Ireland is a small island community located in Europe, with the Irish Sea to the East and the wild Atlantic Ocean to the West. This means there’s a lovely bunch of Irish seafood towns to explore which all offer a generous and varied selection of seafood.
A local trade dating back centuries, fishing in Ireland is some of the best in the world. Whether its Dublin prawns or Galway oysters, Irish seafood is known worldwide.
Taking a road trip this year and want to know where all the best fishing villages are across the Emerald Isle? Check them out now and prepare to be hooked!
5. Kilmore Quay, Wexford
Wexford is a beautiful county with a charming local culture; it is also home to some of the finest seafood in all of Ireland. Set just over an hour from Dublin, Kilmore Quay is your quintessential seaside fishing village, complete with weather-worn trawlers and thatched roof cottages.
For world-class seafood dining in Kilmore Quay, Silver Fox Seafood and Saltee Chipper are your best bets. The coastal community is home to some stunning natural sights, places of interest and things to do, so a venture to Wexford is well worth the while.
An annual seafood festival, aptly named Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival, is held in the harbour each summer and celebrates in all things fishy.
4. Cleggan, Galway
Galway is known worldwide as an Irish seafood town offering some of the best seafood. In fact, people travel far and wide across the globe to experience a Galway oyster in the flesh.
If you’re a hard-core fish fan and desperate to try the pinnacle of seafood delights, check out the quaint fishing village of Cleggan in Galway.
With a pier and aged fishing boats bopping in the harbour, a stroll around Cleggan with a bag of fish and chips in hands is pure paradise.
Feel like something a little fancier? Check out Oliver’s Seafood Bar. For a further range of top-class options, drive 10 kilometres down to Clifden and check out Mannion’s Seafood Bar & Restaurant.
3. Kinsale, Cork
It is no secret that Cork is said to have some of the finest seafood in all of Ireland. In fact, there are many towns in the county of Cork which could fight for “top seafood town.” Cork even has an annual seafood festival which celebrates its prime produce farmed from the ocean – but we have to give it to Kinsale, a charming coastal town which winds along the River Bandon.
Fishy Fish is located in Kinsale and is arguably one of the finest seafood restaurants on the Emerald Isle. Visitors come from all over to experience a meal at this prime seafood restaurant. And, having won a tonne of awards, this #relationshipgoals husband and wife team Martin & Marie Shanahan are well worth a visit!
2. Howth, Dublin
This quaint little fishing village lives in Dublin. It’s a popular spot on the tourist trail, and seeing as it is tremendously accessible by DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) from Dublin city in less than 30 minutes, it makes for the ideal day trip, too.
With three piers acting as the focal point of Howth Village, there are tonnes of fishing trawlers, big and small, to inspect up-close. A marina filled with small boats and yachts exists, too, side-by-side offering a dynamic landscape for those curious about maritime transport.
Seafood restaurants exist in abundance in Howth, so needless to say you’ll be spoilt for choice. Whether it is a cheap and cheerful fish and chips from the world-class Beshoffs (or the less known, but equally delicious, Caffè Caira) or a more elegant affair at Aqua (arguably one of the finest seafood restaurants in all of Ireland), you’re sure to be like a kid in a candy shop.
One tip: book ahead on weekends and holidays and remember to bring your appetite.
1. Dingle, Kerry
Last but not least on our list of Irish seafood towns is The Ring of Kerry. It’s one of the most sought-after destinations in all of Ireland.
It is promoted worldwide and often reflects the postcard images Ireland is too well known for. In one simple sentence: it is beautiful.
Kerry is also home to some stunning little seashore towns that jut out into the Atlantic Ocean, such as Dingle. This charming fishing village is a popular destination for Irish locals and tourists who travel far and wide to try some of Dingle’s freshest catches.
Out of the Blue has got to be the top spot for a seafood feed in the locale. It may not look like much from first impressions but take one bite, and you’ll be hooked for life.
