Cakes By Mary

18/01/2025

31/12/2024

30/12/2024

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30/12/2024

That last line 🙌🏻

30/12/2024

In Massachussetts in the US, the oldest surviving inhabitant of the Blasket Islands has celebrated her 102nd birthday. Máiréad Kearney Shea is one of three surviving inhabitants of the famous Great Blasket Island off the Kerry coast.

When the Great Blasket was evacuated in 1954, Mairéad’s parents, Pats Tom and Nellí Jerry Kearney went to live in Gorta Dubha. Máiréad moved to the mainland in the late 1940s before going to America in 1949 at the age of 26 with her husband Muiris.

Gorta Dubha native Maurice Brick, who now also lives in the US, paid tribute to her on her birthday. 'Máiréad had the island traits. Any knowledge she passed on to us as children was clear and to the point and was deeply imbedded in the earth and the sea,' Maurice told The Kerryman. 'Any advice she would give, you’d feel the taste of the earth and the sea whereas that of the rest of the adults in the village, at that time, was coated in some religious aspect of the situation.'

'I’ve always had an admiration for the Island people and down through the years I visited with them in Springfield two or three times a year just to chat,' Maurice added. 'There were at least 10 island originals there (Springfield) down the years and they all spoke Irish as they did before they left'

29/12/2024

Red Velvet cake from Goyas was one of Galway’s best-kept secrets, but now the bakery that created it will be turning its ovens off.

The family business, based in the medieval street known as Kirwan’s Lane, will sell its last courgette bread and signature chocolate cakes and more on New Year’s Eve.

It is among the latest in a line of independent businesses in Galway and countrywide that have been forced to close due to high costs and lack of affordable housing for staff.

A month ago, Goyas founder Emer Murray was reporting cheerfully that staff were up to their ears in “raisins, brown sugar and bottles of Hennessy” as they prepared for Christmas.

However, a rent increase, along with struggles to keep staff, who are facing their own rental challenges, and a hike in city council rates, means this Christmas will be their last at Kirwan’s Lane, she says.

“I’m not doing this out of choice,” Ms Murray, who founded the bakery 33 years ago, explains. “I have been overwhelmed by the reaction since I had to announce this, and I hate to see people so upset because of it.”
A recent rent review will push rent up substantially, she says, while she has had to cut hours due to staffing issues.

“I have had the most excellent staff, but they just can’t afford to live here in Galway,” she says.

“My heart is broken as I wasn’t ready to retire. I have never skimped on so much as an egg, as I was always keen to ensure quality would not suffer.”

22/10/2024

11/10/2024

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28/09/2024