Mícheál’s last day in Co-op
FORTY nine years and seven weeks is a long time to be working with the same company, more or less.
When Mícheál Ó Duinnín of Cúil Aodha started working in what locals call ‘ the Store’ on January 30, 1971, the shop selling hardware, agricultural supplies and a vast range of other products was part of Clondrohid Co-operative Society.
Over the years it was taken over by Ballyclough C0-op and is now part of the Dairygold Group.
In all that time Mícheál has seen a great deal many changes in the way business is done and the kind of products that are for sale.
“All the modern stuff came in – when I started first there was a lot of goods for horse and donkey and cart – it’s all modern stuff now,” he said.
“I see all the small people being wiped out the big fellows are the only ones left - everything small is melted down.”
Now there’s a half dozen or so working in the custom built store across the road from the location where the old shop was which now houses the village library. The new store is sited on the location for Gerry Twomey’s Mill, a staple employer for the community for many years.
But when Mícheál started in January 1971, there was only himself and his manager.
“Back then it was Dan Lucey – or Dan Lios as we used to call him – who was the manager and he was there for 23 or 24 years - after that it was Denis Connell, Paudie Dineen, Noreen Kelliher and Eileen Kelliher.”
As for retiring, that’s the last thing on his mind at present.
“I don’t have any real plans – I didn’t think about it yet,” he said.
“I will miss the craic –meeting people and hearing things that were happening, football and matches and the like.”
He admitted it was strange retiring in the midst of the current emergency period.
“It’s strange alright, I’d rather it was on another thing but that’s the way it goes.
“We’ll have to stay in for a while, I suppose.”