Happy Camper Cafe At Wild Atlantic Camp
Creeslough - A Certified Listening Space
Registration ID : LSN-DGL-S02
A Story That Began on the Road
In 2016, along the R251 beside Glenveagh, a small caravan appeared—serving Lavazza coffee and freshly made pancakes to those passing through one of Donegal’s most breathtaking routes.
Founded by singer-songwriter Maria McCormack and Jane Coen, the Happy Camper quickly became more than a roadside stop. It became a meeting place for creativity, connection, and community.
Music was always part of its foundation.
Artists would arrive, often unannounced, and be welcomed not as performers—but as part of something shared. Maria captured these moments on film, documenting local voices in their most natural setting.
Gatherings like “Sessions in the Bog” and “Hoolie in the Hills” brought musicians out into the landscape itself—where the wildness of Donegal met the richness of its musical tradition.
Over time, an extraordinary community of artists passed through the caravan, including In Their Thousands, Máire Brennan, Altan, Ian Smith, and Finley Thompson, among many others. Each left something behind—an echo, a moment, a thread in the story.
Continuing the Tradition
Today, under the stewardship of Jane Coen, Happy Camper Café in Creeslough continues to carry that same spirit forward. Serving the best pancakes in the world in her indoor cafe located at the Wild Atlantic Camp in Creeslough.
Jane has now made her beautiful sunroom into what is now called The Donegal Sunroom which plays only Donegal made music.Now recognised as a Certified Listening Space.
Visitors are also often welcomed by the sounds of local trad musicians such as Séamus McGowan and Eva, whose sessions bring a sense of warmth, authenticity, and quiet magic to the space.
A Listening Space, Rooted in Place
As a Certified Listening Space, Happy Camper Café stands as a testament to what happens when a venue chooses to truly listen—to its surroundings, its people, and its culture.
The Donegal Sun Room is more than a name.
It is a celebration of identity.
A commitment to local artistry.
A space where Donegal is not just seen—but deeply heard.
