The Irish Coffee Festival

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The Invention of Irish Coffee
The Irish Coffee story begins at Foynes Airbase in Limerick.  By 1937, the base was well-established as the main airport for Flying Boats between America and Europe.  By 1940, the airport was handling a large number of passengers, including VIPs such as John F. Kennedy, Humphrey Bogart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Edward Hemmingway and Douglas Fairbanks Sr.; they, along with all of the other passengers would rest in the airport while the flying boat was prepared for its next journey.  Sometimes the wait could be overnight due to bad weather.
While there was a restaurant in operation, when DeValera visited Foyness he saw the need for a first class establishment which would serve only the best of Irish food and drink.  A young man named Brendan O’Regan was offered the job of creating a venue that would present a new image of Ireland and its people.  The new restaurant was up and running in 1942 with Chef Joe Sheridan at the helm.

One winter night, in 1942, a flight left Foynes for Botwood, Newfoundland and then on to New York.  After five gruelling hours of battling a storm, the decision was made to turn back -- not an unusual occurrence.  The restaurant was informed to prepare food and drink, as the passengers would be cold and miserable.
Joe decided the passengers needed something special to warm them up.  He brewed dark, rich coffee, splashed in some Irish whiskey and topped each cup off with freshly whipped cream.  Supposedly, there was a hushed silence as cups were raised and the brew was tasted for the first time.  A surprised American passenger asked, “is this Brazilian coffee?”  “No,” said Mr. Sheridan, “that’s Irish Coffee.”  The rest is, as they say, history.

Did You Know?

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• Born in Bridgetown, Castlederg, Co. Tyrone in 1909, Joe Sheridan was one of seven children of Michael and Mary Margaret Sheridan.  In 1928 the family moved to Dublin.  Joe was working in Pims of Georges Street, Dublin when he applied for the position of chef at the new restaurant in Foynes.
• In October 1945, as the era of the Flying Boat came to an end, Foynes Airbase closed in order to make way for landplanes.  
• The town of Foynes is situated 15 miles west of Limerick City at the mouth of the River Shannon.
• Foynes today is a thriving port, which still stretches its influence across the world.
• The current World Irish Coffee Making Champion, Frank Silletti from the Buena Vista Café, San Francisco, USA, is also the first Overseas Irish Coffee Champion ever!
• The Buena Vista in San Francisco is where Chef Joe Sheridan went in 1952 to bring the first Irish coffees to the USA. The Buena Vista is world famous now for its Irish Coffees selling over 2,500 Irish coffees every day.

Treasured Recipe

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Feeling tired and grumpy?  Same old coffee in your cup?  A sumptuous Irish coffee will perk you right up!

Ingredients:  Cream -- Rich as an Irish Brogue. Coffee --  Strong as a Friendly Hand.  Sugar --  Sweet as the tongue of a Rogue.  Whiskey -- Smooth as the Wit of the Land.   If possible, use Bewley’s Coffee, but don’t try to make it at all unless the whiskey is genuine Irish!

Method:  In a pre-warmed stemmed glass, put two teaspoons of sugar (preferably brown) and a good measure of Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey.  Fill the glass to within 1 inch of the brim with really hot, strong Bewley’s black coffee.  Stir well to melt all the sugar and then carefully pour lightly whipped Golden Vale cream so that it floats on the top of the coffee.  Do not stir again, but drink the hot Powers Whiskey and Bewley’s through the cool Golden Vale Cream.   The full flavour as intended is achieved by sipping this drink through the cream.  Hint:  If possible, use fresh cream with no additives for the best effect as additives can actually make it difficult to float the cream on the coffee.  Enjoy!

Treasured Irish Lessons

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1.  Word:   Coffee     Irish:   Caifé      Pronunciation: cah-fay
2.  Phrase: I'd like a cup of coffee    Irish: Ba mhait liom cupán Caifé    Pronunciation: bah wah ly-um cup-awn cah-fay
3.  Word:  Whiskey     Irish:   Uisce Beatha      Pronunciation:   ish-ge bah-hah
4.  Phrase:  Irish coffee    Irish:   caife Gaelach       Pronunciation:  kah-fay gway-lukh
5.  Toast:   Health to the men and may the women live forever       Irish:   Sláinte na bhfear agus go maire na mna go deo     Pronunciation:    Slaw-in-tche na var agus guh mara na m-naw guh djeo

Treasured Quotes

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*  I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.   --  T.S. Elliot. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
*  Coffee makes us severe, and grave, and philosophical.  --  Jonothan Swift. (1722).   
“  Only Irish Coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups:  alcohol, caffeine, sugar, fat.”  --  Alex Levine

Treasured Toasts

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Once you have served your Irish Coffee, you will need some traditional Irish toasts to complete the moment.

