Great feedback as Strandhill’s market reopens

THE SHUTTERS opened again at Sligo Airport as the Strandhill People’s Market resumed for the first time since 2020.

The popular market – which first opened in 2013 – welcomed back visitors both regular and new on Bank Holiday weekend when the sun shone bright on the seaside village. Stalls from all over Ireland – some well established, others setting up for the first time – treated visitors to their crafts and food.

Allan Mulrooney, founder of the market, explained that although the market may have appeared untouched in the months they were closed, it was actually a major effort to get everything in place within a month.

He said: “We are very lucky to have Sligo Airport’s support over the last few years and to still have the hangar to go back to. In the months while we closed it was used for a plane which needed to be dismantled. When people came back on Sunday it probably looked the same as we left it before, but we really had to put it all up from scratch again – the pieces from the plane had to be cleared and then it took four weeks of day and night work to be ready for last weekend.” The Strandhill People’s Market is home to art and food inspired by Sligo, but the ever-growing reputation of the market is attracting operators from across the country. “There are more than 100 traders on our books. We have traders who travel from Donegal, Roscommon, Mayo and more also come from the east and the south. It is a great sign of what we have here when people are travelling two and a half hours to be a part of it.”

Allan admits that crowd size was a concern due to footfall in Strandhill in recent weeks.

The glorious weather made life a lot easier for all involved as visitors got to spend time in the ample outdoor space, but managing this is something that will also need to be reviewed ahead of the winter.

Allan said: “There was a bit of concern before opening as Strandhill has been very busy the past few months. But we were very lucky with the weather and we were able to make use of the extra space outside where people could relax before going in. For the hangar itself we have a stop and go system in place with extra staff and extra space.” Sunday was something of a pilot event for the organisers and they are pleased with the feedback from the public as it gives them a new foundation to build on for the market as Ireland again emerges from lockdown.

“This was a tester to ensure people were happy with how we are set up and the feedback was very positive. People are very good for following the guidelines you put in place and nobody ever felt it was very confined indoors. This is something we will look to reassess when we come into the winter months,” Allan added.

Sunday’s market.

Sunday’s market.

The Love Lari’s Art stall.