A NEW café has opened at St Comgall's on Divis Street with a nod to the rich local heritage of the area.
An Clár Dubh/The Blackboard will open initially Monday to Friday from 9am-3pm.
The café is located in the same room as the iconic school blackboard featuring names of past pupils from St Comgall's Primary School.
The café has been opened by Kevin McElkerney, a local businessman who also runs Mac's Food Bar as a catering business.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Kevin said: "I used to go to St Comgall's. It was my primary school.
"I have tried to design the menu in keeping with the traditions of the school. We have a sandwich called the Ned McCarthy – he was the principal when I left here in around 1988.
"Other sandwich names include The Loney and Divis Tower. We also have a breakfast bap named after Barney Hughes.
"The Belfast Bap was created by legendary baker Barney Hughes to help feed the poor of Belfast through the Famine. Barney would sell bread at a loss in order to feed those in need, hence the name Bap, Bread at Affordable Prices.
"It is an exciting project and one that is close to my heart.
"We have launched a small breakfast and lunch menu for now. It is still a work in progress and we will try and grow the menu as much as possible.
"We are open five days a week, Monday to Friday at the moment from 9am-3pm. If there are big events on at St Comgall's, it may well be a seven-day venture in the near future."
Gerry McConville, Director of Falls Community Council, added: "This was always part of the plans for St Comgall's and just a matter of getting the timing right.
"It is great to have Kevin and his team on board. The café is a nice place to come in, sit and relax, have a cup of coffee and something to eat.
"We always want anything in St Comgall's to maintain that rich local heritage and the café does that exactly."
