Demise of our familyrun shops

WHEN I was growing up the corner shop was an integral part of the community. All streets had a selection of family-run outlets where groceries and the local and daily papers were purchased, writes Tom Gillespie.

Most households paid their bill either weekly of monthly and each family had a credit book into which the transactions were recorded and marked off when settlement was reached.

The Gillespie family resided in Marian Row, Castlebar, and there were several different shops in the vicinity over the years.

My earlier memories were Brett’s and Hoban’s in Newtown. Hamrock’s was also close by, as was Horkan’s and, on Chapel Street, Mrs. Carney’s, where we bought slab toffee.

Hoban’s was the larger of the shops and last March we carried a double feature on Brian Hoban and his days behind the counter.

On Gallows Hill and close to St. Patrick’s Boys National School we had Nolan’s and Kathleen Brady’s, where her brother Martin sometimes worked. On the corner of Chapel and Tucker streets was Tom Twigs and, of course, the much-loved Lilly McDonald’s and McNiff’s for the best in confectionary.

On Linenhall Street I remember Sloyan’s, Mrs. Healy’s and Jack Leonard’s opposite the Town Hall, Hoban’s and McNeela’s.

On the Newport Road was Mrs. Neary’s (mother of Archbishop Michael Neary) and further out was McGoff’s.

There was also a shop at Moran’s bakery, opposite the present St. Gerald’s College.

On Market Square was Buzzard Munnelly’s. He had a bike shop but at Christmas he had a fairyland of toys on display, and just above it was Leonard’s shop.

On Ellison Street, at the top of Castle Street, was Dever’s and I recall when I was a messenger boy working for the Kelly sisters who ran a drapery shop on Main Street (now UFO) that I would have to go to Dever’s to purchase freshly ground coffee once a fortnight. I can still smell the aroma as the beans were ground in a large, noisy grinder.

Another task as a messenger boy, for which I got 10 shillings a week, was to cycle to Gavin’s Bakery on the top of Knockthomas twice a week to purchase a small pan loaf, which had to have the crust black, achieved by putting the loaf back into the oven for an extra few minutes.

On a Sunday morning I had to sweep the street outside the shop and bring in turf, for which I got an extra one shilling and six pence - just the cost of the matinee in the County Cinema on Spencer Street, with enough left to visit May Leonard’s shop to stock up on gobstoppers and slab toffee to chew and share with friends during the film.

At the pig market was Castlebar’s first supermarket run by Charlie Garavan and next door was Doyle’s pub and shop.

On Castle Street was McDonald’s and the legendary Mai Leonard, Byrne’s and Stewards further up who had the best ice cream cone machine in the town. And there was Christy Hoban’s and Phil Keavney’s in later years.

The sale of ice cream was seasonal and if you had the six pennies the first cone was available from St. Patrick’s Day.

On the Mall was Nellie Hanley’s, next to the Convent of Mercy and St. Angela’s National School and St. Joseph’s Secondary School.

On Ellison Street we had Brady’s, next to the old post office, and Cis Condon’s, where Durcan Solicitors used to be.

On Main Street were Condon’s on the bridge, Connolly’s, the Solarium, McDonald’s, Murtagh’s, the two Wynnes, Richard (in business for 147 years before closing) and Gussie, and McEllin’s, where our family had an account.

I was often sent there for groceries and on one occasion I was given a list to get certain items. But en route from Marian Row the list vanished. So I went to the shop and ordered what I thought was required at home.

Unfortunately, my choice was way off the mark and we were eating bananas for a week.

I spent a lot of time on New Antrim Street where my grandparents Willie and Sara Fahy lived and ran a blacksmith’s forge. Next door to them was Haye’s shop and across the road Tommy Lawless and his daughter Sadie, where you could buy everything from a needle to an anchor. Also on the street was Lavelle’s and there was also a grocery section in Johnny McHale’s pub. Still trading on Spencer Street is Rodgers (Gavin’s) and long closed were Nora Lyons, Golden’s and Horkan’s.

At the top of McHale Road was Clarke’s and Murray’s and on McHale Road, Kevin O’Malley.

At Springfield you had Frank and Mary Quinn, who also had a travelling shop, and Freddie Kelly close to the Fairgreen and Tommy Cullens where Scriney’s now trade.

On the Old Westport Road was the TF shop, which served the then county hospital, and close by was Griffin’s.

Delia Garvey’s was on Lucan Street and Hughes’ and Mary Neary’s on Staball.

The arrival of the big supermarkets, first Bests, where Elverys now trade, and later Dunnes, SuperValu and Tesco, and more recently Aldi and Lidl, all led to the slow demise of the family-run corner shop.

The seven-day service, late opening and dedication of these family-run shops was part of my youth of which I have very fond memories. Most of them remained open until 10 p.m.

I am sure there are many shops I have not mentioned here but those above are the ones I best remember.