Unforgettable breakfasts on the island of Ireland

The Irish are renowned for making spectacularly good breakfasts – and no wonder, the purity of the island’s natural produce has made it one of the most talked-about food destinations in Europe. 

The sheer quality and choice of ingredients available from the island’s productive green fields and pristine seas means mouth-watering quality and a wide range of choices to start your day.

The best breakfast in Ireland is served in the five-star Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, according to the latest Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards.

Concocted by celebrity chef Noel McMeel, only ingredients of provenance are plated up at this exclusive lakeside resort, making the breakfast as memorable as any fine dining experience. 

Noel’s Irish breakfast celebrates the wonderful fresh produce of Fermanagh and its surrounding counties, including the famous local black bacon and sausages, free range hen or duck eggs and a host of other ingredients grown and created with local pride. 

It's also five-star all the way at Ashford Castle, County Mayo. The warm Irish welcome, historic décor and impeccable service make breakfast especially noteworthy in this leading destination for luxury lovers and food lovers alike.

Once you sit down in the George V Dining Room, a credentialed sommelier will wheel an elegant trolley to your table and offer juice and Champagne to accompany your a la carte breakfast.

The grand setting, featuring panelled walls and Waterford Crystal chandeliers, creates a real sense of occasion as executive chef Philippe Farineau and his team serve up the finest seasonal ingredients from the West of Ireland, alongside the freshest produce foraged from the estate.

Choose lighter options or dive into a decadent offering such as Ashford’s signature slow-baked and glazed whole gammon carved from the trolley. A porridge station with whiskey, local Irish cold meats, a full Irish, or indulgences such as poached organic eggs with avocado, smoked salmon, cooked-to-order omelettes and buttermilk pancakes will let you start your day in absolute finery.

Mornings are magnificent too at Adare Manor in County Limerick, where the breakfast menu with the likes of cured trout, divine poached eggs and delicious daily-baked breads from the talented and passionate culinary team are designed to give you an inspiring start to the day.

Going the extra mile with breakfast is also the norm at an exclusive luxury retreat on the Aran Islands. The Inis Meáin Suites, one of the most sought-after boutique hotel-restaurants on the Wild Atlantic Way, delivers breakfast early, without disturbance, to the hallway of each of the five private suites so you can enjoy it in the privacy and comfort of your suite, at your own pace.

The Inis Meáin Breakfast Box is delivered daily in a specially created iroko teak box. Each space is filled with a variety of great Irish food, including freshly baked breads, the hotel’s own hens' boiled eggs, homemade muesli, fresh fruit, Glenisk organic yoghurt, fresh fruit juice, cured meat and fish, soft cheese and a sweet element for elevenses. 

Brilliant breakfasts will be served wherever you go in Ireland, and they will always start with great raw ingredients. As memorable a food experience as dinner the night before, Ireland is the island of next level experiences to begin your day. 
 
www.ireland.com