Ellen beside the menu at the Causeway tea-rooms

The Refreshment Tariff

Anne tells me that as a young child she can remember being in her mother's tea room when the rush came on a Sunday afternoon. Sunday was when the coaches from Fossetts and Uptons would arrive. These coach parties only had a short time to spend at the Causeway so it was a mad scramble to supply all the teas, slims1 and pancakes needed.

As a reminder of those days, and what was on offer, here's an earlier photo of a much younger Ellen standing beside the menu board. Pity the left hand side of the board is missing. However it makes a good guessing game to try and work out the menu.

American Tours

Another of the daughters, Jeannie had a shop at the Causeway. Where, as well as the usual shillelaghs, postcards, and wishing chairs she also sold such luxury goods as Irish Linen, Waterford Crystal and Belleek China. Annella, who as a teenager, used to help in her mother's shop, told me these goods were particularly favoured by the American visitors. I expressed surprise that Americans were visiting in such large numbers in the late fifties, but Annella assured me that the "American Tours", as she called them, were very frequent and she can remember helping mother (Jeannie) parcel up the Irish Linen to be posted back to the USA.

Anne and Annella outside Anne's Tea Room, Portrush

Another generation - another tea room

So what are the two cousins doing now? It must be in the blood for Anne (left) runs her own tea room in Portrush and she is ably assisted by Annella (Right) .

And it was here that we sat over a cup of tea and a wee bun whilst they told me of their family connections with the Causeway Shops so many years ago.

Sloake

We got around to discussing Sloake, the food made from a certain type of seaweed gathered at the Causeway in the winter. (Kitty McLernon describes making this in the audio clip on A722800) and much to my amazement both Anne and Annella tell me that they still gather, cook and eat sloake and what's more they invited me to join them next January, providing the weather and tide is right, on a seaweed gathering expedition to be followed by watching it being cooked- then a meal.

I am grateful to the two ladies for lending me these precious photos. For they are practically all that's left of those days. The rest of the early family photos were kept in Annie's shop at the Causeway. Unfortunately this shop was completely blown away in a huge storm about forty years ago. All the stock and all the family momentoes were destroyed.

Return to Causeway ...

1. 1. Scones made on a hot griddle