It’s 6.30am and Limerick’s Milk Market is already buzzing with activity. The place is chock-a-block with vans unloading crates of everything from fresh milk to vegetables, cut flowers, charcuterie and lots, lots more. Outside the rain is crashing down, but the circus-like big top canopy keeps almost all of the stalls cosy and dry.

By 8am, the early morning regulars have arrived. These include taxi drivers, gardaí, nurses and prison officers coming off their night shifts, along with people on their way to work. All the lovely food around the market makes people very hungry, so there’s plenty of hot food options on offer.