Doncha just love serendipity, even the word has a positive ring to it. We pass by Ballina about twice a year. It self-promotes itself as Ireland's salmon capital with a sign at the edge of town proclaiming so.
Ballina means 'mouth of the ford' and it nestles in the Ox and Nephin Beg mountains. So we pick up some wild salmon at 80 euro a kilo. The town has had inhabitants for near 700 years.
We've become used to calling into Dave's cafe for one of the best coffees anywhere around. So up the alleyway more than ready for great coffee and horror of horrors it was closed: it was 4:30pm maybe he closes mid afternoon, who knows but having built up to great coffee it was time to explore. I knew there was a Costa in town but I didn't really want to go there and found this place just across the road on a Main Street.
The coffees were superb - a flat white and cappuccino - and both under €3. Serving staff were a friendly bunch and it was a cosy place away from the cold rain outside. Dave might have lost four coffee sales a year. Hope he can cope. read more