'It's lovely to be able to bring something vibrant to where you live': New café opens its doors in Cork town
A new café has opened its doors on Ballincollig's main street, offering locals and visitors to the town good vibes and even better coffee in a welcoming, bright space.
Mark and Fiona O'Brien, salon directors of Mark Vincent Hair and Beauty on the main street, have opened the café in the same unit as their existing business after 14 years in the hair industry in Ballincollig.
The original idea was to open a coffee shop, but the idea expanded, and the café now boasts a kitchen with highly qualified chefs who prepare everything on-site using the very best of local produce.
A day trade café open six days a week, there are already ideas swirling to create something special at the café to cater for the town's night-time economy.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner about the café's success since opening its doors just over three weeks ago, Fiona O'Brien said: 'I've always felt that we had a beautiful space with beautiful window frontage looking onto the main street of Ballincollig.
Interior of Blondie
'I had been to other towns and places where I'd seen coffee shops that had that brightness and I always felt that our unit deserved to be something more special so I suppose, for me, a coffee shop has a fantastic vibration and is alive, and I wanted to bring something special to Ballincollig.
'I have a great love for where I live, and our kids were born and raised here and have gone to school here, so that's really important. I just think it's the greatest town, and it's just having something vibrant and special that creates a community space for people to come into, where they get amazing food and coffee. It's proven to be that, so it's great.' Mark O'Brien echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the community that they have built through their 14 years in hairdressing in Ballincollig.
Fiona O'Brien
'We have had an established business next to the café for the last 14 years. We've been self-employed now for 20 years, and there is a community that was aware that we were opening Blondie, and they are just delighted to be part of that and to have somewhere nice to eat with some really good food,' he said.
Speaking about the chosen name for the café, Fiona O'Brien said: 'The name originates from myself, actually. It's hair-related and food-related. I was a brunette for years, copper, went through every other hair colour, and in recent years have become blonde.
"Relating it to food, then, you have your blondie brownies and you have your blonde roast coffee, and there's an energy too about Blondie that's bright and that's what I wanted to draw into the unit, was a brightness and lightness.'
Interior of Blondie
She acknowledged the opportunity to change up the menus and to run something in the evenings as the café has a wine licence, and envisions hosting various community events in the future.
'It's just starting to bud and we're beginning to see what's possible with it. It's a real creative space. I think it will draw in different people who will probably bring other ideas to me as well, and I'm open to everything,' she said.
'I'm delighted with my business and my staff, and I'm delighted to have brought something to Ballincollig. It's a great town, and it's lovely to be able to bring something vibrant to where you live.'
The café is currently open Tuesday to Saturday from 8.30am to 5pm, Sunday from 9am to 5pm and closed on Mondays.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'It's lovely to be able to bring something vibrant to where you live': New café opens its doors in Cork town
A new café has opened its doors on Ballincollig's main street, offering locals and visitors to the town good vibes and even better coffee in a welcoming, bright space. Mark and Fiona O'Brien, salon directors of Mark Vincent Hair and Beauty on the main street, have opened the café in the same unit as their existing business after 14 years in the hair industry in Ballincollig. The original idea was to open a coffee shop, but the idea expanded, and the café now boasts a kitchen with highly qualified chefs who prepare everything on-site using the very best of local produce. A day trade café open six days a week, there are already ideas swirling to create something special at the café to cater for the town's night-time economy. Speaking to the Irish Examiner about the café's success since opening its doors just over three weeks ago, Fiona O'Brien said: 'I've always felt that we had a beautiful space with beautiful window frontage looking onto the main street of Ballincollig. Interior of Blondie 'I had been to other towns and places where I'd seen coffee shops that had that brightness and I always felt that our unit deserved to be something more special so I suppose, for me, a coffee shop has a fantastic vibration and is alive, and I wanted to bring something special to Ballincollig. 'I have a great love for where I live, and our kids were born and raised here and have gone to school here, so that's really important. I just think it's the greatest town, and it's just having something vibrant and special that creates a community space for people to come into, where they get amazing food and coffee. It's proven to be that, so it's great.' Mark O'Brien echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the community that they have built through their 14 years in hairdressing in Ballincollig. Fiona O'Brien 'We have had an established business next to the café for the last 14 years. We've been self-employed now for 20 years, and there is a community that was aware that we were opening Blondie, and they are just delighted to be part of that and to have somewhere nice to eat with some really good food,' he said. Speaking about the chosen name for the café, Fiona O'Brien said: 'The name originates from myself, actually. It's hair-related and food-related. I was a brunette for years, copper, went through every other hair colour, and in recent years have become blonde. "Relating it to food, then, you have your blondie brownies and you have your blonde roast coffee, and there's an energy too about Blondie that's bright and that's what I wanted to draw into the unit, was a brightness and lightness.' Interior of Blondie She acknowledged the opportunity to change up the menus and to run something in the evenings as the café has a wine licence, and envisions hosting various community events in the future. 'It's just starting to bud and we're beginning to see what's possible with it. It's a real creative space. I think it will draw in different people who will probably bring other ideas to me as well, and I'm open to everything,' she said. 'I'm delighted with my business and my staff, and I'm delighted to have brought something to Ballincollig. It's a great town, and it's lovely to be able to bring something vibrant to where you live.' The café is currently open Tuesday to Saturday from 8.30am to 5pm, Sunday from 9am to 5pm and closed on Mondays.
