Bang Bang: Coffee meets Community

Bang Bang café, located in the Dublin suburb of Phibsboro near the Bohs stadium, is a café that mixes community engagement, social justice and just plain affordable food and drink. We visited the café to talk with Daniel, one of the owners, about how he started the café and what he was hoping to create.

The café gets its name from Thomas Dudley, known as Bang Bang in Dublin, who was a sort of eccentric, beloved street character who engaged in a type of guerrilla street theatre where he would engage with passersbys in a comedic way. Though Bang Bang no longer roams the streets of Dublin, this café is still working to honor his memory by providing a space for community movements.

Daniel wanted his café to have a social conscious, and support the local community. He does that by championing social justice causes, selling products from local farmers and producers, and by hosting meetings, events and street parties.

Our group finished the day by purchasing some local goods including thrifted clothes, stickers, chocolate, honey, and even kimchi!