“We were completely taken aback”: President Connolly’s surprise stop at Mayo café delights local owner
Crave at the Cottage owner Sinéad Chambers was left stunned when President Catherine Connolly made an unannounced visit during a weekend trip to Mayo
An ordinary Saturday afternoon turned into one to remember when President Catherine Connolly made an unexpected stop at Crave at the Cottage.
For Sinéad Chambers, owner of cafe located in Ballintubber, the visit came completely out of the blue.
“We weren’t expecting anything at all,” she said. “I was standing behind the coffee counter serving a customer and we could see one person after another walking in the door. I just assumed it was getting busy.”
It was only when she spotted a man in full military uniform that she realised something unusual was happening.
“There was one man who turned out to be Tommy McGrath, the President’s Aide-de-Camp and a local man from Ballintubber. I had to take a second glance and then I saw Catherine and her family. It definitely caught us off guard.”
The President, who was visiting Mayo over the weekend for events in Mulranny and Achill, called into the café entirely unannounced. Chambers believes the Ballintubber connection through Commandant McGrath may have played a role in the stop-off.
“Absolutely, 100 per cent,” she said. “As far as I understand, Tommy was driving through and decided to stop for a coffee. He said he hadn’t even known there was a coffee shop here.”
The visit also brought back memories for the Ballintubber native, who recalled working in the building years ago before it became the popular café it is today.
“He was reminiscing about the place and talking about his memories of it,” said Chambers. “It was a real trip down memory lane for him and it was lovely to hear those stories.”
Despite the high-profile nature of the visit, Chambers said the atmosphere remained relaxed and informal.
“The President was very friendly and very lovely. They all ordered coffees and just sat down and enjoyed them. Nobody interrupted her. Everyone treated her like a normal person and it was all very low-key.”
The unexpected visit left staff and customers alike stunned.
“There was a lot of disbelief afterwards,” Chambers laughed. “People were coming in and saying, ‘What? The President was here?’ It became a lovely talking point for the rest of the week.”
As a local business owner, Chambers described the visit as a special honour.
“It was very prestigious and obviously a lovely honour to have her here. We were completely taken aback by it all.”
While Crave at the Cottage has welcomed many visitors since opening, Chambers believes President Connolly may well be the café’s most distinguished guest to date.
“I think she was probably our first celebrity,” she joked.
The visit has already become part of the café’s story, and Chambers is considering marking the occasion permanently.
“We were thinking about getting a sketch of her done and putting it up on the wall. We already have pictures and stories from the past here, so it would be a lovely addition to the character of the place.”
For now, the surprise visit remains a memorable moment for the café and the wider Ballintubber community — proof that on any ordinary day, you never quite know who might walk through the door.