iconic Mermaid Café, Shanahan’s on the Green, and Eithna’s by the Sea.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Hakkahan
10 February 2022
Hakkahan is an absolute delight serving tremendous Chinese food in an informal diner setting but as one might enjoy in an expensive restaurant.
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Restaurant Review - Balfes
09 February 2022
Lucinda was impressed by her favourite starter and delicious market catch of the day on the terrace of Balfes, just off Dublin’s Grafton Street.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - POTA Café
05 February 2022
Diarmuid Ó Mathúna opened his terrific bi-lingual POTA café in summer 2020 in Baile na hAbhann, next to TG4, in the Connemara Gaeltacht, with Rossaveal Harbour and the Aran Islands virtually on its doorstep.
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Restaurant Review - Blackrock Market
02 February 2022
Irked by the decay of Dublin’s once-great Iveagh Market, Lucinda took solace at the fab, albeit smaller-scale, offering in Blackrock.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Cluck Chicken
01 February 2022
Cluck Chicken is the brilliant brainwave of Chef Ian Ussher who has worked at the highest level in top restaurants. When covid struck, Ian wasted no time and with his wife Elaine ‘hatching’ a bright yellow food truck.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay & Eat - Cunningham's
28 January 2022
If you’re looking for a great place to stay and eat, with plenty of shopping and attractions nearby, look no further than Cunningham’s, where they say their rooms are inspired by their love of luxury and travel.
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Restaurant Review - Saba
26 January 2022
Saba has reopened in a new premises on Dublin’s South William Street, says Lucinda, who was delighted with her experience there.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Le Comptoir Cafe
25 January 2022
One of the best-known players in Dublin's dining arena is Tipperary man Ronan Ryan, who is not only a great people person but runs great restaurants too.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Coal
21 January 2022
I’m not used to dining tout seule at the best of times, not to mention on the sidewalk, as our American cousins say, but my first visit to Coal was such, on a bright sunny day.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Dooley's Seafood & Steakhouse Restaurant
20 January 2022
Sitting on the terrace of Dooley’s Seafood & Steakhouse in Waterville, looking out over the waters of the Atlantic to the dark sultry ever-changing mountains in the distance, is one of the best experiences you can have.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen
19 January 2022
Ross Lewis had been delighting diners with superb food at his iconic Michelin starred Chapter One restaurant on Parnell Square for thirty years. Always innovative, Lewis has never been one to sit on his laurels.
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Restaurant Review - Bites by Kwanghi Chan
19 January 2022
"The bao buns were from another planet." Says Lucinda as she reviews Bites by Kwanghi Chan, the latest venture by the Michelin-trained chef who never fails to impress, and his Liffeyside restaurant is no exception.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Armelle's Kitchen
16 January 2022
Armelle and Kenny expanded in 2017 from a micro business selling their fantastic cakes from home to their new premises in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. Now, people travel miles for their French pastries, macarons and cakes.
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Restaurant Review - Six by Nico
12 January 2022
The six-course tasting menu at Dublin's new Six by Nico may have been well executed but the lead-in hiccups were a pain, says Lucinda.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay & Eat - The Imperial Hotel
09 January 2022
If ever a hotel imbued a sense of romance and history living up to its name, it’s The Imperial Hotel, which stands proudly dominating Cork’s elegant South Mall.