Residents are delighted at the re-opening of their village shop in Rossadrehid
Andrew O'Halloran from Bansha taking the reins of the Rossadrehid Village shop that re-opened its doors on Friday, February 22, 2013.
To the relief of the residents of Rossadrehid village, the village shop re-opened last Friday, February 22, after being closed for three weeks; the longest closure for over one hundred years.
Bansha resident Andrew O’Halloran is taking up the reins and already has many plans to sell produce sourced locally as well as the usual groceries.
Andrew is currently the Chairperson of the Bansha Tidy Towns Committee and with Bansha’s success in the 2012 Tidy Towns, the locals in Rossadrehid are hoping his enthusiasm and ‘go-getting’ attitude will keep the shop up and running.
The re-opening of the shop attracted a large number of locals and friends and many people could be overheard saying that they would really miss the local shop if it had closed permanently.
The shop had a mini-make-over with a new counter and a lick of paint. Fresh free-range hen and duck eggs were on display alongside buns and fresh vegetables.
“The eggs and buns are sourced from local suppliers and I want to expand locally-supplied produce in the shop with an idea of holding a famer’s market here every Friday, with fresh tarts, breads and vegetables,” said Andrew. “At the moment I am looking at honey from a local supplier as they say that local honey is really good for your immune system. For the summer I’d like to develop the outside of the shop and attract in the passing visitors to Lake Muskry. With the help of Aherlow Failte, I will be supplying all the local tourist brochures and information.”
Andrew was born and bred in Bansha. His mother is from Ardane, two miles from Rossadrehid and his father from Ballough. Andrew’s brother Christopher will be in the shop on a day-to-day basis and the shop is open seven days a week, Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 7pm, Saturday’s 8am to 6pm and Sunday 8am to 3pm.
Siopa Ros An Droichid began in the mid 1800’s by John Peters, who later gave the shop to James Walsh, born in 1898, an apprentice barman in Mooney’s pub, Parnell Street, Dublin. James Walsh led an interesting life and a great part to play in the history of Ireland at the time of its fight for independence as one of the volunteers who would collect guns from the Asgard boat in 1914 with the likes of Dan Breen. His son, Richard Walsh, later inherited and ran the shop up until his retirement in 2010 when his daughter Karen took the reins.
In the 1900’s Siopa Ros An Droichid was the hub of goings on in the local community alongside Mrs. Grogan’s shop, Mrs. O’Donohue’s Post Office, a thriving Creamery, Saw Mill, Old Forge, Dance Hall and Mrs. Paddy Quinn’s Cobblers. Walsh’s shop was one of the only five telephones in operation in the Bansha area. The Priest, the Doctor, the Post Office, the Vet and number 5, Walsh’s shop. The shop telephone was the only way people could send messages of marriage, births or deaths to those at home from those who had left.
Siopa Ros An Droichid began in the mid 1800’s by John Peters, who later gave the shop to James Walsh, born in 1898, an apprentice barman in Mooney’s pub, Parnell Street, Dublin. James Walsh led an interesting life and a great part to play in the history of Ireland at the time of its fight for independence as one of the volunteers who would collect guns from the Asgard boat in 1914 with the likes of Dan Breen. His son, Richard Walsh, later inherited and ran the shop up until his retirement in 2010 when his daughter Karen took the reins. At that time, the Nationalist uncovered the historic background story of James Walsh’s acquiring a coat button from Eamon De Valera’s uniform in prison.
A local shop is of paramount importance to a small community like Rossadrehid and usually holds an interesting history in its community. We wish Andrew the best of luck in his new endeavor.
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Wednesday 19 June 2013
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