Gallagher moved to Halifax from Ireland nine years ago, and opened the cafe last year because "I like to try different things," he says. The name of the cafe references Ireland's 32 counties, where, Gallagher insists, coffee and coffeeshops have become popular in the last "four or five years." Business on Quinpool is good, he reports, and he's looking forward to re-opening the back patio as soon as the weather allows.
But are coffeeshops a threat to that older Irish tradition, the neighbourhood publichouse? "Unfortunately, no Irish coffee will be on hand," he laughs. "But you can have one of those later, at one of the local Irish pubs."