PRESS RELEASE: Expressions of Interest Sought for Coffee Operator at Carrick-on-Suir Heritage Centre
Carrick-on-Suir Development Association has confirmed that the Carrick-on-Suir Heritage Centre supported by Fáilte Ireland and the EU Just Transition Fund,will open a new interpretation in May 2026, offering a community-focused visitor experience rooted in storytelling, place and lived memory. Titled “Tides of Time: Stories of a River Town”
At the heart of the Centre is Tides of Time, a single, immersive interpretation that tells the story of Carrick-on-Suir through its river, landscape, literature, working life and community voices. The experience is narrated through the perspective of Dorothea Herbert, an 18th-century diarist and author often referred to as Ireland’s Jane Austen, whose writings capture daily life, social change and the rhythms of the town in Georgian Ireland. Dorothea’s father was rector at the former Church of Ireland building and she is buried on site in the graveyard.
Alongside this, the Centre will include the Michael Coady Room, preserving the original office of the late poet and writer Michael Coady. Carefully reassembled within the Heritage Centre, the space will act as a living literary room – supporting research visits, writing groups and future literary activity, while honouring Michael Coady’s deep connection to Carrick-on-Suir and its stories.
The Heritage Centre is designed as a welcoming community space as well as a visitor experience, offering opportunities to pause, reflect and engage with the town’s heritage in an intimate and meaningful way. A small bookshop and café area will support this atmosphere, encouraging visitors and locals alike to spend time in the space.
As part of this development, Carrick-on-Suir Development Association is now inviting expressions of interest from experienced coffee operators to run a compact café or coffee dock within the Heritage Centre. The café will focus on barista-quality coffee and a small selection of high-quality sweet treats, presented to a high professional standard in keeping with the heritage setting.
The café is not intended as a full restaurant and is designed to complement, not compete with, existing cafés in the town. The successful operator will run the service independently under licence, contributing to a warm, well-managed visitor experience.
This call is an Expression of Interest (not a formal tender) and is intended to identify professional operators who share a commitment to quality, sustainability and community-focused tourism. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to an informal discussion or site visit.
Interested operators are invited to contact Explore Carrick-on-Suir for further details and submission information by emailing info@explorecarrickonsuir.com
The closing date for expressions of interest is 5pm 6th February 2026
Sarah-Jane Cleary
Commercial & Tourism Manager
Explore Carrick-on-Suir
0896026376