New era at Aine's house off to an excellent start
The name 'Tig Aine' is not new. It's Aine's house and has been for many years. It came into being when Aine and her partner, the much loved and now sadly-lamented writer and teacher Michael Ó Dubhshlaine took an old stone ruin overlooking Sybil Head and transformed it into the homliest of homes. Aine ran a handweaving shop and a small coffee shop that was popular with visitors 'doing' Slea Head.
Well, Tig Aine's has grown again. Now a new restaurant has been added. Aine is taking a back seat and this is the children's baby.
Son Brendan has been learning the chef's art and gaining experience in the quality kitchens of new York. It was considered that now is the time for him to take charge of his own team.
The new building fits in sympathetically with the stunning landscape and ajoining buildings. Alternative heating methods have been used with solid fuel, solar panels and the like, taking the place of an oil tank.
Lá Nua, Dé Luain 9 Meitheamh 2008. Colm Mac Éinrí
Ag deireadh an lae, dhein muid iarracht bialann a áimsiú.
Ag bruach conic, os comhair na mBlascaodí, tháinig muid
ar cheann úr galánta: Tigh Áine. B'iontach an radharc
ón bhialann, agus chreidfeá ag amharc amach gur fhíor
iad na focail sa seanamhrán faoi Chill Áirne: 'A little
piece of heaven, fell down from the sky...'
Ar ár ndul isteach thar leac an dorais dúinn, tháinig
mé ar ghirseach dheas gháireach. 'An bhfuil sibh foscailte?'
arsa mise. 'inniu breithlá Naomi' ar sise mar fhreagra. Thug
sí sméideadhcinn i dtreo an tseomraar dheis ina thaobhbord
fada cóirithe fá choinne an bhreithlae. 'Ah,' arsa mise
'agus cad é fán bhialann?' 'Tá sí thall
ansin,' ar sise, ag amharc ar clé, 'ach inniu breithlé
Naomi.'
'Breithlá Naomi, an ea?' arsa mise. 'An gciallaíonn a
bhfuil ráite agat fo bhfuil an bhialann druidte?' Níor
dhúirt sí a dhathach léim sí anon, gan ar
a hintinnach breithlá Naomi, agus í traochta ag an strainséir
agus a chuid ceisteanna. D'amharc mo pháistí féin
ar an mbord breá cóiritheagus ar an cháca sa lár,
na teangachaamuigh leis an ocras acu.
...bhí an bhialann oscailte aus caithfidh mé a dhearbhú,
a léitheoir nach bhfuair mé agus nach bhfaighidh béile
chomh blasta ó fhoireann chomh cairdiúil go ceann i bhfad.
Lena chois, níor cluineadh laistigh de bhallaí na bialainne
ach canúint bhreá Chiarraíoch ón fhoireann
uile.