The simple allure of eating outside can charm even the most unromantic among us when the sun shines, but for food truck owners, it’s so much more than a fair-weather affair.
Perched at the top of this occasionally precarious tree is the Misunderstood Heron, which last year flew its original coop and landed at the foot of Croagh Patrick in the Co Mayo village of Murrisk.
The Heron, as it is known locally, is now located in a sylvan site behind Campbell’s pub, a watering hole at the bottom of the Reek for pilgrims climbing the holy mountain since the 1740s.
While there are many creative culinary flourishes to Kim Young and her partner Reinaldo Seco’s menus – the couple are committed to using the best of local produce at the truck, whether it be flora or fauna from the land or the seas along the Wild Atlantic Way.
It is almost a decade since they started their business in a horse box with a second-hand coffee machine across from Young’s parents’ business, Killary Adventure, near Leenane.
However, the award-winning food trailer – feted by The Lonely Planet in 2019 and as food truck of the year at the Irish Restaurant Awards in 2024 and 2026 – was forced to relocate last year due to a planning issue with Galway County Council .
“At short notice we moved over beyond Louisburgh to the coastal village of Killadoon and P Dan’s pub and restaurant but it was only for the summer and our aim has always been to elongate our season,” says Young.
“We would like to be open almost year-round. When we were younger it was nice to have the seasonal business and then head away travelling but now we’ve got responsibilities with two small kids.
“The longer season means we can hold on to our great staff too, so with Croagh Patrick’s huge popularity as a destination, we are very positive about the future,” Young adds.
With social media acting as the Heron’s main marketing tool, Young put up a post last winter stating the business was looking for a new home.
“And Richie McGreal, who leases Campbell’s, came back to us. It’s a beautiful pub with real character on the inside and we can serve the food there as well as here in the big beer garden and barn, so we are less weather-dependent,” says Young.
Since the holy mountain attracts about 120,000 pilgrims and climbers annually from all over the globe, footfall is not an issue.
“Although I haven’t noticed any barefoot customers yet, there are lots of groups climbing for various charities, as well as parish outings,” she says, pointing to a priest from the Philippines booking for a group visit at the end of June.
There has been a revolution in food trailers since Young and Seco cobbled together their savings of €10,000, applied for a grant from Bord Bia, and renovated and upgraded a shipping container.
Young had just completed a degree at Dublin Business School and desperately wanted to move back to Connemara.
“We opened in June 2019 and by the time Covid hit that winter we were primed and ready to go. We quickly became a destination, as during the pandemic there were so many staycations and holiday homes filled all year-round,” she recalls.
With a huge fleet of food trailers popping up in Ireland since – anecdotal figures suggest about 300 – this pioneer stresses that “you need passion and perseverance”.
“You have to persevere. It is a great entry-point into developing a business if you don’t want to lease a place for five years. People who don’t have the capital can put their feet into it slowly and…