Kay Harte marks 30 years of Cork's Farmgate Cáfe

When Kay Harte first climbed the stairs to her food haven in the English Market 30 years ago, a fellow trader made a passing comment.

“You won’t sell a crumb up there, girl!”

What effect did that have on this girl from the country, as she was about to open the now legendary Farmgate Café?

“I remember thinking I must look suspicious and that I wouldn’t last a wet week!” says Kay.

Well, she lasted 30 years and has handed over to the next generation - her daughter, Rebecca, now runs the Farmgate

“I admit that I did go into business with ignorant courage,” says Kay, who grew up in Youghal as an O’Brien, beside the sea with her sisters Moróg and Claire.

“I can say with absolute certainty that commerce was very removed from our early nurturing. Music, poetry, theatre, and the arts were foremost at the centre of our home.”

Her mum was the centre of the O’Brien home in the kitchen.

“She was a great cook,” says Kay, who also has a daughter, Sarah, who is a writer. 

It was only as we grew older, we realised what a truly great cook she was. She was marvellous.

Kay still marvels at the remarkable success the Farmgate has enjoyed for three decades.

“Everything on the menu here still comes from the food stalls downstairs,” she says. “Downstairs is our larder. Our cold room is very small.”

Kay, with so many loyal customers, stays loyal to her suppliers. 

“We have the same two butchers for 30 years and we got our potatoes from Willie Scanlon in Ladysbridge for 30 years,” she says.

The market became her home-from-home.

“At first it was a very foreign world to me. I got lots of encouragement from the market stall-holders. 

I quickly realised how much Cork people love their market, supporting it every day. I was keen to do the same.

Kay and her dedicated team were looking forward to joining the culture of popular Cork cafés. But she was nervous starting out.

“Having being connected to this wonderful institution for close-on 30 years, I look back in horror at my utter naivety in thinking I could just swan in here and start up a business with no historic connection to the place,” says Kay.

“My parents weren’t commercial people. I had no business background, and I wasn’t prepared for the extent of the business. As well as that, I had no connection to Cork in general. Truthfully, I barely knew how to find the market!”

Now she is retired, does Kay, walking in here today to what was once her sole domain and her ‘baby’, feel a pang of regret?

“Absolutely not!” she replies.

What does she feel?

“I feel the wonderful vibe and busy hum of an operation going on,” says Kay, who is delighted that the menu still has traditional tripe and drisheen on offer.

“My daughter Rebecca has taken the business to another level. She is really creative. She puts a different spin on the business.”

Why has Kay decided to retire?

“Mainly because of Covid,” she says.

The time was right.

It was time to hand over. It was also an age thing. I think I had gone as far as I could go.

Her husband Niall is pleased.

“My long-suffering husband has realised his life’s dream,” says Kay. “He always wanted to return to Rosscarbery and walk and cycle the roads. That was his dream!”

Kay had a dream childhood growing up near sweet Youghal Bay.

“My sisters and I have a fond affinity for Youghal and West Waterford,” says Kay. “Our father, who was a teacher, was from Tallow. It seems like karma now that Moróg has opened Farmgate Lismore in what used to be O’Brien’s pub. Moróg’s livelihood was destroyed during the floods Storm Babet brought to Midleton last October. She was very angry about it all, as I would be also,” says Kay.

Moróg is resilient.

“She was able to bounce back,” says Kay, “and she’ll fast become one of the popular locals in Lismore.”

The O’Briens always supported local.

“Growing up in Youghal, most of our food needs were met in Maureen Walshe’s superbly run grocery shop at the end of our road,” says Kay. 

Now Niall and I shop at Skibbereen Market on Saturdays. We are so fortunate to have access to such fresh wholesome food.

Talking about fresh local produce reminds Kay of her childhood. 

“I still recall the aroma of freshly baked ham on the pristine clean ham slicer at Maureen’s shop,” she says. 

“Not to mention Collins’ and Abernethy’s bread.”

So how did the Farmgate Cork journey begin?

“One day, when Moróg was in the market, she looked up and saw an empty space,” says Kay. “She said to me it would make an amazing restaurant.”

What was Kay’s response?

“Terror!” says Kay laughing. “I thought it was much too big. Moróg was the entrepreneur in the family. She had no fear.”

But Kay decided an already established food ethos - food from the farm to the kitchen table -established in Midleton by Moróg, could easily be spread to Cork city.

“City Hall were hugely supportive,” she says. “They were really interested in the concept of a café in the English Market, and were very good to us. With the current regeneration of Cork centre, I’d like to see the council look at the English Market too in terms of ongoing basic repairs and maintenance issues. 

Market traders know best what those issues are.

Kay has one issue that grates.

“I’d like to see the banning of all dogs with the exception of guide dogs. Dogs have no place in the English Market.”

What were the early days like for her ?

“I went into the Market initially with Moróg, Jenny Rose and Toby of the olive stall, as well as Isabel of The Pigs’ Back,” says Kay. “Sheila Fitzpatrick came in just around that time too, so there were quite a few ‘outsiders’ getting established, and indeed all received a good welcome.”

Kay found her tribe.

“It was obvious to me from the beginning that traders are utterly and singularly focused on survival,” she says. “But that did not preclude some great help and much camaraderie. 

It is true that some might have been suspicious of my ability to survive, and in hindsight who could blame them? I received sound support from all of them.

Kay was one of the gang.

“We were all self-employed,” she says. “There is a certain satisfaction and privilege in working for yourself. You don’t have to answer to anybody and you’re not afraid of authority. The sense of independence is great. And so is having the power to make changes.”

Market people are dedicated workers.

“They always show up,” says Kay. “They never get sick. They put in hours and hours of hard work at their stalls each day and they are always in good humour.”

She adds: “I think inward migration was the saving of our business. People who migrate want to work and are ambitious. They want to learn English. Our foreign friends working here from all over the globe all have degrees.  

They need to work, and they want to work. We love them. They bring with them a great energy. And we love our Cork summer students who come to work here year after year. Many of them have stayed on!

When did Kay, a staple at the English market for 30 years, find her feet at the Farmgate?

“I think it was 10 years on that I began to think ‘I can run a café after all! I thought ‘this is going to work!”

“People came up the balcony constantly. The balcony was always full.”

Kay kept her customers satisfied, stating: “Simplicity is the secret of success. Less is more.”

Now she is is looking forward to living the good, simple life in the country.

“I love walking and sea-swimming,” says Kay. 

“My grandson and I walked the boardwalk in Youghal the other day.”

Does she cook at home?

“Yes, but I wouldn’t want to tell you how simply!”

Kay is getting the bus to Leap now. We both enjoyed a good chat and a a good lunch. There isn’t a crumb left.

Kay concludes: “Now I’m retired, I have much time to reflect on what I can only call ‘ignorant courage!’”

It paid off, girl!