A coffee van is only part of the plan. In Galway, Ceiliúradh Coffee is building something broader: a community-led project that aims to create training and work opportunities for young people with autism and intellectual disabilities, while also giving them a place to belong.
The initiative is being driven by Aoife Munro and Lucy Byrne, two women who have spent the past few years working with people with intellectual disabilities. Their vision for Ceiliúradh Coffee goes beyond serving flat whites. They want participants to learn practical skills across the board, including barista training, marketing, finance and organisation.
A community plan taking shape in Galway
Right now, the team behind Ceiliúradh Coffee is focused on fundraising for the van itself. After that, the hope is to secure a permanent base in Galway — somewhere people with autism and additional needs can come not just to work, but to spend time and feel at ease.
That local support is already showing up. A fundraising music session and disco is set for Áras na nGael in the heart of Galway city on Thursday, June 5, with local musicians invited to join in.
- Tickets cost €15
- The event will include music and conversation through Irish
- Funds will go toward the Ceiliúradh Coffee van project
The Irish-language element matters to the organisers too. They say it reflects Galway’s culture and opens the door for native speakers, young Irish speakers and, in time, local Gaelscoileanna to be part of the journey.
There is a simple warmth to the idea behind Ceiliúradh Coffee: good coffee, real skills and a space where more people are included in everyday city life. In Galway, that kind of project tends to travel by word of mouth. And for Ceiliúradh Coffee, the word seems to be spreading nicely.
Image Courtesy: Irish Times
