15. Loop the Loop
The loose change champion
Loop the Loop was cheap, cheerful and shaped, well, like a frog. Nearly every Irish child has memories of stained tongues after eating one.
Pros:
-
- Cost pocket money prices
- Lasted longer than most ice creams
Cons:
-
- More sugar than flavour
- Sticky hands were inevitable
14. Fat Frog
Sugar-fuelled madness
Bright green, fizzy and impossible to eat neatly, Fat Frog became a playground icon in the 1990s. Parents hated it. Children adored it.
Pros:
-
- Fizzy flavour stood out from everything else
- Felt wildly exciting as a child
Cons:
-
- Incredibly messy
- Probably contained enough sugar for several days
13. Brunch
The forgotten hero
Long before it was a meal between breakfast and lunch, Brunch meant something else for older generations. Part ice cream, part biscuit, all treat – Brunch remains a heavyweight option for nostalgia and taste.
Pros:
-
- Felt more substantial than normal ice creams
- Huge cult following
Cons:
-
- Crumbled easily
- Could be awkward to eat
12. Ben & Jerry’s / Häagen-Dazs / Cinema Tubs
The premium option
The arrival of premium American-style tubs transformed Irish ice cream culture. Suddenly flavours included cookie dough, brownie chunks and salted caramel.
Pros:
-
- Revolutionary flavours
- Perfect movie-night food
- Made staying in feel indulgent
Cons:
-
- Costly
- Impossible to stop after a few spoonfuls
- Calorie counts best ignored entirely
11. Banana Split
Americana in a bowl
For many Irish families in the ’70s and ’80s, the banana split represented peak sophistication. It made ordinary family restaurant meals feel faintly American and glamorous.
Pros:
-
- Looked impressive
- 1 of your 5 a day
Cons:
-
- Bananas often turned mushy
- Usually too big to finish
10. Sundae
The ultimate ‘sit-down’ ice cream
Before fancy dessert cafés existed, the ice cream sundae was peak indulgence. Chocolate or strawberry sauce, wafers, sprinkles and cherries made it feel substantial and stylish.
Pros:
-
- Endless topping possibilities
- Served in proper glass dishes for maximum drama
Cons:
-
- Melted into soup halfway through
- Whipped cream could get out of control
9. Calippo
Spiritual summer icon
Technically an ice lolly, but far too iconic to leave off the list. The Calippo push-up tube has been a part of every Irish summer heatwave for decades. Would be ranked higher if it had ice cream
Pros:
-
- Extremely refreshing on hot days
- The push-up tube felt oddly satisfying
Cons:
-
- Dripped everywhere in warm weather
- Eating one in the car was a terrible idea
8. Iceberger
HB cult classic
The Iceberger perfected the soft biscuit-and-ice-cream combination and built a fiercely loyal Irish following. An underrated classic for some, a bit meh for others.
Pros:
-
- Soft chocolate biscuits were elite
- Great texture combination
Cons:
-
- Could go soggy quickly
- Biscuit sometimes stuck to the wrapper
7. Solero
Holidays at home
Solero brought the taste of holidays abroad to a hometown heatwave. Tropical flavours in glorious sunshine made it easy to pretend that Lahinch was Lanzarote.
Pros:
-
- Refreshing fruit flavours
- Felt sophisticated and continental
Cons:
-
- Mango flavour divided opinion
- Seemed more healthy than it was
6. Magnum
Sophistication on a Stick
The Magnum made ice cream feel luxurious. Thick cracking chocolate and glamorous advertising campaigns convinced an entire generation they were eating something very sophisticated.
Pros:
-
- The iconic indulgent chocolate crack
- White chocolate and almond versions built loyal fan bases
Cons:
-
- Expensive compared to rivals
- Could feel heavy after a big meal
5. Twister
The Cool Kid
The Twister was the cool kid of 1990s ice creams. Its colourful spiral and pineapple-lime flavour made it feel quite futuristic, while also providing long-lasting levels of refreshment.
Pros:
-
- Distinctive flavour combination
- Peak 1990s nostalgia
Cons:
-
- Uneven melting caused chaos
- Sticky by the end
4. Super Split
The hybrid hero
Part orange lolly, part vanilla ice cream, the Super Split was the hybrid hero we knew we needed on a baking summer’s day. It remains one of Ireland’s most beloved and iconic summer treats.
Pros:
-
- Perfect balance of creamy and fruity
- Every child had their own strategy for eating it
Cons:
-
- Orange coating could get messy
- Never seemed big enough
3. Cornetto
The sound of summer
The Cornetto became legendary thanks to its unforgettable ‘Just one Cornetto’ jingle and the genius chocolate tip hidden at the bottom of the cone. Originally launched as vanilla topped with chocolate and nuts, strawberry followed and then mint. Somehow always tasted better on holidays abroad or after playing sport.
Pros:
-
- Chocolate ending was elite design
- Strawberry version remains iconic
- Felt like a proper treat
Cons:
-
- Nut version divided households
- Required careful timing in hot weather
2. The Wafer Ice Cream Sandwich
Underated Summer Hero
Before artisan gelato, salted caramel everything and cinema tubs the size of flowerpots, there was the humble wafer ice cream sandwich – a true classic of childhood summers. No gimmicks or fancy branding, just soft vanilla ice cream encased in wafers and you trying to eat it faster than the Irish sunshine could destroy it. Simple. Elegant. Dangerous.
Pros:
-
- Timeless simplicity
- Widely available and easy to make at home
Cons:
-
- Structural integrity questionable
- Intense melt pressure in warm weather
1. The 99
The Undisputed King
Nothing captures the feeling of an Irish heatwave quite like a 99 – soft vanilla ice cream, a crispy cone and a chocolate flake sticking out the side. Whether it came from a van at the beach, the hatch of the local chipper, or pitchside after a GAA underage blitz, the 99 became part of Irish summer life. For all the fancy artisan gelato now available, the 99 still reigns supreme whenever the Irish sun makes an appearance.
Pros:
-
- Pure Irish summer nostalgia
- Perfect balance of cone, ice cream and chocolate
- Universally loved across generations
Cons:
-
- Melts almost immediately in proper sunshine
- Flake inevitably falls out at some point
- No longer remotely costs 99 cent
Honourable mentions:
- Feast
- Mini Milk
- Freaky Foot
- Wibbly Wobbly Wonder
