Fire crews battled thatched roof blaze
A blaze which broke out at the popular Foley’s Tea Rooms on Monday morning in Castlebellingham caused substantial damage to the premises.
A number of fire crews from Dundalk and Dunleer battled the blaze which was reported to have started at around 9.30am .
Several customers were reported to have been inside the tea rooms when the alarm was raised.
Local man Pat Roddy, a member of the local Tidy Towns group was the first to raise the alarm.
‘I was out in the village doing my usual clean up when I noticed smoke from the two chimneys,’ said Pat.
‘Suddenly it seemed that a spark flew out and the thatching at the back of the building caught fire. It spread so quickly, the front of the roof was on fire then within a few minutes.’
Pat said he alerted Foley’s owner Joe Donovan immediately.
The emergency services were contacted and diners were quickly escorted out of the cafe.
The devastating fire was particularly said given that the picturesque thatched roof at Foley’s had only been redone in the last two years.
The thatching project, part funded by Louth County Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2016, had drawn great interest both locally and nationally.