Connolly’s of Leap has scooped the 2017 IMRO Munster Live Venue of the Year award.

More than 11,500 IMRO members considered hundreds of venues across the country for the shortlist, judging each one on atmosphere, sound and lighting, staging, diversity of programming and importantly, the staff and management.

The public voted for their top live venues, with the winners announced last night at the tenth IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards at the Irish Music Rights Organisation Headquarters in Dublin.

The intimate third-generation haunt was re-opened in 2015 by Sam McNicholl, who, together with his mum Eileen, has developed Connolly’s of Leap with the strong values his late father, Paddy McNicholl, instilled in the venue – one of only two pubs in the tiny rural town of Leap.

Though the location is small, the Connolly’s line-up for the coming weeks is mighty.

Acts booked during spring include Dave Geraghty of Bell X1, Wyvern Lingo, Liam O’Maonlai, Marlene Enright, Stephen James Smith, Willy Mason, Brian Deady, Wiggle and John Blek, to name but a few.