Ireland: Breakfast in Bunratty or Ennis?
 

I will be landing in Shannon and heading north towards Galway. I want to get my trip off on the right foot with a delicious Irish breakfast. Do you recommend stopping Ennis or Bunratty for breakfast? Any specific recommendations on breakfast locales in either city?

Thanks in advance.

Bunratty is a small village just off the main Shannon - Ennis road, it has a caslte , some shops and a folk-park. I have never had breakfast there, but maybe somebody else knows what it might be like - Fitzpatrick's Hotel is probably the best bet - (has a good reputation). I would not recommend food in Dirty Nellie's in Bunratty.
Ennis, on the other hand, is a fairly big town with a number of hotels and dining places but, I have never breakfasted there. You might get into traffic and parking problems in Ennis.

I just checked out that PJ's Restaurant in Fitzpatrick's Bunratty Hotel does breakfast Monday to Friday 7.00 to 10.00. and Saturday/Sunday 7.30. to 10.30.
As I said, I have never had breakfast there, but the hotel has a good reputation.

Bunratty is a dreadful little place and you will probably get completelty lost looking for it, although it near the airport. You go right through Ennis on your way to Galway. You are far better off stopping there.

You do go right through Ennis, and to avoid parking problems, you could stop at a hotel--I can recommend the Old Ground, also there's the Temple Gate. They both have parking lots and I'm sure you could get a nice Irish breakfast in either one. It would probably be the most efficient, rather than trying to find a restaurant and a parking spot!!

Padhraicin, FYI -- Fitzpatrick's Bunratty Hotel has been sold by the Fitzpatrick Group and is now called the Bunratty Shannon Shamrock. The restaurant is still called PJ's.

After the airline food, I have been known to proceed directly to the Cafeteria on the upper level at Shannon airport. Otherwise I would recommend the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis (huge parking lot) and if you don't like what you see, walk down O'Connell Dtreet to Dunne's Supermarket where they have a nice cafeteria (much less expensive than the airport's cafeteria). There's a parking lot entrance to Dunne's but I don;t know what time they open. You may be there quite early.

according to the irish Examiner this date, a large precentage of the Ennis water supply is contaminated with E-Coli. I suggest you get through Ennis where the traffic can be a problem and stop after that.

I will tell you that after 10 visits to Ireland I love Ennis and Clare most of all....try Kilmoon House on Killadysert Road...it is great. Ennis is a delightful place...and we love Brogans for any meal and for music. In Clifden near Galway for a special treat stay at Joyces Waterloo House

Ok folks, after 4 trips to Ireland and driving thru Ennis each trip, what am I missing? The town was a bore. Of course, I just drive thru the main drag, but nothing about the place "rocked my socks." Help!! Is there something off the "main drag" that would help me enjoy Ennis? ((b))

I agree with Budman...Ennis is lame.

We unfortunately stayed a week in Ennis and were shocked at how rude and
cold the locals were.

For example, at a pub one night I was at the counter waiting for a
Cidona soft drink and an Irish bloke sitting next to me sneered and said, "Hey, check out that Yank over there."

I turned to look and there was this American in Levi's and a short
sleeved shirt.

When I said, "How'd you know he is a Yank?"

The Irish guy turned red, clamed up and turned the other way.

He hadn't realized he was talking to a "Yank".

The only "locals" who conversed with us were out-of-towners from Dublin.

Skip Ennis...head over to Bunratty. It is way more fun!

Budman writes: <<... after 4 trips to Ireland and driving thru Ennis each trip, what am I missing? The town was a bore. Of course, I just drive thru the main drag, but nothing about the place "rocked my socks." Help!! Is there something off the "main drag" that would help me enjoy Ennis? >>

First you've got to get out of the car. I don't know what you call "main drag;" but for 'foot soldiers' like myself it extends from the old Abbey ruins up Abbey street past Cruise's and the Queens hotel to 'the Square' and the O'Connell monument. Then it's down O'Connell Street past Brogans and the Old Ground hotel to the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul.

Ennis hosts a Spring Music Festival the last week of May & a 3-day Fall Festival Nov 11-13 (this year).

Brenda says Ennis is 'lame!' Maybe so - depends on what your cup of tea is. I would (and did) recommend it over Bunratty (Touriat 'Trap') for Desidero's 'breakfast stop.' I also recommend it for a last night before departure from Shannon airport.

The main drag -- N18. Certainly didn't see anything that would compel me to get out of the car.

You like Ennis, I like Bunratty. Wouldn't it be a bore if everyone liked the same things?

Sure, Bunratty is touristy with the castle, folk park, medieval banquet, Durty Nellies, last minute shopping, Kathleen's Pub, etc, but we found it a great place to unwind during our last night in Ireland. ((b))

Well, I like both of them. The parts of Ennis I love are the ones Ned mentioned. I stay at Templegate and walk everywhere. I feel as if I'm in a real Irish working town. As for Bunratty, you can't go wrong there either. I haven't gotton tired of the folk park yet. You''ll enjoy both.

I vote for Ennis. Bunratty is south of Shannon and there are few places open for breakfast, if you have an early arrival. Ennis is a working town, more apt to have open shops and it has the added benefit of located in the correct direction. I've never really spent any time there, so I can't make any recommendations. But, if you don't find something to your liking there, it isn't all that much further to Galway.

I'm dragging this post back to the top in hopes that some of you Ennis fans can give me some B&B tips. I've spent hours looking at websites trying to decide what best meets our needs. I really need some feedback from folks who've been there!

As many of you have probably seen me post ad nauseum now, we're going in March with a group of 8; my two brothers, the girlfriend of one, a friend of all and my immediate family which is myself, my husband and our kids, 16 and 20. We're all going to spend our last night in Ireland in Ennis. We'd like to stay at the same B&B. And would like one close to the pubs.

If possible we're looking for 1 room with 1 double bed, 2 rooms each with 1 single bed and a family room for the remaining four of us. But we can reconfigure if we have to! We'd like the rooms all ensuite. We'd also prefer a place that takes credit cards. But will be flexible with that too if we have to.

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks!

I wish I could help you, but I've always stayed at Temple Gate. There doesn't seem to be a lot of b&b's in the center of Ennis. Good Luck, Joan

Thanks anyway, Joan.

We arrived at Shannon by 6 AM and drove west thru Ennis looking for a restaurant for breakfast. Nothing along the way was open. We eventually stopped at a gas station/deli and bought a chunk of cheese and bread (and coke for caffeine). That was our first breakfast...didn't care though; too excited to be there!