Winners Of Midlands 103 Hospitality Awards Announced

The independent judging panel selected 48 winners from across five categories.

Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate Midlands 103's Hospitality Awards in a lavish event in Mullingar on Monday night.

The celebrations at the Mullingar Park Hotel recognised those working in the hospitality sector in Laois, Offaly and Westmeath, with over 10,000 votes counted to create the shortlist.

First Dates barman and Laois’ Neil McKenna, Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, Hotelier & President of the Irish Hotels Federation, Westmeath Bachelor 2023 Winner Ciaran Clarke and Mark Fitzpatrick, Restaurateur spent hours deciding on the winners.

Ms. Fitzgerald Kane says 'we can never celebrate the best of Irish hospitality enough. The midlands is blessed to have so many exceptional hospitality providers and that was very evident in the high standard of applications received'. 

The independent judging panel selected 48 winners from across five categories.

The big winners on the night included The Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, which was crowned Overall Hotel of the Year, with Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone taking the title of Wedding Venue of the Year, while Bar 62 in the County Arms Hotel in Birr scooped the award for Best Hotel Bar.

Bramley in Abbeyleix took home two awards for Overall Restaurant of the Year and Best Fine Dining Restaurant, with Browne's The Venue Tullamore taking the title of Best Dining Experience and Best Hotel Restaurant going to Wineport Lodge in Glasson.

Laois is home to the Chef of the Year with Aine McEvoy, Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise getting the nod.

She says she's overwhelmed to win:

Overall Tourism Attraction of the Year went to Playtown Tullamore and Birr Castle Demesne took home the award for Best Family Attraction.

Best Festival / Event went to Forest Fest 2023, which was held in Emo last July.

The staff in O’Gorman's Bar & Restaurant, Portlaoise had plenty to celebrate after picking up the award for Overall Pub of the Year, while Alan Conroy, Peadar's Bar, Moate is the best Bar Manager in the region.

Shane Lowry’s Old Warehouse in Tullamore was named Best Bar for Sport and Best New Establishmen.

Nicky O'Callaghan is the owner of Sip in Ballymore, he picked up Barista of the Year:

Kinnitty’s John Clendennen, who is the President of the Vinters Federation of Ireland, was acknowledged for his Special Contribution to the Industry.

He says he's honoured to be recognised individually:

Supermac’s founder Pat McDonagh received the Albert Award for his lifetime achievements in the industry.

The winners of the Midlands 103 €10,000 Marketing Campaign went to Wineport Lodge in Glasson.

The annual event is presented by Midlands 103 in conjunction with Laois and Offaly County Councils and various commercial partners. Managing Director Will Faulkner says “it was wonderful to see so many gathered to celebrate the dedicated people who work in the hospitality sector. It has been a tough couple of years for the industry but the awards highlights those who go above and beyond to serve their clientele. Well done to all 48 winners and thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for the winners. I must also thank the judges, as I know we gave them a very difficult task.”

Here’s the full list of winners:

Hotel Sector sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Overall Hotel of the Year sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone & Playtown, Tullamore

Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise

Best Customer Service (Hotel) sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Talbot Hotel, Carlow

Wedding Venue of the year sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone

Best Family Hotel sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone & Mollie Moo's Pet Farm

Athlone Springs Hotel

Best Value Hotel sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone

Wedding Coordinator of the year sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Michelle Kavanagh, Tullamore Court Hotel

Best Destination Hotel sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

The Heritage, Killenard

Best Hotel Manager sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Barry Kennedy, The County Arms Hotel, Birr

Receptionist of the year sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Sarah Alexander, Central Hotel, Tullamore

Best Hotel Bar sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Bar 62, The County Arms Hotel, Birr

Best Business Hotel sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone

Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone

Best Sustainable Hotel sponsored by Gertie Browne's Athlone & Athlone Springs Hotel

Tullamore Court Hotel

Restaurant Sector

Overall Restaurant of the year sponsored by Lambe Oil, Tullamore

Bramley, Abbeyleix

Best Value Restaurant

O'Dea's Bar & Restaurant, Portarlington

Best Fine Dining Restaurant

Bramley, Abbeyleix

Best Restaurant Customer Service

Kafe U, Athlone

Best Café

Meet & Fit, Tullamore

Best Barista

Sip Coffee Shop, Ballymore

Best Dining Experience

Browne's The Venue, Tullamore

Best New Establishment sponsored by CL Plant & Tool Hire

Old Warehouse, Tullamore

Best Restaurant Manager

John Doyle, Dead Centre Brewing, Athlone

Best Hotel Restaurant sponsored by Hoctor Refrigeration, Tullamore

Wineport Lodge, Glasson

Best Casual Dining

Dead Centre Brewing, Athlone

Chef of the Year

Aine McEvoy, Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise

Tourism Sector sponsored by Baysports, Athlone

Overall – Tourism Attraction of the year sponsored by Baysports, Athlone &  Tullamore Court Hotel

Playtown, Tullamore

Best Leisure Centre sponsored by Baysports, Athlone

Laois Leisure Centre

Best Family Attraction sponsored by Baysports, Athlone & Scanlon’s Bar & Restaurant, Kinnegad

Birr Castle Demesne

Best Festival / Event sponsored by Baysports, Athlone & Golden Island Shopping Centre, Athlone

Forest Fest 2023, Emo

Best Heritage & Cultural Experience sponsored by Baysports, Athlone

& The County Arms Hotel, Birr

Dún Na Sí Amenity & Heritage Park, Moate

Best Caravan / Camping / Glamping Experience sponsored by Baysports, Athlone

Glamping Under The Stars, Portlaoise

Bar & Pub Sector sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

Overall Pub of the year sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

O’Gorman's Bar & Restaurant, Portlaoise

Bar Food of the year sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

Scanlon's Bar & Restaurant, Kinnegad

Bar Manager of the year sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

Alan Conroy, Peadar's Bar, Moate

Country Bar of the year sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

The Fisherman's Thatched Inn, Ballybrittas

Music Venue of the year sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

The Phoenix Bar & Venue, Tullamore

Staff Personality of the year sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

Peter Dixon, The County Arms Hotel, Birr

Tourist Bar of the year sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

The Lough Ree Inn, Westmeath

Best Bar for Sport sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

Old Warehouse, Tullamore

Best Traditional Bar sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

O'Deas Bar and Restaurant, Portarlington

Best Beer Garden sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise

Browne's The Venue, Tullamore

Best Local Drinks Producer (New) sponsored by The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise & Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise

Ballykilcavan Brewery, Stradbally

Judges Awards sponsored by O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant

Rising Star (Hotel) sponsored by O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant Portlaoise

Vanessa Langford, Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise

Rising Star (Pub/Bar) sponsored by O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant, Portlaoise & The Heritage Hotel, Killenard

Pamela Smith, O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant, Portlaoise

Rising Star (Restaurant) sponsored by Sleator.ie & O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant

Darren Whelan, Kelly's Steakhouse, Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise

Special Merit Award (Bar) sponsored by Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone & O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant, Portlaoise

Peter Scully, Gertie Browne’s Bar & Bistro, Athlone

Special Contribution to the Industry sponsored by Shishir, Tullamore & O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant, Portlaoise

John Clendennen – Giltraps, Kinnitty

Outstanding Service sponsored by Kafe U, Athlone & O’Gorman’s Bar & Restaurant

Asad Khondkar, Shishir, Tullamore

Albert Award sponsored by Tormeys Solicitors, Athlone

Pat McDonagh, Supermac's