Mai's Cottage Suite - Charming Holiday Rental

A vaulted ceiling and flagstone floors combine with sumptuous, colourful furnishings at this striking restaurant packed with both character and luxury. It helps, of course, that it’s located in the cellars of Cashel Palace, a magnificent Palladian manor house which was once home to the Archbishops of Cashel. The various sitting rooms are ideal for a pre-dinner drink, but it's hard to look past a pint of the black stuff in the intimate Guinness Bar. The cooking puts local suppliers to the fore, extracting superb natural flavours from the likes of beef fillet from the town butcher.

In the centre of a lovely County Waterford town, this nicely converted former pub stands in the shadow of the mighty Lismore Castle. The sensibly priced menu comes with a prevailing ethos of fuss-free cooking and prime, locally sourced produce; look out for dishes with a certain comfort-food quality, such as liver and bacon, deep-fried calamari, or braised lamb shank. The knowledgeable service comes with such engaging charm that, combined with the terrific dishes, you’ll wish you could come here every week.

This pretty little cottage feels right at home in Adare, a picture-postcard village with brightly painted shops and rows of thatched roofs. Inside, there's a cosy, characterful feel to the place, which is run with warmth and confidence by an experienced couple. The interesting, attractively presented dishes proudly spotlight fine Irish produce like Dooncastle oysters and the famous Skeaghanore duck from West Cork; the black sole served on the bone is a real crowd-pleaser. On Sundays, a 'late lunch' menu offers good value for money.

Start with an aperitif in the drawing room of this whitewashed Palladian-style house, which sits within grounds of The University of Limerick. There's an old-fashioned feel to the place, with the grand dining room boasting ornate plasterwork, Corinthian pillars and an impressive art collection. Beautifully presented dishes have a sophisticated feel, courtesy of quality produce and a deft touch.

Having first opened in 1968, there’s an impressive longevity to this restaurant situated in the shadow of the famous Rock of Cashel. Housed inside an imposing 19th-century Synod Hall, it’s a family-owned place run with genuine Irish hospitality by the friendly team, many of whom have been here for years. The menu is a roll-call of classical cooking and renowned Irish ingredients, such as sole meunière with Portmagee lobster; for dessert, you can’t beat old-school treats like the tapioca and vanilla pudding.