Well-known Mayo restaurant celebrates ten-year anniversary

FROM a leap of faith to a local institution in West Mayo, Aoife O’Neill reflects on a decade in hospitality.

Westport’s Quay restaurant, The Creel, is celebrating 10 years in business this March, marking a decade of growth, change and resilience on one of the town’s most recognisable corners.

Owner, Aoife O’Neill, took over The Creel with no formal business experience, just a strong work ethic and a clear idea of what she wanted the café to become. At the time, she was working long hospital shifts as a Medical Scientist with the HSE while raising a young family.

“It was a leap of faith,” Aoife says. “I had no background in hospitality. I had an interest in food, logistics and systems from my scientific work, but running a café was completely different.”

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Over the years, The Creel evolved steadily. A new kitchen was installed in 2017, walls were knocked to improve flow, and the menu expanded to reflect growing demand for breakfast and brunch options from both locals and visitors. A refurbishment in 2022 gave the café its now recognisable orange vibrant look.

“I didn’t change everything overnight,” Aoife explains. “It was gradual. I had clear ideas, but I introduced them slowly. We invested in new kitchen equipment, broadened the food offering and focused on consistency. The aim was always to appeal to a wide range of people, from locals, families, and to tourists visiting the town.”

Like many hospitality businesses, The Creel faced its biggest challenge during Covid-19. When lockdown hit, the café pivoted to takeaway service. The team rearranged the entire restaurant layout, installed screens and created a new system for safe, orderly queues.

Out of that pivot came the idea for The Creel Deli.

“People were queuing for takeaway food and asking for homemade items and Irish products,” Aoife says. “What started as a pop-up concept during Covid became something bigger. We eventually signed a lease and opened the deli in 2021.”

The Deli now offers fresh homemade sambos and wraps, sausage rolls, hearty soups, and home baked treats as well as our signature coffee all available to take away or sit in at our cosy quayside location, adding another dimension to the business.
The following year, the Castlebar deli opened, expanding the brand further across Mayo.

According to Failte Ireland, a significant percentage of hospitality businesses in Ireland close within their first few years. Reaching 10 years in operation is a milestone few independent cafés achieve.

“It hasn’t all been smooth,” Aoife admits. “There were ideas that didn’t work. But you learn. You adjust. You keep going.”
Aoife also credits the support of family throughout the journey. “It takes a village to build something like this,” she says. “My husband Tom has been helping with the ideas and decisions from the beginning. You don’t build something like this on your own.”

Now, 10 years on, Aoife says the biggest reward has been watching relationships form around the café.

“When I worked in the hospitals, I was primarily behind the scenes. Throughout the past 10 years at the Creel I've seen friendships grow. You see families coming in year after year. That’s very special.”

To mark the anniversary, The Creel will host a series of celebrations throughout March, including customer memory initiatives and a harbour gathering later in the month.

“As a town we’re lucky,” Aoife says. “Westport is a destination. Tourism helps fuel growth, but it’s the regular customers who sustain you. We’re very grateful.”

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