As Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane have shown, collaborations work. The42 have teamed up with Lovin Dublin to create a series of pieces around the Euros and how best to enjoy a month of football.
WE ALL HAVE our favourite local but it’s not always the best spot to watch a match.
In fact, sometimes the reason we like it is because you can chat to your mates in comfort without the constant distraction of a 60-inch screen.
Over the next few weeks, however, that all goes out the window as the very reason we’ll be out and about is to catch the feast of football that will be Euro 2016.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of the best venues around the country to watch the tournament over the next four weeks.
The Rising Sons Brewery – Cork
In the Rising Sons Brewery, not only do you get to enjoy the football, but you don’t have to endure bad beer while it’s on.
And just because you’re dealing with craft beer doesn’t mean you have to settle for artisan screens as the venue claims to be home to the biggest ones in Cork.
Sinnott’s, Dublin
Not only is Sinnott’s handily located just off Grafton Street, but it’s a pub that makes the most of its space with a variety of screens of all shapes and sizes, including a massive projector at the end of the bar.
The food, from burgers to chicken wings, is also everything you need for Euro 2016.
Fagan’s Sports Bar, Galway
Situated quite handily under Hotel Meyrick on Eyre Square, Fagan’s boasts nine screens meaning you won’t miss any of the action.
Not only that, but the staff have even been known to give out free snacks during big games so you’re not going to go hungry.
Clohessy’s, Limerick
When the original Clohessy’s bar on Howley’s Quay shut its doors in 2014, sports fans in Limerick were left without one of their best venues to watch their favourite team.
However, Peter Clohessy and family opened a new bar on Denmark Street in 2015 and while Limerick might be a rugby city, it’s sure to be very popular during this summer’s exhibition of football in France.
Cleere’s, Kilkenny
There are bigger venues to watch the tournament in Kilkenny but with their homemade pizzas, doorstep sandwiches and the fact that it’s situated right across the road from a brewery, there are few better than Cleere’s.
The fact you’re going to avoid all the stags and hens that the Marble City is famous for is just another argument in its favour.
The Back Page, Dublin
A sportsbar with style, this popular Phibsborough spot has plenty of TVs, quality pizzas and if the game is particularly boring… a wide selection of board games.
Expect the Euros promotions and sporty ambience to have this place fill of football fans for the next month.
The Cavern, Letterkenny, Donegal
Three bars over two floors and rooftop heating makes The Cavern a must visit for football fans in the north west.
13 large screens also help to ensure you’ll see every kick and former Ireland boss Steve Staunton will be there for Ireland’s opening game with Sweden on 13 June.
They say two heads are better than one…
That’s why we’ve teamed up with our pals at lifestyle website Lovin Dublin to create LovinThe42 – a place where football and culture meet, and a your go-to guide to eating, sleeping and breathing all this summer’s football action.
It’s also why the head distiller of Jameson and the head brewer of Cork’s Franciscan Well Brewery came together to create Jameson Caskmates: a whiskey that’s been finished in stout-seasoned casks. With a triple-distilled smoothness that’s very much intact, notes of cocoa, coffee and butterscotch confirm the stout influence.