The Limerick City Tidy Towns monthly award for April 2019 has gone to The Glen Tavern at 1-2 Lower Glentworth Street. Pictured outside the pub being presented with the award by Maura is owner Ger Callanan. (Photo: Conor Owens/ILoveLimerick)
Given the number of great looking pubs in the city, realistically we could give our monthly awards to a pub every month, so we’ve had to restrict them to just two. The Glen Tavern is our first pub of 2019 and was chosen following a substantial overhaul of its exterior last year when the entire building was freshly painted, signage was updated and a new outside seating area with a planted area was put in place. The new grey paint colour is strikingly contemporary, yet The Glen still retains all of its traditional pub features and original exterior, which is most important given that the building dates back to the 1760s and forms part of Limerick’s historic Georgian Quarter. The fact that the property continued to look so good throughout the major building works taking place on the recently opened Gardens International site nearby is also a credit to the owners.
The Callanan family, three generations of whom now help to run The Glen Tavern, can trace their history in the hospitality industry back to the early 1930s from Thurles in Co Tipperary. The property at 1 Lower Glentworth Street also has a fascinating history, becoming home to the Mechanics Institute in 1908 but had been transformed into a public house by 1911. The Glen Tavern of today, run by the Callanan family has become renowned for its great authentic food and friendly atmosphere, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a firm favourite at lunchtime for workers and visitors to the city centre and also hosts private parties, has regular live music sessions and is an ideal venue to watch sporting events. For more information, including menus, visit their website www.glentavern.ie, call them on 061 411380 or simply drop in at any time.
The Glen Tavern is Limerick City Tidy Towns’ fourth winner for 2019, following Mint Boutique in January, Bakehouse 22 in February and Midwest Lighting in March, and all monthly winners will be in with the chance of winning this year’s overall prize at our annual event to be held early in 2020.