Tara Maher
Dóchas Coffee trailer sits daintily in Camden, overlooking the historic Spike Island and the breath taking views of Cork Harbour. On the outside, it seems like your average coffee trailer, but Dóchas was born out of resilience and as the name suggests, hope for owner Liam Walsh.
Liam studied business in college, and always had an affection for coffee. With the thought of owning his own coffee trailer sitting in the back of his mind, a surprise cancer diagnosis accelerated the idea into a reality.
In June 2023, Liam was told he had Hodgkin's lymphoma. Naturally, it came as a shock, but as he said on a TikTok video posted on the Dóchas page “your whole world changes for the worse and somehow for the better.”
While undergoing chemotherapy and blood transfusions the word ‘hope’ always stood out stuck with him. Even while on trips away with girlfriend Cathriona Farrell, “I kept seeing the word hope, and we would go away somewhere and we kept seeing “dóchas” prints like in like craft shops, and it was one word that stopped us all the time. We went with the Irish version because Irish is making a slow comeback. We played around with other words, some of them were going well, some of them weren't going well. After we’d thought of Dóchas, I just kind of stuck with it then and I just went for it.”
Liam purchased the trailer from Hannah, of Kinsale based Wild + Tame, who made the transition from trailer to shop and redecorated it to give it the Dóchas look. He also underwent barista training prior to opening.
Dóchas debuted at Crosshaven AFC’s 7-a-side charity fundraiser last August, and subsequently opened up shop just a stone’s throw away in September. “Location is very important. You can have the best coffee in the world but if you don’t choose your location wisely, there's no point.”
With two coffee trailers already operating in Fountainstown, one in Myrtleville and plenty of established cafés in Carrigaline, opening up in Camden made the most sense. Two busy sports clubs, a scenic walking route for locals and day trippers, Camden is a hub of activity.
“Between Crosshaven GAA and Soccer Club training and matches there's always people around. We went up there one weekend and did well, went back the next week and did well. Then I was like right, this might be a good spot”.
Looking ahead, Liam is excited about the summer season and hopeful that the reopening of Camden Fort Meagher will bring an even greater flow of visitors.
Dóchas is a passion project for now, but someday Liam hopes to make it full-time eventually and has dreams of opening his own brick and mortar store, ideally in his beloved Crosshaven.
Currently only open on weekends, Liam has been relishing the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.
Naturally, the Irish weather has thrown some unwelcome obstacles, causing early closures and frozen pipes but finds the process rewarding and Liam is very proud of the business he has built.
Liam’s educational background in business has stood to him, and he is creating a brand identity that is vibrant, fun and a homage to Irish culture. Everyone knows that a strong digital footprint is a main ingredient in making any new business successful. He recognizes that a strong digital presence is key to any new business’s success, and he and Cathriona have embraced the creative side of entrepreneurship, developing content that feels personal and unique to Dóchas.
Liam credited his family, friends and the wider Crosshaven community for their continued support in getting the message out there. Every like, every comment and every share hasn’t gone unnoticed as Dóchas goes from strength.
“It's nice seeing people drive up, get a coffee and drive away again. It's a good sign. You know your name is getting out there a little bit.”
Liam is currently in the process of creating Dóchas merch, which is designed by Galway artist Aine Keaveney (aineillustrations on instagram) to help solidify the brands identity, which will be available to buy in the next couple of weeks.
Dóchas is more than just another coffee trailer, and as it continues to grow, every cup served is a reminder that, even in tough times, hope always shines through.
To keep up to date with all things Dóchas you can follow them on Instagram and TikTok @dochascoffee.
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