How would you like to work on the rugged Connemara coast where 1916 Easter Rising leader Patrick Pearse spent his summers?
Well, the Office of Public Works (OPW) is extending that opportunity to suitably qualified catering professionals, as it has put out a call for applications to run the cafe at Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh until the end of the year, with the chance to extend the contract for another two years.
The government agency’s request for tender invites suppliers to provide catering services, under a catering services concession, for tea rooms or a cafe.
Pearse built his cottage at Ros Muc as a retreat and spent his summers there from 1903 to 1915. It is said he drew inspiration from the surrounding landscape for his poems and short stories, and operated a summer school there for his students from St Enda’s, the Irish-language school Pearse founded in Dublin in 1908.
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The whitewashed cottage has been maintained as Pearse left it in 1915, sparsely furnished with mahogany pieces, with a quintessential kitchen hearth.
A short walk from the cottage is the contemporary visitor centre – home to the cafe – where the exhibition explores what drew Pearse to Connemara: from its unique landscape to its local culture and use of the Irish language.
Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh is located an hour from Galway city and is on the Wild Atlantic Way. The site has increased its visitor numbers in recent years, welcoming 19,952 visitors in 2024, up from 17,399 in 2023, according to the OPW.
Interested parties can find information on how to apply on the OPW website, but they will have to act fast as the closing date for applications is 12pm on Thursday, July 31st.
“We are looking to get someone in situ as soon as possible after the closing date as the cafe is currently closed. This is a busy time for the centre, with bus and cycling tours along with passing tourists and local regulars,” a spokeswoman for the OPW said.
