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Hilliard’s winning combination is named Ireland’s Best Cocktail Experience
A stylish new restaurant and bar, only opened since June of this year, has already put Killarney at the very top of the national cocktail map.
Hilliard’s of Main Street scooped the prestigious Restaurants Association of Ireland 2022 Best Cocktail Experience accolade at a glitzy ceremony in the Convention Centre in Dublin on Monday night.
Hilliard’s dynamic team members, Ariel Sanecki and Skirmas Lelys, were there to accept the honour from Restaurants Association of Ireland President, Paul Lenehan, and their success sparked off great celebrations.
Almost 900 restaurant and hospitality business owners and staff gathered to toast their hard work and achievements at the event and while the Best Cocktail Experience category initially attracted over 70 entries, from all parts of Ireland, it was whittled down to a shortlist of just 10 before Hilliard’s was announced as the overall winner.
The judges took all aspects of the business into account, including the variety and impact of the cocktail menu offering, the setting and ambience in the bar and, of course, a feature cocktail which had to adhere to a Roaring 1920s theme.
Ariel and Skirmas had earlier competed in an actual live cocktail making contest in the presence of the adjudicators who monitored proceedings closely and got to sample their delightful creation, taking technical expertise, taste, presentation and aroma into consideration.
WINNING COMBINATION
The winning original cocktail, which they named Gladrags – in keeping with the theme of Hilliard’s being a former department store – comprised of a mix of Bombay gin, Killahora ice wine, jasmine tea, peach puree, orange bitters, apricot syrup, orange Cutacoa liqueur and lemon juice.
“It was a great success for the team at Hilliard’s and we are really delighted to put Killarney on the cocktail map,” said Hilliard’s mixologist Ariel Sanecki.
President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Paul Lenehan, said: “The awards are an opportunity to celebrate the existing and up-and-coming talent in the sector and they are a reminder that hospitality is nothing without the dedicated and passionate staff in the industry”.
For close on 150 years, the House of Hilliard traded as a landmark department store in the heart of Killarney town and it was home to the finest handcrafted goods, from drapery and footwear to haberdashery and everything in between.
Among those joining Hilliard’s on the victory podium on the night were Best Restaurant: Chapter One, Dublin; Best Cookery School: Aniar Restaurant and Boutique Cookery School; Best Private Dining Club: No 25 Fitzwilliam Place and Best Digital Marketing: Michael’s, Mount Merrion.
Top golf scores at Mahony’s Point
Ivan Tagney and Aoife Twomey secured top honours at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club as members turned out in large numbers to compete for Captain Tomás Kelliher’s Prize on Mahony’s Point.
In the men’s event, Ivan Tagney claimed the Captain’s Prize with an impressive 42 points. Conor Dillon carded 48 points, returning the lowest score of the weekend, though he was ineligible for the main trophy without an established handicap.
Despite wet weather, the ladies section produced remarkable scoring on Sunday. Aoife Twomey took first place playing off 28 handicap, recording a nett 63. June O’Brien finished runner-up with a 67 nett, followed by Kay O’Connor in third with a 69 nett.
Captain Tomás Kelliher extended his thanks to the committee, staff, and volunteers for organising the flagship competition, praising the course condition and strong turnout across both events.
Results
Men’s Captain’s Prize 1st: Ivan Tagney (42 pts) Best Score: Conor Dillon (48 pts) 3rd: Joseph Sheahan (41 pts) 4th: Michael Cotter (41 pts) 5th: Emmet Scanlon (41 pts) 6th: Ian Sherlock (41 pts) 7th: Cathal O’Connor (40 pts) 8th: Aaron McCann (40 pts) 9th: Dan Quirke (40 pts) 10th: Mark Tuite (40 pts) 11th: Alan O’Meara (40 pts) 12th: Donal Begley (40 pts) Best Gross: Donal Considine (72) Category 1: 1st Kevin Leacy (39 pts), 2nd Ian Cronin (39 pts) Category 2: 1st Adam Carey (40 pts), 2nd Jack Crehan (40 pts) Category 3: 1st John McEnery (40 pts), 2nd Thomas Coleman (39 pts) Category 4: 1st Mike Dreelan (38 pts), 2nd Jason Reen (38 pts) Front Nine: Aaron Coffey (24 pts) Back Nine: Chris Myers (24 pts) Past Captain: Pat Cussen (38 pts) Over 70: Joe Geaney (39 pts) Committee Prize: Shane Horgan (38 pts) Guest Prize: Jack Kelliher
Ladies Captain’s Prize 1st: Aoife Twomey – 63 (28) 2nd: June O’Brien – 67 (20) 3rd: Kay O’Connor – 69 (13) 4th: Louise Langan – 70 (19) 5th: Mary Tobin – 71 (20) 6th: Geraldine Tarrant – 71 (26) 7th: Kathleen O’Keefe – 71 (19) 8th: Noreen O’Callaghan – 72 (18) 9th: Anne Moynihan – 72 (2) 10th: Breda Duggan – 72 (29) Best Gross: Kelly O’Donoghue (76) Front Nine: Kate O’Leary Back Nine: Sarah O’Brien 13-Hole Competition: Maud Malone – 24 pts (28)
‘Natural Kerry’ opens at Killarney House
Tralee Art Group’s ‘Natural Kerry’ exhibition officially opened at Killarney House and Gardens on Saturday, August 8, celebrating the landscapes, people, and culture of the Kingdom.
Opening remarks were given by TAG Chairperson Caitríona Foley, who welcomed artists, family, and friends before introducing special guest Michael Gleeson, former Mayor of Killarney and current Chairperson of Killarney Tidy Towns.
Addressing attendees, Michael spoke on the unique gift artists possess in capturing and sharing the beauty of Kerry through their work, offering a thoughtful reflection on the inspiration behind the collection.
The well-attended launch drew a large crowd to view the artwork, meet the artists, and enjoy the surroundings of Killarney House. Tralee Art Group extended its thanks to the staff at Killarney House and Gardens for hosting the event.
‘Natural Kerry’ runs until August 27. Many of the featured artworks are available for purchase, with enquiries available online at www.traleeartgroup.ie.
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