Who hasn’t heard of that warm, comforting beverage known as Irish Coffee? It is often mistakenly credited to Hollywood actress Maureen O’Hara as its inventor. However, her only connection to this iconic drink is through her husband, Captain Charlie Blair. Blair, a pilot, frequently flew seaplanes into Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, and piloted the last commercial seaplane out of Foynes.
During World War II, Foynes served as a critical stopover point for transatlantic flights. Passengers flying long distances often faced harsh weather and turbulent journeys. In 1943, one particularly cold and stormy night, a flight bound for Newfoundland had to turn back to Foynes due to the weather.
The true creator of Irish Coffee was Joe Sheridan, the head chef at the restaurant and coffee shop in the Foynes Airbase Flying Boat terminal building.
In 1943, Brendan O’Regan opened the restaurant in the Foynes terminal, quickly earning a reputation as one of the finest dining establishments in Ireland. Chef Joe Sheridan, originally from Castlederg, County Tyrone, was handpicked by O’Regan to lead the kitchen.
Late one winter night in 1943, a flight departed Foynes for New York. At that time, Foynes was one of Western Europe’s most important airports. However, after hours of battling poor weather, the captain decided to turn back. A Morse code message informed the Foynes control tower of the return, and staff were called back to assist. Upon landing, the passengers were escorted to the restaurant for food and drink.
To warm them up, Sheridan added whiskey to their coffee. When the passengers inquired if they were being served Brazilian coffee, Sheridan famously replied, “No, it’s Irish coffee.”
Among the passengers was Stanton Delaplane, a travel writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Nearly a decade later, on November 10, 1952, Delaplane collaborated with the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco to introduce Irish Coffee to the United States.
He worked alongside bar owners Jack Koeppler and George Freeberg to perfect the Irish technique of floating cream atop the coffee.
However, they initially struggled to get the cream to float correctly on top of the coffee. After experimenting with different methods, including aging the cream slightly and whisking it just right, they finally perfected the presentation. Their trials famously continued late into the night, with Delaplane sampling so many Irish Coffees that he nearly passed out!
To this day, Buena Vista is renowned for serving millions of Irish Coffees. But its home will always be Foynes Co. Limerick.
On a personal note, my family often praises my Irish Coffee recipe. Without tooting my own horn (well, maybe just a little!), I’ve been told it’s pretty darn good.
Irish Coffee is now enjoyed worldwide, particularly as a warming drink on cold days. The classic recipe has remained essentially unchanged:
Hot coffee
Brown sugar (or a sugar cube)
Irish whiskey
Lightly whipped cream floated on top.
The drink is served without stirring, allowing the coffee to be sipped through the cream for a perfect blend of flavors.
The creation of Irish Coffee is a testament to the warmth of Irish hospitality and the enduring appeal of a simple yet ingenious recipe.
Sources
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/0922/1362073-irish-coffee-history-foynes-1943/
https://emerald-heritage.com/blog/2017/where-was-irish-coffee-invented
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