Study Ireland – Stories & Guides from International Students

By Sonya San

In this blog Sonya san writes about the Tuesday Bazaar (a Middle Eastern word for market) in the student life courtyard.

As we approached the end of the semester, students often got bogged down by deadlines and assignments. However, you will be able to see a good buzz in UL’s Student Courtyard every Tuesday – even in Summer! Though the number of stalls is usually less than during the semester. This is because the food bazaar runs each Tuesday from 9am – 2pm, hosting a variety of stalls that sell delicious delicacies. In this article, I will be sharing with you some of the goodies that you can find at the bazaar.

1. Lovely Pastries

Have you ever tasted an almond croissant that is so rich in its filing that it simply oozes out of the puff after each bite? Here, I have found my love for almond croissants paired with a good cup of coffee for my Tuesday mornings. This pastry stall is called the Sunflower Bakery, which is based in Ballycummin, Limerick. Not only do they have mouth-watering almond croissants, but they also sell eclairs, pain au chocolate and fresh bread loaves. What makes it even better is that everything they produce is made from scratch with organic flour and free-range eggs. I guarantee once you see those beautifully baked goods, you will be tempted to give it a try too.

• Bagels

During lunch hour, you will not miss the people lining up to buy fresh bagels at the Student Courtyard. This stall sells a variety of bagels, from sweet ones like chocolate bagels, to savoury ones like pizza bagels. You can either buy a pack of 5 plain bagels of your liking for €5 or order a bagel sandwich with turkey or smoked salmon for the same price. These bagel sandwiches are toasted and assembled on the spot so you will always get a fresh, hot bagel for lunch.

• Indian Food

Another stall that serves hot food is a stall that sells Indian cuisine. They often come in a plastic container to-go with rice and curry. You can choose between beef or chicken and there is also a vegetarian option too. Besides, if you are craving some small snacks, this stall sells samosa (fried potato-filled pastry) and bhaji (fried onion in batter).

• Tea4U

Looking for a drink after food? Tea4U serves coffee from good old americanos to flat whites and lattes. They also sell a good selection of dried tea leaves such as rooibos tea, berry tea, green tea, Chinese tea, white tea, black tea, flower tea etc. Each of these tea leaves has a unique scent due to its special combination of ingredients like bergamot, dried apple or citrus pieces, and toffee bits. They are sold in either a pack of 50g, 100g or 200g. A pack of 50g would typically cost around €4 to €5, whereas a pack of 100g would be around €9. You can also find this stall in the Milk Market on Saturdays if you have missed her in UL on Tuesdays.

(Editor’s note: Try the sleepy time tea, it is magical!)

I always enjoy going to the bazaar, especially when the sun is out when we can all sit outdoors in the courtyard. This is among the many reasons why I like UL. So, why don’t you grab a friend and head to the bazaar on a Tuesday to have some warm food and a little break today!