On Raglan Road…A Little Bit O’ Dublin in Orlando

On Raglan Road on an autumn day I met her first and knew
That her dark hair would weave a snare that I might one day rue;
I saw the danger, yet I walked along the enchanted way,
And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day.
—On Raglan Road, Patrick Kavanaugh

This popular Irish poem was in turn made into a song which many have covered, perhaps none so well as Luke Kelley‘s original. Such a beautiful song crafted from words that sweep you up and place you in another time…

One half of my mother’s side is from Ireland, County Leitrim and also the Isle of Man, so I’m told. Growing up where I did in Massachusetts, you were pretty much Irish or Italian for the most part (and I married an Italian). So Irish culture, customs and history have always been a part of my childhood and interests. I’d love to trace my ancestry and of course visit the beautiful countryside that Ireland is known for.

That said, the cooking going on at Raglan Road Pub in Downtown Disney, is nothing like my grandmother used to make. (Thank goodness!) Nan was known for boiling pretty much everything she prepared, and seasonings were never to be found. But we cleaned our plates every holiday in her house – we knew better than to complain! Raglan Road Pub, by comparison, takes some of the great dishes Ireland is known for and puts a gourmet twist to their preparation, leaving you satisfied and planning your next visit back.

This was our family’s second visit, the first time being a few years prior. We loved it then, but our children’s palates were going through a particularly picky phase, so we held off returning until now. Both of the older children had a wonderful time this visit and it’s now a favorite among all of us. I’d like to share some of our favorites from Raglan Road’s creations with you:

Other items enjoyed but not pictured are of course the famous Fish & Chips – spot on! The kids enjoyed the Chicken Tenders and a burger, and the salad I had with my scallops was also wonderful. I really just couldn’t decide what to get for my entree which is why I went with the Scallop Forest. It was delicious and fun to eat, despite being a bit messy with scallop juices running down the forks!

I apologize for the quality on the pictures – during this trip I somehow lost about 50 pictures from my camera’s memory card. I had a bunch of the gorgeous interior of Raglan Road as well. All that means is I just have to make sure I get back over to Raglan Road again soon!! Won’t hear me complaining, it was, as usual, a wonderful dining experience. You truly feel transported to another place that seems thousands of miles from Orlando. I hope someday to visit the real Raglan Road, and find the places my ancestors may have walked in Ireland, but until then, this is a pretty fine substitute.

If you’d like to see even more of the fun, check out Raglan Road’s hilarious website, chock full of Irish humor and interactive fun. You’ll definitely want to add this hidden gem to your ‘must eats’ while visiting Disney World! If you haven’t seen it before, Raglan Road is located right across the bridge to Pleasure Island. Lunch is served 11:00am to 3:00pm, dinner from 3:00pm to 11:00pm with the Bar Menu Served all day. Live Entertainment starts at 6:00pm to midnight, with their Irish band and Irish dancer, who perform 6 nights a week.

Also if you are on Twitter, be sure to follow @RaglanRoadPub. The pub just celebrated its fourth birthday, so be sure to wish them well!