Donegal Town bar wins regional tourist pub of the year award

The bar manager of McCafferty’s Bar in Donegal Town said winning a regional award for Best Tourist Pub was “a great award to get.”

Aaron Friel of McCafferty’s Bar spoke to Donegal Live after the popular Donegal Town pub won the 2025 Irish Pub Awards for Best Tourist Pub in the North East Region. 

The Irish Pub Awards recognise pubs in the Best Tourist Pub category as “a pub that has a focused and demonstrated plan to create an Irish Pub Experience to attract a tourist market and deliver an exceptional experience to local and international visitors.”

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McCafferty’s Pub now qualifies as a candidate to win the national award in the category at a gala dinner on November 12 held in Dublin.

Friel said: “It is a great award to win, especially with all the great pubs in Ireland in our category.

“It is great as we are in such a tourist town. It is a great stopping point, especially for people who come to Donegal Town, as one of the main attractions.

“The pub is very original compared to other Irish pubs. When you walk in, it has that old feeling, but it is really new. It has that authentic feeling.”