Mac O.
Yelp
LOVE Blind Piper.
We have friends who own a home near Caherdaniel and have visited them twice now. On each visit we ate/drank at the Blind Piper multiple times. It truly epitomizes Irish pub.
The menu is scrawled on a chalk board (typical in Ireland), and includes all the standard Irish fare done beautifully: Irish stew, fish and chips, shepherd's pie, etc. The food is homey, hearty, filling, and good. They have great Irish "brown bread," too.
The service is warm, if slow, but the pace of life in general is a lot slower than American rush-rush. It's a welcome and appreciated change not to feel like someone is hovering over you waiting to clear a table for the next patrons. In fact, you get the feeling you're encouraged to linger over your pint and enjoy the company you're keeping.
The atmosphere is perrrrfect Ireland, too: dark woods, low ceilings, peat fire burning in the fireplace, pub stools, cramped booths. Just wonderful. Not to mention the place is crawling with charming locals conversing loudly and happily in their lyrical Brogue. This is definitely not a tourist destination, which makes it all the better.
There's Guinness on tap (the real deal, not the export stuff). There's also Smithwick's and Bulmer's hard cider on draught. I'm not usually a hard cider fan, but Bulmer's is crisp, dry, and delicious.
If you find yourself in Caherdaniel, make your way to the Blind Piper. I guarantee you will be as delighted and charmed as we were.