Ventry Inn
Ventry, Co. Kerry Ireland

Environment: Pub on a slight hill, overlooking the scenic sweep of Ventry Harbour. Traditional pub interior with wrap around benches and long bar. Outside tables with great view. Full menu, including salmon, lasagna and salads.

Risko Had: Acceptable coffee, but tea, in a big pot and cold cider better bets.
Risko Rejoices: wonderful view of the golden miles of Ventry Strand. Just cross the road and walk down the lane to be on the beach yourself.
Risko Regrets: No umbrellas on the patio and, yes, Ireland does have sunny days when they would be welcome

Paidi O'Shea's
Ventry, Co. Kerry. Ireland

Environment: Large, very popular pub on the Slea Head Road - crammed with mementoes of football hero owner and at the top of a boreen leading down to Ventry Strand. Smoked salmon salad and other dishes available.

Risko Had: Moccaccino with whipped cream and scone. Scone was grand - coffee overwhelmingly rich.
Risko Went: Clean, large washrooms behind bar.
Risko Rejoices: Paidi himself is often in pub and the centre of admiring groups looking for pictures and autographs
Risko Regrets: tables outside, but no landscaping, more like drinking in parking lot.

The Stone House
Fahan, Co. Kerry

Environment: Literally a stone house ---- the architecture based on the style of the ancient --- and much smaller --nearby Gallarus Oratory. Locals delight in recalling how the original roof collapsed. Rethinking, however, reinforced it with iron bars and made it totally solid today. A popular stop on the scenic coastal drive, the pretty interior displays the work of local artists, including a ceramic Cead Mile Failte (one hundred thousand welcomes). Other local pottery appears on the tables. Again, seafood is a feature --- lobster, John Dory, wild salmon - hot oysters with chili
Risko Had: Good, rich coffee, with thick foam on strong-tasting cappuccino, topped with chocolate sprinkles.
Risko Rejoices: picnic tables outside to take advantage of splendid Atlantic view
Risko Regrets: Again, outside tables, but parking lot in front and no umbrellas!

The Old Thatch
Ballydonoughue, North Co. Kerry

Environment: Yes, it really is thatched, on a rather isolated road in North Kerry. The 'local' of writer Maurice Walsh. The old pub, with its huge hearth, remains as he knew it, but a clever renovation has added a very modern lounge bar in the back.

Risko had: Chilled cider and rather milky coffee, but atmosphere makes up for any lack.
Risko Went: Bit of a hike out back to clean washrooms, not completely accessible.
Risko rejoices: New bar is pretty, but the inglenook and hearth of the original are what makes the pub worth seeking out.

Benner's Hotel
Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland

Environment: A well-established Hotel with several bars and dining rooms. The English country style lobby includes deep armchairs and couches. with lots of chintzes and dark wood. An enclosed, whitewashed, flower-decked courtyard and a cosy library bar are also attractive.

Risko Had: Morning coffee and cookies in lobby. Good-sized cups and aromatic, dark-coloured coffee
Risko Went: Pretty washrooms on same floor behind reception desk. One tiny stall is difficult to navigate.
Risko Regrets: Sometimes food is served in lobby, sometimes not. Not clear on what basis this decision is made. Consultation of entrails?

The Red Fox Inn
Glenbeigh, Co. Kerry

Environment: A pub with a spacious bar and dining room, next door to the Kerry Bog Village --- a recreation of a turf -cutting village and a good place to spend a pleasant afternoon.

Risko Had: The pub is famous for its Irish coffee, but, at noon, Risko passed on that, settling for fresh, full-bodied coffee and large pots of tea in countrified back dining room.
Risko Rejoices: Fresh white bread sandwiches, thick with chicken and ham - not dainty, afternoon tea style, but also untainted by any hint of mayonnaise, mustard _

An Bradan Feasa (The Salmon of Knowledge)
West of Ventry, Slea Head Road, Co. Kerry

Environment: Ceramic sign in front illustrates the episode from the Finn Mac Cool story from which it gets its name- and indicates that the café shares its quarters with a pottery.
Offers some hot food and made-to-order sandwiches, as well as a variety of cakes, sponges, tortes and scones -all served with whipped cream

Risko Had: Creamy, fawn-coloured cappuccino (no chocolate sprinkles). big pots of tea with extra hot water and generous slices of coffee-chocolate cake with whipped cream.
Risko Rejoices: Take your tray out to the secluded back garden, furnished with well-worn tables and chairs - and welcome shade!
Pick up the guide to local sites, written by owner's husband and browse the pottery for souvenirs

The Blasket Interpretive Centre
Dunquin, Co. Kerry

This long, low bunker- like building tells the history of the offshore Blasket Islands, and the unique culture created there. The centre includes a gift shop and a café.
Risko Had: basic, cafeteria- urn coffee, excellent tea, delicious orange sponge cake and chocolate torte, well larded with whipped cream
Risko Went: Spacious modern washrooms on same floor, accessed through somewhat heavy wooden doors.
Risko Rejoices. Café has long walls of windows looking out across lawns to the Atlantic and the islands themselves,
Great stretch of texture art, representing the islands, covers the back wall.
Risko Regrets: Inside, the building is attractive and relates to the environment, but, from the outside, it squats on the landscape like a particularly repellent toad.

Cllll Rialaig
Dun Geagain, Co. Kerry

Art Gallery and Café. The thatched roof outside gives little hint of the great, cabled, vaulted ceiling inside, which houses the gallery, shop and café.
Interesting metal and glass tables surround the open hearth.
The traditional rope-seated sugan chairs are vividly painted in abstract designs. The café is a good stop on the way to the restored artists' village on the spectacular Bolus Head.
Risko Had: Strong latte in generous tall glass, covered with the inevitable chocolate sprinkles

Risko Rejoices: Even on warm days, there is frequently a fire in the hearth and the great boat-shaped skylight pours light down.
Risko Went: Tiny, triangular bathroom, with rugged stone walls and a charming little casement window.
Risko Regrets: Latte accompanied by displeasing, sawdusty cookie.
Drive on Bolus is steep, narrow, utterly breathtaking and only for the strong of nerve and stomach.

Bewley's Café
Grafton Street, Dublin

Environment: Originally founded in the 1800's as Bewley's Oriental Café, the stained glass, Chinese touches and velvet banquettes all evoke the coffee houses of that century. The smell of freshly roasting coffee lures residents and visitors alike to this meeting place of generations of Dubliners. The cafe offers a variety of light meals and traditional Irish breakfasts, but is famously the home of a vast selection of sticky buns.

Risko Had: Really rich, fresh coffee and strong tea, with fat cream bun and ethereal chocolate éclair.
Risko Rejoices; Fresh cream in pastries and intriguing variety of
customers: business people, students, shoppers, tourists, families, singles and groups.
Risko Regrets: There really are only so many sticky buns and cream cakes one can eat.