Foodies Fight Back with Lucinda
Thursday 24 June 2021
THE SEASIDE CABIN
Overlooking Donegal Bay, Salthill Cabin is an enchanting little coffee shop serving barista-style coffee, milkshakes, and delicious homemade delights from eclairs to rocky roads to carrot cakes. Aisling Chapman, who opened in 2018 beside the Big Pier in Mountcharles, describes the pier as “the heart of the community, being used for recreational activities throughout the year”.
“As a family-run business, everyone is involved one way or another. My husband Andrew, who has worked in the hospitality industry since the age of 15, and all of our four children contribute greatly to its success. Our eldest son Ross often works in the Cabin, and is currently studying for a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism at Letterkenny Institute of Technology.”
Starting out, they decided to put a few pygmy goats in the field behind the Cabin to create a little attraction for people whilst they enjoyed their coffee. “Following our first season in business it became clear just how important these goats were, and how much people enjoyed watching them play. It was then we decided to expand to encompass a petting zoo, which is free to visit, and now also includes Kunekune pigs, rabbits, alpacas, peacocks, chickens, ducks and geese. People travel to us from all over the country to take a stroll along the shore with llamas and alpacas. We’ve also expanded and improved the Cabin with the addition of wheelchair-accessible paths and ramps, and added to our menu with a new range of drinks, cakes and bakes.”
lucindaosullivan.com
First Published In The Sunday Independent