Good morning everyone - sorry for my lack of posts this week. Had a wisdom tooth taken out on Wednesday so I've been laying low for a few days. Wonderful news for me though is that I became an aunt for the first time on my side of the family - Miss Amelia was born on late Wednesday evening (back in the States) and we are all so delighted. She looks just like my brother when he was a baby - July cannot come soon enough to go and meet her!
I've been spending a lot of time with Twitter lately linking in with fascinating people all over the world and it was through Twitter just this week that I met Sandra Dunlea of Miss Courtney's Tearooms down in Killarney. Sandra is the fourth generation lady in her family to run this business started by her great aunt Margaret Courtney in 1909. (It just goes to show, if you have a great business - recession or no recession it will survive!)
Sandra told me..."Miss Courtney's is an old fashioned tearoom serving afternoon tea fare, light breakfast and lunches. We specialize in home baking, loose leafed tea and old style service.
We use vintage china, silverware, old embroidered tablecloths , tea strainers and the decor is pastels, florals, old fabrics, chandeliers and the walls are covered in mirrors and old black and white photographs of family and locals from the 40's and 50's, vintage music plays in the back ground.
We serve about 20 tea varieties including , Assam, Earl Grey, Ceylon, Darjeeling, Rooibos, floral teas, herbal teas and fruits teas. My favourites are Earl Grey and Sweet Vampire. We also serve coffee and hot chocolate."
We use vintage china, silverware, old embroidered tablecloths , tea strainers and the decor is pastels, florals, old fabrics, chandeliers and the walls are covered in mirrors and old black and white photographs of family and locals from the 40's and 50's, vintage music plays in the back ground.
We serve about 20 tea varieties including , Assam, Earl Grey, Ceylon, Darjeeling, Rooibos, floral teas, herbal teas and fruits teas. My favourites are Earl Grey and Sweet Vampire. We also serve coffee and hot chocolate."
Miss Courtney's Tearooms light breakfasts are served all day and include eggs Benedict and Florentine, waffles, boiled eggs and soldiers. The lunch menu offers open and toasted sandwiches, prawns, baked ham and avocado and cheddar, salads and soups.
Isn't Sandra awfully elegant? I'm definitely going to take Sophia down here over the Easter break for a treat and we'll plan to see some local artists en route for my "Love Irish Crafts" blog campaign.
What appeals to me about this wonderful business is the sense of nostalgia and the history in this place. Sandra told me that she loves that the tearoom is a meeting place..."I grew up working along side my mother and grandmother, back then and long before my time, it was a place where friends, family and neighbours came to be together , to talk and laugh after mass, after school drop off etc.. It was a hub and a community place and I think that today somehow that has all happened again. People come and spend time in the tearooms, they relax and they really talk - in a world that has become so fast and impatient I love that. I love the nostalgia and the stories people tell us in the tearooms about their memories of the past and they often talk about visits to the grandparents for tea and the stations - the china and the music seem to trigger lots of lovely happy memories for people.
A lot of our customers knew my great aunt, my grandmother, my mum and now me and it's so lovely to hear their memories and stories of my family from years gone by. My great aunt Margaret Courtney was in business during tough times when people had little and she had a reputation for looking after and feeding people when they could not pay. This tradition followed on and I always remember my grandmother and mother were very kind and giving to anyone in need."
A lot of our customers knew my great aunt, my grandmother, my mum and now me and it's so lovely to hear their memories and stories of my family from years gone by. My great aunt Margaret Courtney was in business during tough times when people had little and she had a reputation for looking after and feeding people when they could not pay. This tradition followed on and I always remember my grandmother and mother were very kind and giving to anyone in need."
A visit to this place would be very good for the soul.
Miss Courtney's Tearooms is located at 8 College Street, Killarney, Co. Kerry. You can check them out online or phone at 087-6109500.
This is a beautiful place. My daughter got married last year and for her hen weekend, sixteen of us went to Miss Courtney's for afternoon tea. We were made very comfortable and my daughter had a special place set for her with lovely lace and beading a china. She has a passion for china tea cups and all things pretty so it was the ideal way to start our weekend and set the tone we wanted. The food and the teas were all fabulous. Hope to go back there again this summer for more treats.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special place! Makes me want to drop everything and head over to Miss Courtney's for what I'm sure would be a lovely afternoon. Of course the sheep, donkeys, and chickens probably wouldn't be too thrilled. Thankfully your photos and Sandra's words make me feel as if I'm almost there - without even having to leave the farm. ;)
ReplyDeleteP.S. Congratulations, Auntie! Hope your mouth is doing better.