*  Slainte!   This is Gaelic for “To Your Health!”  If you have trouble pronouncing it, pretend it says “it’s a lawn chair” and say it in a quick slur.
*  May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, but never catch up.
* May those who love us love us.  And those that don’t love us, May God turn their hearts.  And if He doesn’t turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles, So we’ll know them by their limping.
*  May your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, and never in want.
*  May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

A Bit O’ Wit

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An Irishman and a Canadian were sitting in the bar at Shannon Airport.  
"I've come to meet my brother," said the Irishman.   "He's due to fly in from Canada in an hour's time.  It's his first trip home in forty years".
"Will you be able to recognize him?" asked the American.
"I'm sure I won't," said the Irishman, "after all, he's been away for a long time".
"I wonder if he'll recognize you?" said the Canadian.
"Of course he will," said the Irishman. "Sure, an' I haven't been away at all".

July 2004 Trivia

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Be the first to correctly answer this month’s trivia contest and you will win an Irish Coffee mug, retail value $19.95.  Email your answers to oreillystreasures@bellnet.ca or phone them in the 613-646-7157.  Good luck!

1.  For many years which American city claimed the honour for inventing Irish Coffee?
2.  What is the name of the bar in the Departures Lounge of  the Shannon Airport?
3.  Powers Gold Label Whiskey is also known as what?
4.  What is the theme for this year’s Irish Coffee Festival Parade?

April 2004 Trivia

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Congratulations to Rod and Shari McDougall of Petawawa for correctly answering April’s trivia.  Rod and Shari received a Celtic sun-catcher for their efforts.  Here are the answers:
1.  According to tradition, Shrove Tuesday was the day when nobody should be without meat.
2.  The day during Lent when all restrictions were set aside was St. Patrick’s Day.
3.  Cold and wet weather was interpreted as a sign of nature’s morning for the death of Christ and was the weather welcomed on Good Friday.
4.   According to tradition, a boy born on  Easter Sunday was destined for high office in the Church.

New Arrivals

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The James Import Co.:  Guinness t-shirts (Green With Envy and Size Matters), Guinness cooler bags, pint glasses, beer mugs, and Shamrock ball caps as well as some new Celtic designed bodhrans.
The Cat and The Moon:  Drawing from Ireland’s rich heritage, goldsmith Martina Gillan founded The Cat and The Moon in 1991in Sligo.  Her truly distinctive and original designs reflect the beauty of Ireland.
ShanOre (meaning ‘old gold’):  Traditional Claddagh wedding bands as well as beautiful Mother’s Pendants available in either white or yellow gold.
Timeless Treasures:  Sterling silver Celtic cross pendants, claddagh pendants, bracelets and earrings.
Glycine and Claddagh:  Swiss movement watches available in either Claddagh or Celtic motifs.  Included in this order are pretty summer watch bangles.
Rovada:  Shamrock and Claddagh watches from the land where time stands still.
Century Irish Items:  Shamrock golf balls, tees and markers, ‘tis herself aprons, Irish marriage blessing throws.
Willits Designs:  Ceramic shamrock picture frames, tea pots with matching creamers and sugar bowls.
Bridgets of Erin:  brushed metal shamrock picture frames and shamrock table runners.  
R.H. Davies & Co. Ltd.:  Mohair and tartan throws, men’s tartan wear as well as children’s tartan wear.
Bewley’s Irish Imports:   Shamrock teapots, mugs, cups and saucers, ’kwitchyerbellyakin’ coffee mugs, Bewley’s Famous Café Blend Coffee, Carolan’s Irish Cream Liqueur Raspberry Jam, Alexander’s Strawberry Jam, Alexander’s Whiskey Flavoured Marmalades, Lakeshore Red and White Meat Marinades as well as Ballymaloe’s Country Relish and Jalapeno Pepper Relish.

Coming Soon

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Amethyst Designs:    Traditional and original Celtic jewellery in sterling silver from Dublin, Ireland.
Tweedbank Textile Company:  Tweed scarves and tammies, serepes, scarf capes, fleece pocket stoles, head squares, triangles, and cashmere scarves  from Galashiels, Scotland.

The Leprechauns of O’Reilly’s Treasures
Mark & Linda Kauffeldt
Ryan, Dylan & Liam Bradley
16 Pembroke St., P.O. Box 489, Cobden, Ontario  K0J 1K0
Email:  oreillystreasures@bellnet.ca   Visit us at www.oreillystreasures.com

Store Hours:
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.