Naughton’s Yard
7th May 2024
An entrepreneurial County Clare couple have invested €850,000 to transform a derelict site in the centre of the popular seaside town of Kilkee into an outstanding seafood destination.
Elaine and husband Robert Hayes recently opened Naughton’s Yard, an exciting development which includes apartments, a café, an art gallery and a vintage food truck serving the best of locally caught seafood.
The €850,000 project was completed with the support of a €41,000 grant under the Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme, recommended by the Seafood Taskforce established by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D. and implemented by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). The scheme is funded by the European Union under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
The new seafood destination, which is just 500 metres from the beach, has been developed on what was the site of stables used for carriage horses that serviced the old West Clare Railway in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The derelict land had been an eyesore in the town.
Elaine led on the decors used for the new centre and went to great lengths to ensure they were unique, with a strong seaside theme.
The final part of the project involved the sourcing of a vintage 1968 American Airstream trailer which has been converted it into a sleek, outdoor food truck offering delicious seafood sourced from local suppliers and fishermen including lobster, prawns, hake and lemon sole.
Elaine and Robert are no strangers to the hospitality sector in Kilkee, an area well-known for diving, walking and swimming. They have been running the popular Naughtons Seafood Restaurant in the centre of the town for the last 25 years.
