An old stone yard in Midleton is becoming a gorgeous new coffee and food destination
There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing an old space get a new lease of life.
Instead of sitting empty, a historic stone-walled yard in the heart of Midleton is being transformed into what could become one of East Cork’s most exciting new coffee spots.
Currently under construction, Coolbawn Yard is the latest venture by Sean Buckley and his sister, Vicki.
The duo hope to be open by the end of the summer, offering a new outdoor courtyard venue that promises to be a vibey gathering place for coffee, great food, artisan markets, pop-up events and local businesses, all wrapped up in a character-filled setting that makes the most of the site’s original features.
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Rather than creating another cookie-cutter venue, the team behind the project says the aim is to build somewhere people actually want to spend time, whether that’s grabbing a drink in the sunshine, browsing weekend market stalls or catching one of the events planned for the space.
“My family have been in business in Midleton for a long time, and this project really grew from a simple idea of bringing an old, unused stone-walled yard back to life,” Sean told Yay Cork.
“I’ve always believed the space had huge potential, and over the past number of months, it’s become an all-consuming labour of love and cash! A lot of the work has been done by me, with plenty of help from family and friends, and it’s been amazing to watch it slowly transform.
“The vision is to create a welcoming courtyard where people can enjoy great food, coffee, artisan markets, pop-up events and local businesses in a relaxed setting with plenty of character.
“More than anything, I want it to become a place where people enjoy spending time and where local traders have a unique space to showcase what they do.”
Although the courtyard isn’t quite ready to welcome visitors just yet, the team has begun sharing sneak peeks of the project online, and locals are already getting excited about what’s to come.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one as it takes shape.
