New Café to Open at Mermaid

Mermaid Arts Centre is delighted to announce a new partnership with Críoch Catering as they open Críoch Café at Mermaid on June 16th 2025.

Críoch Catering, founded in 2019 by Arklow chef Tadgh Byrne, is a member of Wicklow Naturally and specialises in sustainable, fresh, locally sourced food, paired with warm & friendly customer service.

Críoch Café will initially be starting with coffee and light bites over the summer and come September there will be a fuller menu and longer opening hours. Their summer opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 3pm, with a theatre bar service on performance evenings.

The word “Críoch” originates from Middle Irish and means territory or land and reflects Tadgh’s deep connection to County Wicklow and sustainable produce. Críoch’s decisions are guided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the EU’s Farm-to-Fork Strategy.

Speaking about the new café chef Tadgh Byrne said: “At Críoch, we’re more than just a name. We’re a team of passionate individuals committed to making a difference. Our mission is to make the world a better place through healthy, sustainable and ethical food and memorable experiences. We are thrilled to be opening at Mermaid Arts Centre and look forward to delivering a high-quality food and drinks service. Our vision is for Mermaid to become a food hub as well as an arts hub and we are looking forward to showcasing local produce. We will open for coffee and snacks until September and then broaden our offering. We want to take this time to finish decorating, hire the right people and fine tune our provenance-driven menu"

Speaking on behalf of the Board at Mermaid, Chair Anne Ferris said “The café at Mermaid has always been a vibrant and core part of our offering and we are delighted to welcome Tadgh Byrne to deliver his vision of high quality, locally sources food and drinks. We wish him every success”.

Aoife Demel, Artistic Director and CEO at Mermaid said “welcoming Tadgh and the team at Críoch Café on board is very exciting for the team at Mermaid, our artists and our audiences. One of Mermaid’s core goals is to work sustainably and Críoch’s focus on locally sourced high-quality ingredients aligns with our vision. We look forward to working with Tadgh and his dedicated team to build a buzzing, sustainable café”

Tadgh is no stranger to the arts. In 2024 he collaborated with Dublin Filmmaker, Max Barry, on a documentary exploring how Ireland will eat in 2050 - looking at issues such as how technology will change farming, food security, robot chefs, drone deliveries and sustainability in the food supply chain.

Críoch Catering have recently been nominated as finalists in the Gold Medal Catering Awards in three categories: Menu Provenance of the Year. Public Sector Food Service of the Year – finalist. Ireland’s Event Caterer – 100 Guests or Less category.

Come along to Mermaid from 16th June and support this new local business. Visit mermaidartscentre.ie for more information.