Most of the pubs in this Irish-speaking area are prone to sudden outbreaks of traditional Irish music in summer, which can be a good or bad thing, depending upon your perspective. Two places especially renowned for music are the Lakeside Centre, in the village of Dunlewey (in Gaelic: Dún Lúiche; tel. 074/953-1699; www.dunleweycentre.com), which also has a historic homestead garden, and Leo's Tavern, Meenaleck, Crolly (tel. 074/954-8143; www.leostavern.com), which also has an excellent restaurant. The highly successful Irish group Clannad and the vocalist Enya (all part of the talented Brennan family) got their starts at Leo's.
The don't-miss pub in Ardara is Nancy's (tel. 074/954-1187) on Front Street, which has to be one of the smallest pubs in Ireland. It's an old Victorian house with the pub in the sitting room. As the crowd pours in, other rooms open up in hospitality.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
