It is not exactly an Irish tradition, but over the years, afternoon tea has been taken on by Irish restauranteurs and hoteliers with great finesse and success.  I have been a fan for many many years, indulging  my passion with friends at every opportunity.  Long before I learned to grow peas or cook a chicken, I loved afternoon tea.

I blame my grandmother Stella – memories of her china cups and saucers, cream cakes and fresh scones are some of my most precious.  But afternoon tea always meant so much more than nice china and delicious goodies; it was a time to talk, to catch up and to laugh.  This is why I still love it to this day.

photo by Paula Ryan Photography

Over the next year I am going to share my afternoon tea experiences with you here.  From the delicate china of Ariel House to the intricate art work of the Merrion Hotel, each month I’ll share my afternoon tea delights with you.  I’ll have reviews, recipes and recommendations.  But I don’t want to just focus on our capital city, so if you have any recommendations for afternoon tea around the country, please do let me know.

We live so much of our lives online nowadays, so indulging in a tradition dating back to the 1800s that allows friends to come together, talk, laugh and get away from the stresses of life (if only for a couple of hours) cannot be a bad thing right?

Some of my visits this year, but there’s lots more to come..

The G Hotel, Galway

The  Morrison Hotel, Dublin

Ariel House, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Killashee House Hotel, Naas, Co Kildare

The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin

*  If you have an afternoon tea recommendation, please comment below or email  fiona.dillon@hotmail.com