The Journal
a day ago
- The Journal
'Strange and slightly goofy': US tech firm books out seven pubs on Dublin's Dame Lane
A TECH COMPANY booked out seven pubs, and a barbershop on Dame Lane last night to entertain guests at an IT conference. All of the pubs were turned into open bars, with food going for free for those attending too. From around 6pm to 11pm, most of Dame Lane became a private, mini Temple Bar for employees and guests of Kaseya, a US-founded IT Solutions company (valued at $2bn), that was in town for its Dattacon Europe conference over in the Convention Centre. Today, publicans were tight-lipped on the obvious question that comes to mind: how much exactly would that set you back? The man pulling pints in the self-described 'family owned boozer' Dame Tavern professed that he knew nothing, though he claimed that extra was paid to bigger venues, and those that offered food (Dame Tavern offered a pizza menu in partnership with Pi Pizza). A regular at the bar told The Journal today that the conference goers were from 'all over Europe, the States, just a few Irish'. 'I came for my usual after work pint and couldn't get in, so I sussed it out,' he said. This reporter braved the sunshine to visit the pubs that took part including DisnDat, JT Pimms, the Stag's Head, The Voyager, 4 Dame Lane, and The Bankers Bar. Publicans were hesitant to estimate an overall cost for the shindig. Advertisement The collective word on the street, however, is that we're talking 'somewhere in the region of half a million euros, once you factor in what the bars were paid, the entertainment, and the security.' The venues were paid varying fees, and live entertainment was put on in all of them. At one stage, Irish dancers put on a show in the middle of the lane. In Sam's Barbers, the manager Mark tells The Journal that the whole thing was pretty tame. 'We were flat out from 2pm until 11pm at night. We must have done between 50 and 60 haircuts. They were a friendly bunch, and no one was in a bad way, actually,' he said. It's understood all this came about a few months ago when a man who worked for an events company popped into a few of the bars on the street to inquire about whether they'd be interested. A meeting of publicans was convened, and the terms and conditions were agreed. Two bars that weren't open when the man called around missed out, unfortunately. 'It's never happened before that someone has rented out the whole lane like that, and it's the kind of thing we need more of, it went really well,' Mark said. Another bar manager said the night was 'strange, and slightly goofy, but quite fun'. 'They were all IT types, so they didn't actually drink that much, like, imagine if a company from here put on seven open bars,' he said – which seems best not to imagine. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Corkonians left dreaming after EuroMillions jackpot win
They say money can't buy happiness, but it can buy fighter jets and football teams, which featured among a long wish list of items coveted by Cork's EuroMillions fans. However, while some shoppers on St Patrick's St in the city were understandably disappointed about losing out on the €250m jackpot, others described it as a curse they could do without. The public was reacting to news of Tuesday night's winning ticket which was purchased in a shop in Munster. The exact location along with the owner's identity remains unknown. Goncalo Morais, who works in Herlihy's Centra on St Patrick's St, had bought a ticket but sadly missed out. This hasn't stopped him dreaming about future wins, as he contemplated the ultimate €250m splurge. 'I would buy my local club Benfica from back home in Portugal and fire the chairman because he's not good enough,' he told the Irish Examiner. 'It would probably cost that much to buy the club but it would be for the love of the game.' Denis Murphy from Fairhill in Cork was not as keen. 'That kind of money couldn't bring anything but bad luck,' he said. 'I wouldn't keep it. I would give it away. I might buy a few fighter jets, because the way the world is going we definitely need them. Our Government doesn't want to invest in that stuff so if I won that kind of money, I think that's what I would do. 'I would give it to the air force and give it to the navy so they can have what they need in today's environment and not have to rely on Britain to protect them.' Sophie Condon from Glenville had other plans: 'I am getting on a flight out of here straight away. I'd move the whole family to Dubai. I'd buy mansions for my family and my friends can have mansions too. I'll have to pass my driving test first but then I'm definitely getting a new car.' Laura O'Dwyer from Kanturk shared her EuroMillions ambitions: 'I'd start with buying a house in Cork City and a holiday home abroad. I'd also buy a designer bag and a yacht.' Laura O'Dwyer had her eyes set on a house, yacht, and designer bag if she had the winning ticket. Picture: Larry Cummins Luke O'Brien from Waterford spoke about how a win of that scale might benefit his friends: 'I would buy a trip around the world and come back and buy a house and a load of golf clubs. For €250m, I could buy cars for the whole family and take all my friends on a big trip with me too.' Caitlin Heffernan from Mallow dreamt about how her life might play out after a EuroMillions win. 'I would buy a cute little cottage in West Cork and do it up,' she said. 'I would travel the world for a year or two and maybe buy a farm.' John O'Kelly from Mayfield said he feels that €250m is too much money. 'I don't know what I would do with it because it's too much. I'm too set in my ways at this stage,' he said. 'It would totally change everything for me. I think I would pay off the mortgages of my family but that's about it.' Ger Slyne from Innishannon has it all planned out: 'I would buy Cork City. I'd buy Páirc Uí Chaoimh back from the GAA, put Cork City in there like they were in the 70s and we'd get the crowds flocking back there again.' Ger Slyne would buy Cork City and Páirc Uí Chaoimh while John O'Kelly says the lottery win is just too much money to handle. Picture: Larry Cummins Lastly, Teresa O'Neill from Cork, who now lives in the US, said she would donate a sum to charity. 'I'm very interested in Catholic charities so if I was going to donate that's who I would donate to,' she concluded.
