Passing of Mayo food champion Ann McMahon, Café Rua

Ann McMahon, local food champion and original founder of Café Rua, passed away peacefully last Saturday.

In 1995, at the age of 55, Ann (née Kilgallon), Aughaluskey, Moneen, Castlebar, fulfilled her dream of opening her own café.

Together with her daughter Colleen, she founded Café Rua on New Antrim Street in Castlebar, having spent the previous decade cooking seasonal, delicious, and uncomplicated food at Breaffy House Hotel.

Ann remained fully involved in the business for the next 20 years, cooking daily and baking her much-loved (or lauded) roulades and apple tarts.

Her apple tart, in particular, became widely celebrated and was recently featured in the critically acclaimed KAI Cookbook.

In her introduction, author and chef Jess Murphy wrote, “As a middle-aged woman, I aspire to be like Ann for younger women working in the kitchen today.”

The café Ann established 30 years ago is now run by her children, Aran and Colleen, and employs more than 40 people across two businesses.

Having recently celebrated her 85th birthday, it was surely a source of great pride to Ann that just last month the café she founded 30 years ago, was awarded Café of the Year at the prestigious Sunday Business Post Food and Wine Awards.

Predeceased by her parents John and Annie and her sister Mary, she is deeply regretted by her loving family: daughter Colleen, son Aran, brother Paddy, grandsons Rory and Paddy, son-in-law Cian, daughter-in-law Anna, sister-in-law Peggy, nieces Áine and Tracy, nephew Johnny, relatives, neighbours, colleagues and friends, to whom deepest sympathy is tendered.

Ann will repose at Coady’s Funeral Home, Castlebar, tomorrow evening (Tuesday) from 5.30 p.m. with removal at 7 p.m. to Saint Aloysius Church, Breaffy.

Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday morning at 12 noon.

Ann will be laid to rest afterwards in the Old Cemetery, Castebar.