Finnbees

Coffee Emporium

This is where I usually have my coffee after swim if I haven’t brought a flask with me.

It’s not a beautiful or pleasing building, you will agree. And one wonders how planning permission was granted. It is located on the sea front and in a very prominent position.

But inside it’s a different matter. The interior is timbered. The seating is nicely spaced, the greeting is friendly, they play good music, the coffee is ok (but I am very fussy), they have wifi and you can charge your phone. I have spent many pleasant hours in here and consumed a lot of coffee.

But now it’s closed and the terrazza is boarded up. It’s a sad sight for many reasons.

BC (before Corona) It could be busy even at 7.30am with young folk getting their coffee before boarding the DART into Dublin for work. Groups of older gentlemen having coffee and chat after their prom walk (most likely retired men), people typing on their laptops, people sitting listening to music on their earphones (me) trying to thaw out after winter sea swim.

But I was thinking today of all the staff most likely on minimum wage, mostly foreign, paying high Irish rent. I wonder what they are doing now. Did they get to return home before the lockdown, or are they all very short of money and staying cooped up in flats feeling homesick and anxious.

These were my thoughts on my walk today after early swim. It was a perfect morning to be out and about and feel a gentle sea breeze on your face as you pace along.