The tourist office is in Market House in Market Street (end March-June & Sept-Dec Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 2-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm; July and August Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-2pm; phone 047/81122). There are several decent B&Bs, including Ashleigh House, 37 Dublin St (phone 047/81227; £40-55/?50.79-69.84), and The Cedars, Clones Rd (closed Nov-Feb; phone 047/82783; £33-40/?41.90-50.79). The Hillgrove Hotel, Old Armagh Rd, near the cathedral (phone 047/81288; £70-90/?88.88-114.28), is smart, spacious and welcoming and offers comfortable rooms.

Several places serve bar meals : Andy's , 12 Market St, is especially good, McConnon's Olde Cross Inn , Olde Cross Square, is another decent option, and carvery lunches are available at The Hillgrove Hotel . Otherwise, there is a limited choice of places to eat in the evening: one of the best is award-winning Andy's Restaurant at 12 Market St (phone 047/82277), and the moderately priced, informal Italian restaurant Mediterraneo at 58 Dublin St (closed Tues; phone 047/82335) is also worthwhile.

You won't have to go far to hear music in the evenings. In Dublin Street, McKenna's has blues bands (3-4 nights a week) and Mo's Bar has rock and pop bands (Fri-Sun). McConnon's Olde Cross Inn is a good spot for a quiet pint, and on the Diamond The Squealing Pig has DJs (Wed, Fri & Sat). For traditional music try Kavanagh’s, Park Street, just across from the tourist office. Monaghan has some very active local theatre groups: check out The Garage Theatre, Armagh Rd (phone 047/81597), to find out what's on. There's an international rhythm and blues festival over the first weekend in September, usually starting on the Thursday night (phone 047/82928 for further information).

Bus Éireann (phone 047/82377) links Monaghan with all major towns in the Republic and with Armagh, Belfast, Derry, Omagh and Strabane in the North. McConnon's (phone 047/82020) operates a private daily bus service to Dublin, picking up in Church Square (Mon-Sat) and from behind the courthouse (Sun).

Ireland
guide

Ireland guide

Ireland
When to go
Climate
Getting there
Getting around
Food & drink
Music, festivals
Major festivals
and events
Where to go
People & land
Best of Ireland
Irish Glossary

Explore Ireland
Cavan and
   Monaghan
County Cavan
County Cavan Brief
    history
Ballyajamesduff
Cavan Town
Lough Oughter
West Cavan
County Monaghan
Carrickmacross
Castleblaney
Clones
Glaslough
Iniskeen

Ireland
guide

Monaghan Town
Transportation,
restaurants, tourist
     office
Brief History

County Clare
Shannon Int'l
     Airport
East Clare Way
The Burren
Culture
Transportation
Sports
Kilkenny
Laois

Ennis Town
Around Ennis
Lahinch
Lough Derg
Killaloe
Scarriff
Southwest Clare: Scattery Island
Kilkee

County Cork
Buses, trains, ferries

Exploring County Cork
Baltimore and the Irlands
Bantry
Beara Peninsula