Eugene Farrelly and Eugene Kiernan, who along with Monica McCormick, are the three main driving forces behind the newly opened Súil Eile cafe in Kilnaleck.

Community cafe opens its doors

COFFEE Kilnaleck Cúpla Focal group aim to create a cultural hub for town

A new cafe has opened in Kilnaleck which hopes to nurture the sense of community in the town, and almost as importantly, serve a mean cup of coffee.

Súil Eile opened on Friday on Main Street, initially for takeaway beverages and paninis, and snacks only, to comply with Covid restrictions.

The driving forces behind the initiative are Eugene Farrelly, his partner Monica McCormick, and Eugene Kiernan. The trio came together initially through their passion for the Irish language, and they are supported in the community cafe by a committee derived from the Cúpla Focal group.

With the closure of the pubs through Covid, the Irish language club had lost their place to meet up. This sparked the idea of the cafe - which would serve as a venue for them and other clubs, a place where like-minded individuals could meet, and enjoy a decent cuppa.

Eugene Kiernan asks: “If someone in the community want to drink a cup of coffee today, where do they go? You’d have to go to Oldcastle or maybe Cavan Town.

“I suppose 10 years ago no one knew anything about coffee. If there’s one thing we’ll do here well it’s coffee - it’ll be class!”

The cafe aims to stock local produce where possible, such as their chocolates by Ballinagh based Charlene’s Wholesome Pantry.

“The best produce in the world is produced in Cavan, believe you me,” says Kiernan, stressing he’s serious. “Corleggy Cheese for example - it’s amongst the top five per cent (of cheeses) in the world - not in Europe, not in Ireland, in the world - they have won accolades.”

Súil Eile brings a new dimension to the heart of the town. Kilnaleck, like countless towns nationally, disguises the bruises of rural decline behind street art, hoardings, and clean streetscape. Look a little closer and you notice what’s not there. It wasn’t very long ago that Kilnaleck boasted 14 pubs. Probably less well known, is the loss of the town’s two banks, a post office, two hardware stores, two butchers, a drapers, a cobblers, numerous shops and a fair every Wednesday.

“It was amazing what was in the town,” laments Eugene sitting in the cafe he and his friend Eugene Farrelly have fitted-out. “Every urban place in Ireland has suffered.”

Despite all that commerce, which has departed, a strong sense of community remains in the area. It’s something they cherish and don’t take for granted, hence their investment in the project.

“It has to be nourished if you want to keep it. It is a vibrant community, compared to others that are dying a death,” says Kiernan.

He adds: “If we sit on our rear ends and do nothing, it will definitely go the road of closure. We feel, as a community, someone has to do something.”

They intend the cafe to act as place in which to nurture that community spirit and tap into their creativity and cultures.

“You get a place like this, you get people coming in, we can discuss ideas among ourselves - as a springboard it can be really important,” said Kiernan. Behind him are the paintings of Cavan artists Michelle Harton and the late Pauline Halton and, on the wall opposite, a selection of Jackie O’Neill’s work takes pride of place.

“We want villages to be the centre - you have the museum over in Bally’duff, but we could do the same sort of thing, on a smaller scale, such as the talks to engage people and try to keep it relevant to the area - the history of the area, or agricultural areas,” said Farrelly, who adds that in addition to hosting Irish classes, they also intend to provide English language classes for the town’s richly diverse population.

The three principal driving forces put their hands in their pockets, and also secured a loan of €5,000 to meet the costs of €20,000 to establish it. It will be run by volunteers in the immediate future.

They see opportunities to avail of grant support to help develop the cafe, such as the outdoor dining grant. They may take advantage of an area out front, and there is also a wonderful old hardwood arched door leading to an alleyway, which could easily be reimagined as a spot to enjoy an al fresco bite.

Eugene Farrelly also hopes the cafe can ultimately generate income to fund other initiatives. An example he gives is the revival of the allotment idea, but with polytunnels whereby participants get a certain space in which to grow their own produce.

That’s all on the horizon, for now they are eager to take advantage of the reported “great excitement” generated by the town’s new community cafe.