05. Dunowen Inn

This is another Bushmills Bar of the Year – this time the 1987 winner. When we heard of it by name, we thought perhaps it was one of those places that have whimsical names like Dunroamin’, because one house owner waited 25 years until he had paid off his mortgage before calling his house Dunowin’.

This excellent establishment is the result of a massive refurbishing job, done three or four years ago, that produced under one roof the Images Lounge Bar,  Shadows Night Club, Cleo’s Lounge, the Slemish Room, and the Lanterns Restaurant.

The Dunowen name has been here for about 25 years, but before that, it was a little street bar called P.J. Hackett’s. Now it’s a plush, up-market, carpeted complex, with a smart red and grey colour scheme and plants and flowers throughout.

The Images Bar, voted Tyrone’s Number One disco bar, is very much a young bar, and its foliage-strewn alcoves, red firefly-glitter showcase and open snug areas are very much in keeping with its youth image.

Cleo’s is a split-level lounge bar, with a brass stair rail conducting you down between two huge artificial pillars.

There are four matching smaller pillars behind the counter, and an attractive pink and grey decor – ultra chic – right down to the Austrian blinds.

A separate entrance from the street leads upstairs to the Lantern Restaurant.

There’s that familiar salmon and grey colour effect again, enhanced by swirling and festooned white voile curtains, luxurious scallop shell seating, and a lovely white cherry tree .

Dungannon . Dunowen . Dunwritin’ .

I’m not sure of the specific location the former pub or when it was closed, I’ve surmised its location based on a facebook group