PROUD OF THEIR ECO-FRIENDLY BARISTA COFFEE BAR. . .Colin Ruane with his two sons, Sean and Oisín.

Mayo’s environmentally friendly barista coffee bar sets high standards

A Mayo family has developed an eco-friendly idea that has the potential to change how Irish people enjoy their coffee break while out for a walk and savouring the natural environment.

Castlebar man Colin Ruane, with the help of his son Sean, came up with a plan a number of years ago to restore an old Citreon van and transform it into an environmentally friendly barista coffee bar.

In 2018 they travelled to the Netherlands to start their hunt for the perfect vintage van.

A local contacter invited them to his warehouse which was jammed to the rafters with every variation of HY vans.

After spending some time in awe of his collection they eventually found one that best suited them.

The van itself was a standard short wheelbase Citreon HY and the biggest criteria for the Breaffy family was that the vehicle’s chassis was in good condition.

The engine and gearbox weren’t necessarily going to be used in the final project as the engines don’t tend to be very efficient or environmentally friendly and it wasn’t something they could see themselves using, Colin explained.

After some negotiation they came to a price and shook on it. Four months later Colin returned with a trailer and brought the van back home.

Over the next year their focus were mainly set on repairing the bodywork. The van itself had quite a lot of minor dents, bent panels and small sections of rust that needed to be removed.

Stated Colin: “We decided that when it came to painting the van we would go with a rustic look as this was easier to achieve because perfection on a van like this is near impossible.

“Once the bodywork was done, we looked at getting the remaining mechanical components cleaned up and working again.

“So once we had a rolling chassis it was time to plan the interior. As I had been in the kitchen industry for the past 20 years I had a lot of offcuts and end of line components for kitchens that could be upcycled and reused.

“The next biggest hurdle was to design an electrical system that would run completely from solar panels and one large battery.

“Again, it was important to us to keep the vehicle as light as possible to reduce emissions when being transported.

“After some research and good advice from suppliers we put together a system that worked very well under all weather conditions.

“For the system to work as a coffee van we needed to find a coffee machine that could be run on gas and electric. So we went with a Fracino duel fuel.

“This has proved to be very successful as it draws very little electrical current and only uses approximately one litre of gas every six hours.

“Currently running off the solar system are six spotlights, an 8-foot of LED strip lighting, coffee grinder, a 12 voltage water heater for hand wash, three water pumps, a 220 volage drinks fridge and a 12 voltage milk fridge.

“Because we have left the engine and gearbox out of the vehicle we deliver it by trailer. This makes our set-up much lighter, more environmentally friendly and more reliable as we are using a modern vehicle to tow it.

"We have achieved our aim which was to be able to trade completely remote on some of the beautiful beaches around Mayo, and while there, leave no trace. At this point, my second son, Oisín, was very much involved.

“There are no harmful fumes, no smell, no noise, no dangerous high voltage electrical leads and no risk of fuel spill such as petrol or diesel.

“Hopefully we can encourage others to follow suit and make the trip to the beach for others more enjoyable allowing them to experience the true smell and sounds from the sea.”

The barista bar has been based in recent months at the beach in Mulranny where it has become an integral feature of the summer season in the village.

So much so, in fact, that the west Mayo community want it back next summer, such has been the positive impact for visitors and locals alike, including helping to keep the beach litter-free.

However, it is Colin’s dream to help make Lough Lannagh in his native Castlebar an even greater focal point for people by providing coffee and other refreshments in an environmental-friendly manner and without a noisy and fuel-powered generator.

But he has not yet been successful in doing so despite his barista bar setting the highest standards in terms of renewable efficiency and promoting zero emissions.

He explained: “It would enhance the community and it certainly would not damage the interest of any ratepayer. Far from it. We are offering a service and it’s not about making money.

“I am sure other towns would accommodate us but I have my heart set on Lough Lannagh because of my love for the place and its potential. So I am still hoping that the council will see the value of such an initiative.

“It would be of huge benefit to Lough Lannagh to have such a facility located at the lake carpark and would also be accessible to people visiting the nearby hospital and leisure centre.

“It would help create a buzz, an atmosphere, give it something extra special. We also have a defibrillator on our van in the event of an emergency.”

However, there is currently no casual trading license in place at Lough Lannagh and this will only change if a future review of the bye-laws is undertaken.

Colin said he is willing to share his technology with others to ensure that all mobile coffee and food vans attain similar eco-friendly standards.