A heartfelt thank you from former Roscommon shop owner

After 57 wonderful years behind the counter at Maureen’s Foodstore in Ballyforan, I closed the shop doors for the final time on July 5th. I could never have imagined the send-off I would receive, and I want to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made my retirement so special.

I was completely overwhelmed by the kindness sh wn to me. The beautiful retirement cards, Mass bouquets, flowers, brooches, candles, lotto, frames, vouchers and messages meant so much. Most of all, I was touched by the number of loyal customers from far and wide, along with friends and neighbours, who called in personally to wish me well.

Many of you have been coming through the shop door for decades, and the week leading up to the final day was hectic, but I loved every minute of it and all the surprise visits, with some customers travelling long distances just to wish me well.

One customer even arrived with a set of glasses and a reminder of one of my late husband Pete’s favourite sayings about the shop: “If you can’t find it in Hong Kong, Paris or New York, try Maureen’s!” It brought back wonderful memories and gave us all a great laugh.

A special thank you to our local sporting clubs, St Aidan’s, Four Roads Camogie, ladies football and hurling clubs and Dysart Soccer. It was incredibly touching to have the St Aidans U-14 team and Four Roads Senior Camogie team arrive to the shop in their jerseys and present me with a parting gift.

Ballyforan Tidy Towns also called to thank me for the support I have given the group since it was established around 40 years ago. The truth is, it was always a pleasure to support people who were working hard to make Ballyforan a better place.

Thank you also to the Ballyforan Fair Committee for their beautiful gift and their kind words of appreciation for the support and sponsorship I was always delighted to give the Fair over the years.

I was also deeply touched by the lovely gift and kind words from the teachers and pupils of Ballyforan National School. Our school is such an important part of our village, alongside our church, local shop, St Aidan’s and the many committees that bring our community together.

If there is one message I would like to leave after 57 years in business, it is to please continue to support local. Our school, shop, church, St Aidans and community organisations are what keep villages like Ballyforan alive. They can only continue to thrive if we all support them.

I was especially pleased to see so many of the suppliers who have been part of the shop over the years. My sincere thanks to all our suppliers, past and present, particularly the Hanley family of Hanley’s Cash n’ Carry, Athlone, who gave me the start all those years ago.

The final day is something I will remember for the rest of my life. To see such a large crowd gathered outside the shop was very emotional. As the Angelus bells rang out, signaling the end of my 57-year career and the closing of the doors for the final time, I realised just how lucky I had been. Thank you to Fr Beirne for his lovely blessing and for making that moment even more special. Of course, none of those 57 years would have been possible without my wonderful family. My children and grandchildren have been part of the shop almost since the day they were born. I especially miss my beloved Pete, who was by my side for 56 years. I know how proud he would have been to see the wonderful send-off I received, and I could feel his presence with me as I closed the doors for the final time.

A very special thank you to Yvonne, who worked alongside me for 36 years, and to Marie, Martin and James for everything they have done over the past 20 years. Cait and Linda were always there supporting me in the background and continue to be there for me now as I settle into retirement. I was lucky to have Deborah and Gavin work with me, they are the next generation, and I hope they can always say they got a ‘good start’ in Maureeen’s Foodstore.

I was also blessed over the years with fantastic staff. They not only made each working day more enjoyable, but they helped make Maureen’s Foodstore the kind of shop it was. Our customers enjoyed the banter and appreciated being recognised, greeted by name and treated as friends rather than simply customers. Good service and a personal touch were always at the heart of the shop, and I am very proud that so many customers stayed loyal to us for generations. To everyone who worked with me over the years, thank you for the part you played in making the shop such a unique and special place.

And I am happy to report that I am really enjoying the rest!

I now have time to visit friends and neighbours and, most importantly, spend quality time with my grandchildren. That seems to involve going to an awful lot of camogie, football, hurling and soccer matches! But I wouldn’t have it any other way. It is wonderful to watch them grow and learn, and I look forward to every visit they make to Granny’s kitchen, where the door will always be open and there will always be a dinner ready.

To mark the end of this very special chapter of my life, I am holding a Thanksgiving Mass in St. Joseph’s Church, Ballyforan on Sunday 4th at 10 a.m.to give thanks for all the blessings, friendships and wonderful memories I enjoyed throughout my 57 years in business.

It would be lovely to see you all there, and hopefully we can have a cuppa together afterwards in my front garden.

To every customer, friend, neighbour, supplier, club, organisation and member of my family who has been part of Maureen’s Foodstore over the past 57 years - thank you.

I will never forget the kindness you have shown me, particularly during those final few weeks.

Love to you all from the bottom of my heart.