Clashganny House scoops ‘taste of waterways’ award

CLASHGANNY House restaurant near Borris won the Taste of the Waterways at this year’s Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards.

Food critic and travel guide writer Georgina Campbell has been hosting her own hospitality awards for over 40 years and they are the longest-running awards of their kind in Ireland. The Taste of the Waterways category recognises the best restaurant situated on a waterway.

Unlike other awards, hospitality businesses do not self-nominate to be considered but instead winners are selected through independent, year-round assessment by a team of experts who book anonymously and pay their bills like any other guest.

Husband and wife duo, Karen and Robert White, founded Clashganny House restaurant in 2013, with Karen fulfilling the front-of-house role and Robert in charge of food. The historic Clashganny House was the home of the owner of the nearby mid-19th century granite mill.

Georgina said that Clashganny House scooped the award “for combining accomplished food and genuine hospitality with one of the loveliest waterside settings in the country. Clashganny House restaurant is a natural recipient of the 2026 Taste of the Waterways Award”.

According to Karen, Georgina Campbell played a pivotal role in recognising and encouraging the business early on.

“Thirteen years ago, she gave us our first award. We had only been open three or four months. We were new to it and we were excited. We went up to Dublin and won best newcomer and we couldn’t believe it. She kind of put us on the map because we are kind of hidden away,” Karen said.

She also said that she and Robert wanted to share the award with the “fantastic staff” that they have employed over the last 13 years.

The ceremony was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin on 23 September.