19/08/2020
TLDR: The Height Café will not be reopening.
It's taken too long to make this announcement publicly.
Frankly, we were anxious, and in hiding, on a little state-sanctioned break from stresses that were threatening to tear us apart.
We're sorry to say goodbye, and we're sorry it took us so long to announce that decision.
Throughout this adventure we've made new friends, discovered an extraordinary kindness and community in Ennis, found new strengths and learned new skills, had a lot of laughs, and - without hyperbole - screamed at one another and shed too many tears.
Stress is not an abstract word. It manifests itself in the worst parts of yourself; your pettiness, your anger, your judgement, your resentment. It takes exhaustion and turns it into despair. It takes discomfort and turns it into rage.
It is our intention to cultivate the parts of our lives and our relationships that exist beyond stress. Neil, unfortunately, was hospitalised for a directly stress-related illness. Ruth already had her nervous breakdown, a number of years ago, when an earlier project - The Stormy Teacup - became its own entrepreneurial noose around her neck.
No one has it easy in 2020. We don't need to make excuses or elaborate. Between lockdowns gone and lockdowns to come, a tenuous little operation such as ours just cannot survive. Even if we succumbed to the pressure to serve pre-prepared chicken slices in white bread and charged you all fifteen quid for the pleasure.
It's just not the time, nor the country, nor the political landscape, for small, well-intentioned capitalists to maintain a space for the benefit of the community.
Lads. We never paid ourselves. We're raising two young girls. We have genuine, indisputable health issues surrounding stress. We can't preach positive mental health if we carry on doing this to ourselves.
But there are thank yous due too. To our loyal customers, who were so kind and funny and hungry and helpful. To our friends and family, who helped us put up blinds and paint and sometimes got us through the impossible times. To the patrons from our Fundraiser, who came so damn close to getting this ship soaring - whom we encourage to contact us in terms of refunds or converting your purchase into some other crafty, musical or otherwise fun reward.
There was a global pandemic. Who could have seen that coming?
Please take this post in the spirit it's intended: Honest, vulnerable, levelling with a community we trust and respect.
We need no pity, and we owe no snivelling apology.
We did our best, and we succeeded in creating beauty. That's no small success.
Now we move on, and we keep being naive and hopeful and brave - because we choose to.
No bitterness, no anguish, no embarrassment.
You wouldn't expect the spirit of the Height Café - the funky, q***r, arty, crafty, greasy little spoon that she was - to carry on any other way.
We're proud. We're grateful. We're tired. We're ready to move on.
Thank you all.
Much love.
Neil, Ruth and James.
..(does anyone want to buy some colourful furniture? :-P )
Oh, one or two more things!
Head over to Nice Day Designs for the continued adventures of Ruth, and to purchase handmade masks so you can have a stylish pandemic.
Head over to Neil Farrell Writes for comedy and music, and maybe even some day a gig if we're ever allowed.
