The Irish Pub Awards 2023 are now live. The awards are jointly presented by Vintners’ Federation Ireland (VFI) and Licenced Vintners Association (LVA).
Pubs are now free to enter up to nine categories with judging set to take place over the summer. The Irish Pub Awards Gala night, where the overall National Pub of the Year will be revealed, along with all category awards, will take place in Dublin on Wednesday, 15th November 2023.
This is the fifth year of the Irish Pub Awards, which celebrate excellence and innovation across various categories in the pub sector. Previous ‘Pub of the Year’ winners include Gleeson’s of Booterstown, Co. Dublin, Paris Texas, Kilkenny City, The Gylde Inn, Annagassan, Louth and The Porter House, Castlebridge, Wexford, while the individual category winners reflect the extraordinarily high standard of pubs around the country.
The Irish Pub Awards 2023 are open to all members of the VFI and LVA. Entry to the awards is free – anyone interested in entering can do so via the dedicated website: www.irishpubawards.ie.
The closing date for entries is Friday, 2nd June 2023.
The nine categories are: Best Food Pub; Best Tourist Pub; Innovative Pub of the Year; Best Local Pub; Best Outstanding Customer Service; Best Music Pub; Best Late Night Bar; Best Outdoor Space and Best Digital Innovator.
The 63 regional winners will be showcased as best in class in their region and will receive a prize package to the value of €20,000, comprising management training and media coverage to help them develop their business. The media coverage will include a profile piece in an Irish Independent awards supplement on the day of the awards presentation on 15th November.
Speaking at the launch, VFI President, Paul Moynihan said: “Since we launched the Irish Pub Awards in 2017 the standard of pubs entering has improved yearly so I’m very much looking forward to seeing which pubs make up the new list of 63 regional winners.
“The pubs of Ireland are rightly regarded as the best in the world and the Irish Pub Awards serve to remind both the trade and the general public about the quality of our bars nationally. I’m delighted the awards have grown so quickly to the point they are now regarded as the benchmark for recognising Ireland’s outstanding pubs.
“I also would like to thank our sponsors who make the awards possible. I think the quality of the sponsors and the brands involved underlines the excellence of these awards and the commitment across the board to support and grow the on trade in Ireland.”
“All that remains to say is best of luck to all the pubs who enter this year’s competition.”
Chair of LVA, Alison Kealy, Kealys of Cloghran, announced: “While we are aware of the importance of the Irish pub around Ireland, they also play a very important part in Irish social culture, at the heart of our communities and a central part of our hospitality and tourism sectors. Also, an Awards programme is fitting to reward the efforts of those contributing to one of the biggest employment sectors in Ireland”
“Now the definitive national industry standard, the Irish Pubs Awards are quickly gaining recognition throughout the trade as a programme that provides a credible and comprehensive assessment of the best in Irish Pubs. It offers pubs in Dublin and around the different regions an opportunity to raise the profile of their business through national and regional media coverage. That, together with the technical and management training afforded to all regional finalists makes it an initiative the LVA are delighted to support”, she added.
