It’s time for the Great Irish Hooley this Labor Day weekend at Raglan Road in Disney Springs. It runs Aug. 30 through Monday, Sept. 2, 2019.
What is a Hooley? It is an old Gaelic term for a party with music and entertainment for the whole family! The Great Irish Hooley will have Hooley-crafted cocktails and creative new bites by the excellent culinary team and Chef Mark O’Neill. Plus, the entertainment with various music groups and The Raglan Road Irish Dancers is such an exciting show. For a complete list of the entertainment schedule click here.
I was invited to a media preview of the Great Irish Hooley and I must say it was wonderful to get out and enjoy the Irish festivities while we are in the mist of Hurricane Dorian. There is still time for you to join in on the party this weekend. If you are planning on your next vacation to Walt Disney Resort next fall, be sure to add it to your list! There’s no cover charge.
Let’s get to the food and beverage line-up. We had small plates of each of these dishes and tried a couple alcoholic beverages.
Samhain Sangria
Jameson Black Barrel, Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc, apple cider, seltzer, home-made cinnamon syrup, fresh cranberries, apple and orange. I am in love with this Sangria! It’s like fall in a glass with fragrant fruit and spice mixed together nicely with spirits.
Shepherd’s to die for Pie
Braised and pulled beef & lamb with root vegetables in a red wine jus with Irish peat smoked mashed potato. A new favorite! Perfectly piped potatoes with seasoned meat. Comfort food at its finest.
Let there be no Rush Pork
12 Hour braised pork shoulder with sage cabbage and caramelized apple purée.
Foleys Finest Trout
Pan seared Foleys North Atlantic sea trout, parmesan & dill gnocchi, sea greens, zucchini ribbons, cherry tomato and crisp caper dressing. The crisp trout skin was better than any potato chip. Trout was flakey and the vegetables and gnocchi were a great match to this dish. I would have loved to had a full plate of this lovely dish.
Worth the Wait Beef Sandwich
12 Hour braised beef, sautéed mushrooms, crispy onions, garlic aioli and smoked cheddar on ciabatta.
OMG Burger
Dry-aged ground prime burger, Irish bacon, Dubliner Irish cheddar, crispy potato straws with Jameson Irish whisky BBQ sauce. YEAHHHHH to all of this! OMG Burger was just that.
Rocky Road to Dublin
Chocolate ice cream, smoked almond brownie squares, toffee crunch and marshmallow.
Your Ration of Passion
Passion Fruit Eton Mess, fresh mango, dried coconut shards, lemon crisp meringue, and candied mint. I am fan of Eton Mess and found this dessert to be really refreshing and a nice finish to the other savory dishes.
Devil’s Foot
Blackberry Golden Ale
Created in collaboration with Crooked Can Brewing in Winter Garden.
Golden Ale brewed with wheat and honey malt. Blend of citrus and floral hops, fermented on blackberries.
We had a great time listening to Hightime and Maca. The Raglan Road Irish Dancers is a favorite. Such energy and a fun show!
We look forward to the Great Irish Hooley each year and this year (the 8th annual) was the best yet! I really enjoy the seasonal beverages and the comfort dishes that are like a unique but familiar warm hug. I hope this review will make you want to get on down to Disney Springs and go Hooley it up!
For more information on the Great Irish Hooley click here.
Come follow along on Instagram @acupofcharming for all my culinary adventures as they transpire. I have a highlight of videos of the Great Irish Hooley on my profile page for you to check out.
Thank you to Raglan Road for hosting us for this event. As always, all opinions are my own.
