Sunday 4 March 2018

Escape to The Hares Corner

After four days of being snowbound we finally managed to escape from the weather enforced confinement of our bijou home. Last night, the end of the fourth day, a mammoth tractor whose size very nearly filled the width of the road cleared away the mounds of accumulated snow drifts and our car was freed.

Our first call was to our nearest store, 6km away, to top up on essential supplies like fuel for the Bentley look-a-like, turf briquettes for the stove and an essential packet of MacVitie's digestive biscuits that most cuppa's need. We turned for home when a sudden idea came to me, 
"How's about we go for lunch in The Hare's Corner ?" 
Agreement from Mrs H came very swiftly and without hesitation.




No better place for good wholesome food !



In warm weather you can sit outside on the terrace and enjoy the warmth of the day.



The great man himself, Declan Furlong,
the Owner and Chef of Hare's Corner.



Hares abound at every turn. 
I have an idea that hares might be Declan's totem animal.


I believe that this building was once an Irish grain mill belonging to Odlum's Flour, 
hence the industrial steel columns, heavy beams and stone walls. 
As a restaurant it is a comfortable and an almost homely space to dine  
whether that be for a breakfast or lunch.






We do indeed need the 'Tonic of Wildness', especially after eating one 
of Declan's meals, then a good walk in the nearby Slieve Blooms provides 
the tonic of fresh air and exercise.

Alternatively you might do as I did and have a snooze in the chair alongside
a cosy turf fire and dream of walking in the wilds !






34 comments:

  1. Hi Mel - looks ideal ... those digestives for your cuppas ... and then a deserved break out. Love the black hare across the flowers ... a delightful place and ideal if it's nearby - cheers Hilary

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    1. Thank you Hilary. Yes indeed it is quite close and we do visit occasionally at weekends when not touring.

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  2. Sounds like an excellent way to celebrate your 'release' from the snow. I really do like hares.

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    1. Thank you Sue it is a no frills restaurant that provides a good feed :)

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  3. Hare's Corner looks a perfect way to celebrate your new found freedom. The good thing about snows in March is that they don't last too long. Roll on spring.

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    1. Hello Bella many thanks for the comments. You are quite correct Snow in March is the best time, but did we have to have so much - a sprinkling would have done :)

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  4. Odd sort of pebbled dashed building outside, looks rather nicer inside.

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    1. Yes, I suppose to your eyes the weather proofing looks rather different to what you are accustomed to and something I have grown to accept as normal.
      Thank you for the comment.

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  5. Thank you Mel for the lovely review of the Hare's Corner. Younger brother Declan will be very pleased I am sure.

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    1. Thank you Brian. You both are very welcome !

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  6. Those MacVities are favorites of mine...so happy we can get them here in the States too. I studied the Hare's Corner menu....let's see, I'll have the chicken curry, or maybe the Thai salmon cakes. Glad you were finally released from snow-enforced imprisonment in your house. Looks like you've gotten quite comfortable with the iPhone. I haven't used my "real" camera in months...

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    1. Hello Sara, so glad you like MacVitie's Biscuits and have made your selection for when you visit Hare's Corner. It is good to be out and about again and just to think that only a week ago Mrs H and I were enjoying being in sunshine and under the blue skies of Co. Galway taking photos with our proper camera - the IPhone is okay for snaps but not if you want to take real shots.
      Thank you for the comments.

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  7. I'm very relieved to see that you take McVities Digestives with your Tea (as do we). Anything else and I may have reported you!

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    1. We only eat them occasionally, as I prefer the organic digestive which is a better accompanied with cheese than the sweet meal.

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  8. What a wonderful trip out after being so snowbound. You've had far more snow than we have. We just suffered from a dreadful slashing wind that even a Finnish friend found hard to bear, and they're used to it. I love the Hare's Corner restaurant. it looks like a super place to have lunch!

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    1. Thank you for the lovely comment Val.
      We felt that a treat was in order and that despite our bulky winter clothing and boots a welcome would be found in the Hare's Corner.

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  9. It looks like a charming place to have lunch. But do they actually serve rabbit at The Hare's Corner? Or do rabbits have a "get out of the stew pot free" card because of the restaurant's name?

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    1. Fortunately Rabbit is not on the menu, nothing in the meat line with four legs smaller than a lamb or pig
      and the fowl are generally chicken or at Christmas time then it is turkey accompanied by ham.
      Thank you for your interesting question Debra.

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  10. Jack L said:

    Well, I'm very glad to hear the stormy weather you have had is finally over.....it must be very difficult for people over there to cope when that much snow and wind roars in ! We had a storm hit us Sunday and shut down all the roads until this morning....but we're equipped for it and or vehicles are large and heavy....lots of heavy equipment to move it.
    Lovely looking cafe...glad you two got out and enjoyed a nice lunch !

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    1. Thanks for the comment Jack and your understanding of the situation over here. If we had those snowstorms as frequent as yourselves then we would have the equipment to deal with it. However, with deep snow only arriving every ten years or so then the stuff would have rusted away in the sheds by then.

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  11. You know how to treat a gir; unplanned ideas very often turn out so much better than those poured over and planned for months. I love the sound of the Bentley look-alike, I’m guessing a Nissan Micra?

    LX

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    1. Ah such flattery Lettice !
      Yes, do keep it coming I could get used to that you know. I am as you guessed mostly a spur of the moment man and not one to miss an opportunity. Sorry your guess is off the mark the car is far better than a Nissan and has it's own mechanic and sometimes I wonder wether it is his or ours. I shall leave you guessing as to what make it is :)

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  12. Jowett Javelin?
    The man was gently instructed on his trip off to buy a new car, ‘Whatever you do, don’t buy a Nissan Micra!’ My reasoning was it is only old codgers who wear driving gloves and a flat cap drive such automobiles. Yes, you’ve guessed it... I should in the back of my Brabus Smart car have a sign saying ‘My other car is a Nissan Micra!’ On moving to Hythe, both cars are sitting idle so I am making a very strong case to get rid of one of the cars! Apart from that, why on earth would two people need two cars?

    LX

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    1. People need a car each to go in different directions. Is my simple answer :)
      Actually I could just as well have said a look alike Lanchester rather than Bentley - am still not telling and still teasing :)

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  13. The hare is my favourite animal and I havemany in the house = pictures, drawings, bronzes, books on the hare - I love them all. It is almost worth coming to Ireland just to go to that restaurant - the menu looks divine and anyone with a name like the chef/owner gets my support anyday. It is magic.

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    1. Thank you very much indeed for your comment Pat and for your liking of the Hares. We have quite few around here too and often see them traversing the field next door when they are of to a special field
      to eat a particular grass that they enjoy.

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  14. "The Tonic of Wildness". I love that.

    "Swiftly and with hesitation", was your wife's reply to the thought of going to this nice spot. No wonder, smart woman!

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    1. Mrs H is very astute and we have a wide variety of places around the country that we enjoy :)
      Thank you for your comment Kay.G

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  15. My eccentric and wonderful and much-loved maternal uncle had a Bently Speed 6 when he was a young man. He had a list of wonderful cars until he rose to dizzy heights before his retirement at which point he ran........ an Austin A35. I love eccentric. I'm sure there was a relevance to that post when I started the comment!

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    1. Eccentric behaviour allows brave adults to become whatever they desire in any given moment.
      Just don't give up Graham :)

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