Carraig Donn’s newest Irish store brings fresh life to Tipperary
The opening of a major Irish retailer in one of Tipperary’s busiest towns has been welcomed by local representatives, and will be a “very positive” addition to the town.
Carraig Donn opened a new outlet in Clonmel late last month, taking over the former New Look building on O’Connell Street following the UK retailer’s decision to pull out of Ireland.
The new store opening has been welcomed by local Fianna Fáil councillor Siobhán Ambrose, who said that Carraig Donn will bring something new to shoppers in the town, and is saving another prominent building in the town from falling into dereliction.
“It was nice to see so many of the owners and staff from the local shops around Clonmel dropping in to wish the team in Carraig Donn the best of luck,” Cllr Ambrose said.
"We have a great selection of shops around Clonmel and I have no doubt that the addition of Carraig Donn will increase footfall and be of huge benefit to all of the local shops.
"Many thanks again to Carraig Donn for engaging with me about bringing this store to Clonmel. It is a huge investment into the town centre, now occupying what had been the former New Look Unit, creating new jobs, bringing additional footfall into the town centre which in turn will also benefit the other shops around Clonmel,” she added.
It is understood that a large crowd of excited shoppers queued up in the rain waiting for the new outlet to open their doors just before Halloween.
"The opening of the new Carraig Donn Store is very positive addition to our town centre and we wish the Carraig Donn team the very best of luck with their new store,” Cllr Ambrose said.
Carraig Donn is an Irish owned company and a family business run by the Hughes family. It was founded in Westport, County Mayo 60 years ago by Máire and Pádraig Hughes who ran their family business while also rearing a family of 13 children.
One of their children, Pat, is now the CEO of the company, while other family members are still involved in the running of the business.
Carraig Donn sells items including homewares and ladies clothes, and shoes.
Despite the positivity around the new store opening, dereliction in Clonmel remains an issue, the October meeting of the Clonmel Borough District heard.
Councillor Tom Acheson said the former Heaton’s site in O’Connell Street, the former Ulster Bank branch are “really sticking out as sore thumbs in our main street, and Market Place”.