New chapters and destinations

Hospitality in the US really was a baptism of fire for young Grainne Hourican

“It was a very tough trade,” she admits when talking about her early days of hospitality. She relied mainly on tips and had to work hard to achieve. This experience didn’t deter her, in fact, it encouraged her to explore new scopes and tastes.

In 2003, Grainne and her partner, Ciaran Hourican, returned to Ireland to continue building their life together.

Entrepreneurship soon followed.

While pregnant with her first child, Grainne opened her first business, Chapter One Café, on Main Street in Cavan Town.

The café quickly stood out also because it was the town’s first internet café.

“Looking back, it was pure madness starting a business halfway through a pregnancy,” she says.

“But it felt right for me at the time.”

Grainne introduced new menu options, including bagels.

Again, not a normal item on a menu in Cavan in the early 2000s, but a welcome one. Alongside growing her business, family life expanded with two more sons.

Despite being career-driven, she has always placed family at the centre of her decisions.

“I’ve learned so much from my parents, Joe and Ann,” she says.

“They worked incredibly hard but family always came first, and that stayed with me.”

The support of her sisters Josephine, Ailish and Caroline has played an important role throughout her life, particularly during difficult times, including the sudden loss of her brother Seán. She also credits Mary Farrelly and her in-laws as part of the family network that has supported her journey.

While her Main Street business was thriving, Grainne wanted to create something broader in scope. Chapter Cavan was born.

She loved the idea of opening a store that would combine both her passion of hospitality and interiors.

“I wanted it to be a destination,” she says. “Somewhere people could browse, pick up treats, enjoy a chat with friends or a bite to eat on their own.

For the young and old and in between.”

Today, Chapter Cavan employs more than 60 people and has become a well-known meeting place in the town.

Grainne places strong emphasis on teamwork when discussing its success:

“I’m very lucky to be surrounded by people I can rely on,” she says.

“The business works because of a group of hardworking individuals who genuinely take pride in what they do.”

Chapter Cavan has also developed a strong reputation for its bakery and outdoor catering services, with bookings already filling much of the first half of 2026.

To mark upcoming celebrations around International Women’s Day and Mother’s Da y, Chapter Cavan will invite customers to nominate a woman who inspires them.

It’s just a small way to recognise the women who make a difference in people’s lives,” Gráinne says.

“On Mother’s Day, we’ll draw a number of names and give a small gift as a thank you.”