Laura Keane explains why “Cars and Coffee” events are becoming so popular around the country  Cars and Coffee Ireland was the brainchild of a popular, but no longer running Irish internet car forum, where a few like minded individuals who appreciated the social aspect that a love of cars (and coffee!) can bring, decided to make it a more common occurrence. A venue and a time would be arranged once a month on the forum and people would meet to park up their cars and have a chat about all things motor related. It started small and has gained popularity throughout the years. Cars and Coffee is run throughout the country, with the biggest gathering of sometimes up to 150 different cars taking place each month in Dublin. There are also meets of a smaller scale in Cork, Galway, Athlone and mid-week evening meets in Limerick. Cars, Coffee and Mince Pies is held every year just after Christmas in Athlone, and we usually have an annual trip to The Vee in Tipperary which proves quite popular each New Year. All motors are welcome at any gathering. It’s a great opportunity to see a varying range of cars at one place in an informal setting. At any one meet there can be anything from classics to hot hatches, rally cars to more contemporary sports cars, motorbikes, kit cars, 4X4s, daily drivers and supercars.  Even bicycles sometimes make an appearance! While all motor enthusiasts are more than welcome at these meets, we do ask that you respect a few simple rules. We have a good reputation at each venue so we want to keep it that way. All that we ask is that you appreciate that these gatherings are family events with small children and even four legged friends present, so please arrive and leave in a civilised fashion. Many of these meets are in built up areas so try to keep engine noise to a minimum. We also like to see the area left in the way it was found, so please place all rubbish in nearby bins. We are a friendly bunch who love nothing more than to talk about our passion for all things motor related. Introduce yourself, get to know the organisers and if it is something you enjoy – add yourself to the Facebook group ‘Cars...