Eight a.m. Monday morning. The doors of Plámás open and in spills a collective of Galway life. Neighbours stop in on their way to work, dogs wait patiently for their morning puppuccino, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifts through the air. Exposed brickwork peeks out beneath white walls, above a coffee machine that hisses and steams. Coats get shaken off as tables fill and a buzzing chatter steadily builds. It’s a scene that has been familiar since Plámás first opened as a small hole-in-the-wall café on Dominick Street Upper. Now, as it approaches its fifth birthday on September 1st, it does so from a new home just a few doors away from where it first began.
For manager Rosie, this milestone feels particularly special. Having been a customer long before joining the team, she has witnessed Plámás’ evolution from both sides of the counter. “It’s been really interesting to see how it grew and changed,” she says. “In the new space, we have the old ethos and attitude but it’s a new slate, completely. It’s a good feeling.”
Rosie became manager in August 2025, but her coffee journey started much earlier, training at Coffeewerk + Press and going on to work in hospitality roles across Galway. “I've been obsessed with coffee since I started working in it,” she laughs. “There's always new stuff happening and there's always people to learn from. I think that’s what makes the coffee community so special in Galway.”
While the café is well known for its quality coffee, Rosie understands its greatest strength has always been the community that has grown with it. “It struck me how much of an impact it made when it was so small,” she explains. “The community was so strong there. They had a huge personality, which I love because I've got a big, loud personality.”
The move may have been a step up from their old space but it was no means a step away from the neighbourhood where they had put down their roots. "The Westend is our home," Rosie says simply. “It was really important for us not to be far away from the people that we knew, it would feel like abandoning them if we did.”
“The bigger space is really allowing us to come into our own and show off the fact that Plámás spent the last five years building a community, and now every day the community is showing up, which is amazing, because everyone can actually fit inside the café!”
As well as offering more space, the new location offers unrivalled potential. "I'm interested in bringing in even more community aspects," Rosie shares. "Big events, working with tour guides… we want to start doing the book club again, now that we have room." The café’s close relationship with their house coffee roasters, Geometry Coffee Roasters, will also continue to grow, creating opportunities to showcase a variety of speciality coffees.
The Irish language, a defining part of the café’s identity since day one, remains central too. Plámás recently received another Gradam award recognising its commitment to Irish, and customers can still avail of the café’s Irish-language discount. "It's still really important for us," Rosie says. "For most people, it's just the fact that they know they can come in and speak it. They say if you don't use it, you lose it, right? So we're the excuse for people to use it."
The sense of continuity extends behind the counter. Rosie is quick to praise the people who have made Plámás what it is; Emily, Siobhán, Ciara, Dara and Ferdia. “A super impressive team, I am so happy to work with all of them. They’ve been there for me as much as I’ve been there for them.”
As September 1st approaches, plans are underway for a fifth birthday celebration. With more space to work with, the Plámás team hope to mark the day with music, coffee, and cake, celebrating with and in thanks to those who have supported them over the years.
For more info on all things Plámás, visit them at 9 Dominick Street Upper & follow them @plamasgalway.
Photos by Ciarán MacChoncarraige.
