Christmas is just around the corner, and at Flaherty’s, we plan to celebrate it in style. Whether you’ve decided to spend Christmas in the Catalan capital or have adopted it as your new home, Flaherty’s is here to provide you with a taste of Ireland this holiday season. Our traditional Christmas turkey dinner is famous throughout Barcelona, among locals and expats alike.
Where to Have Christmas Dinner in Barcelona
Come to Flaherty’s this Christmas day for a seasonal experience you’ll never forget. Our four-course meal will bring back all the best memories of home for those of you looking for a little flavour of the homeland.
Flaherty’s Christmas Dinner Menu
For appetisers, our Pig in a Blanket sausage rolls are sure to get your taste buds tingling and whet your appetite for what’s to come. Following on from that, we have three delicious starter options for you to choose from: the ultimate prawn cocktail, hearty winter vegetable soup or fried brie with roasted pecans and cranberry compote.
Next up is our unforgettable main course: traditional sage-stuffed roast turkey and ham with roast potatoes, honey-roasted parsnips and carrots, mashed potatoes, sautéed sprouts, and cranberry sauce. What’s more, we also have a delicious quorn roast option that’s suitable for vegetarians.
Then, to cap things off, we’re offering two delicious dessert options: traditional Christmas pudding with brandy butter or homemade guinness chocolate cake. Whichever one you choose, you won’t be disappointed!
What is Christmas Like in Ireland?
Christmas is a very special time of year in Ireland, much like in other parts of the Anglophone world, with the classic turkey and ham dinner served on the 25th and houses adorned in bright lights and decorations and stockings hanging by the chimney. However, there are a few distinctive features about an Irish Christmas that you may be interested in knowing about.
St. Stephen’s Day Traditions in Ireland and Catalonia
One thing that might surprise visitors to the Catalan Capital around the holiday period is their affinity for St. Stephen’s Day. A regional holiday in Catalonia, for many Catalans the 26th of December is of equal importance to Christmas day, and this affinity for St. Stephen’s day is something the Catalans share with the Irish! As most Irish people spend Christmas Day at home with their families, St. Stephen’s Day is the big night out on the Irish Christmas calendar. People flock to their local pubs to show off their new Christmas clothes and wish friends and neighbours a happy holiday season. Pubs are hopping with seasonal and traditional Irish music, and the craic is mighty.
Ireland’s Wren Day Festivities
Then, in many parts of rural Ireland, you’ll find people referring to the day as ‘Wren Day’ and sending children out dressed up in disguises to ‘hunt the wren’, which in modern times consists of playing traditional Irish music to their neighbours in exchange for a few shillings. This ancient Celtic custom, which has parallel traditions in England, Scotland, Wales, and Galicia, is the highlight of the holiday season for many Irish youngsters.
Married vs. Singles
Another popular tradition on St. Stephen’s Day is for the local hurling or Gaelic football clubs to stage a married vs. singles match, where local players are divided in terms of their marital status and sent out in the December cold to play a friendly match and entertain the parish. Make no mistake about it, however; once the ball is thrown in, there’s nothing friendly about it!
Christmas at Flaherty’s
Whatever your background, wherever you come from, you can be sure of a warm Irish welcome at Flaherty’s this Christmas. Come join us on December 25th for the Christmas meal of a lifetime. Located in the heart of Barcelona, we offer the best food and drink in the city in a unique atmosphere.
