The Plaza de el Varadero in the Old Town may have been the centre of the official celebrations, however, lots of bars across Puerto del Carmen were also celebrating in style.
From the roar of the Cheltenham races to the last song played in the early hours of Wednesday 18th, Puerto del Carmen was absolutely buzzing with the unmistakable energy of an Irish party abroad.
The festivities kicked off in style with the Cheltenham Festival. You couldn’t walk twenty metres without hearing the thunderous cheer of a winner coming home. The atmosphere in The Irish Rover was electric as punters packed the bar, eyes glued to the screens. Just next door, Brennan’s Bar was serving up the perfect pint to soothe the nerves during the tense finishes. Whether you were ticking off your winners at The Bucket List or catching the action at the lively Fire House Bar, the camaraderie was fantastic. Dicey Reilly’s and The Aul Shillelagh were also packed to the rafters, while Murphy’s Irish Pub, Paddy’s Point, and Nelly’s Irish Bar ensured no one missed the action.
With the racing wrapped up, the scene was perfectly set for the main event. Every single bar pulled out all the stops, hosting live Irish musicians from both the local expat community and artists who had flown in directly from Ireland.
The atmosphere in Craic N’ Ceol was simply incredible, with singalongs spilling out onto the pavement. Rory’s Live Lounge and Rory’s Corner Bar were absolutely hopping, delivering exactly what it says on the tin: top-tier live entertainment. No matter where you turned, whether it was from Maguire’s Irish Bar or further down the strip, the sound of guitars, and raucous laughter filled the warm Lanzarote air.
There were visitors from all over the Island, decked out in green, all looking for the same thing: the craic. And they found it in abundance. From the first race at Cheltenham to the last song on Paddy’s Day, Puerto del Carmen proved, yet again, that it is the undisputed home of the Irish celebration in the sun. Roll on next year!
