The stone barn originally housed cows, with a drain down the middle. Tucked away on a windswept edge of the Atlantic, this old stone barn once weathered centuries of salt air and silence, its walls steeped in stories of labour, rest, and the rhythm of rural life.
Today, those same stones cradle something new—a warm, light-filled vegetarian café, where the scent of fresh food mingles with sea air and the past hums quietly beneath your feet. It was already here when Michael Joe was born in 1914 and through the years it has seen many evolutions within its walls.
The history of the Stone Barn
The Stone Barn has been part of this land for well over a hundred years.
When Ciara arrived in the 1980’s it had ceased its original function as Michael began out-wintering his cows, and from there, it was filled with everything imaginable.
The roof was thatch and re-thatching was an annual job. Cutting the rushes with a scythe was extremely hard work, the cut rushes then bundled into a rope which you swung on your back and carried the long distance back to the barn.
After Michael died, the roof fell in and the building was finally cleared of its contents. In 2006 we decided to renovate the building, initially with the idea of providing accommodation for volunteers.
A number of islanders including a skilled stonemason worked on the renovation. An expert in lime work on traditional buildings oversaw the project, ensuring that no concrete was used and the limecrete in the floor could cope with the high moisture content in the ground beneath the building. Coupled with 300 mm of cellulose in the ceiling, the building now breathes comfortably, is extremely easy to heat with a small wood burning stove and never feels damp.
Today this land is under the stewardship of Ciara Cullen, who cares deeply for the land and place, cultivating shared experiences through yoga, food, social justice and environmentally responsible practices.
You are very welcome here.
At the Stone Barn Cafe, you’re not just a guest—you’re part of a living history, where old meets new in the gentlest of ways. Taste food rooted in the earth, prepared with care, creativity and love.