ABOUT
June 2012 – Where it all began
The story of The Tram began back in June 2012 when our owner, Dave Fitzpatrick took a wrong turn and stumbled upon an abandoned tram sitting in a field in Mullagh, Co. Cavan. It was there that Dave’s idea was born. He pictured a busy café, filled with good food, nostalgic 1920’s music, sunshine and laughter.
September 2015 – Restoration
Soon after his discovery, Dave bought the tram. Now all he needed was a builder to restore it. This is when Dave met John Boyle. John loved the idea so much that they became business partners and in September 2015 restoration of the tram began. Now all it needed was a location.
April 2016 – Opening Day
Dave and John tendered to Dublin City Council for the opportunity to locate the tram in Dublin’s historic Wolfe Tone Square. Because of the unique sensitivity of the location as a former graveyard, archaeologists were employed during installation and services. The tram itself was completely refurbished off site, lifted into position on a Sunday and open for business on Monday.
The Tram Café Today
The tram café now operates 8 cafes located in some of Dublin’s best known places including St. Patricks Park beside St. Patricks Cathedral, Clonmel Street beside the Iveagh Gardens and Griffith Park, just walking distance from the Botanical Gardens. In more recent years, The Tram Cafes have adopted a different look. They are carefully curated 40ft containers designed to adapt to the natural surroundings in which they are housed.
Soon John & Dave will embark on another passion project. An original 1920’s double decker Irish tram will begin works in the summer of 2023. This exciting project will be the first of two restoration projects set for this year.
