"Top quality natural food, locally roasted coffee, organic sourdough, yoga studio, cheese boards, vegan plates and locally sourced organic soup, delicious toasted cheese sandwiches!" - this is the promise at Sinead Ni Ghairbhith's gorgeous little shop and café on Ennistymon's main street, and boy does it deliver.
Formerly a cheesemaker with her sister Siobhán who is the owner of St Tola Goat Farm and Economusée nearby at Inagh, Sinead is totally committed to Irish cheeses and she stocks a wide range, most of which are made with cows' milk but there's also a good choice of goats' milk cheeses (notably from St Tola, of course) and several of the rarer sheeps' cheeses.
But it's not just about cheese. You'll also find a tasty selection of other artisan foods and drinks, including the freshly baked breads, olives, dried tomatoes, local honey and all the other good things that go into the simply delicious fare that's offered in the tiny cafe area - where the locally roasted Anam Coffee from Kilcrorney is as much a draw as the simple goodness of the food (including 'what may be Ireland's best cheese toastie') and the 'plastic free shopping' announced on a blackboard outside the door extends to giving a discount to regulars who bring a re-usable keepcup.
And then there are the local crafts (and some not so local - the Mongolian charity slippers are legendary), the yoga classes, the environmental and food related talks and workshops and even music sessions, which can spring up spontaneously at any time of day. Well this is Clare after all.
All round a wonderful life-affirming place, and very special. Well worth seeking out.
