'Emotional day' as Gillivan Brothers in Moate closes

There has been an outpouring of good wishes in Moate and surrounding areas in recent days as a much-loved family business closed its doors for the final time late last month.

Gillivan Brothers in Lower Main Street, Moate, bade a fond farewell to their customers and local people on Saturday, September 25, heralding the start of a well-deserved retirement for the brothers and their families.

Larry Gillivan said the business was opened by his brother Andy around 1970, then selling vegetables, before he came on board in 1975/76 when he purchased a fuel round from local man Robert Cahill. Both had started out in the family butchers, Moate Meats, which stretches back all the way to 1913, before branching out on their own. That business is now carried on by Larry's nephew Kit. Another butcher on the Athlone side of the town is owned by a cousin, Peter Gillivan.

While it started small, the shop extended in time, thanks to the support it received from the local community, moving into grocery in later years and becoming an agency for Flogas. They were later joined in the shop by Larry's wife Anne, Andy's wife Liz, and their niece Rita Rohan, all of whom were known for their good humour, friendly and helpful manner as they dealt with customers at the counter daily.

Their last day was a “hectic day,” Larry laughs, saying family, friends, and many old customers or people who delivered to the shop down through the years all stopped by for some finger food, a chat and to exchange memories of years gone by, many of them bringing or sending old photos taken in the shop which provided lots of talking points.

“There were Zoom calls from Australia, America and all over Ireland as well. It was an emotional day, but it was lovely though,” Larry tells the Westmeath Independent, saying they are very grateful for the support the business enjoyed in the community for so long that allowed them to rear and educate their families. “Life has been good to us on account of the business and we'd like to thank the community for their contribution,” he says on Monday.

Normally up every morning at 7.30am to open up, he admits it will take a while to get used to the change, but as the only one under 70, and only just, it's time to take it a little easier, maybe take a holiday, or take up the invites that they didn't before because of the almost 24/7 commitment of the shop.

Larry says he has loved meeting so many people, covering a big area on his deliveries, and on occasion, enjoying a cup of tea with his loyal customers, something he'll certainly miss in the coming weeks and months. In saying that, he knows how lucky he was in his working life saying: “I never had a problem going to work. I enjoyed it.”

Embedded in the community, the shop was known for its support of local organisations, fundraisers, and groups like South Westmeath Hospice, one of the many groups who publicly thanked them in recent days for their support of their collections for so many years. Also hugely linked to the GAA, Larry says they had “a ball of a weekend” as he revelled in county final success for Moate All Whites at U13, Minor A Football, and the U14 title for the girls.

Asked about the biggest changes over his working life, and Larry says quickly that there is a lot less one-to-one contact and more computers, technology and printouts. As he and his brother exit the business, Larry sees major changes ahead in the fuel side as it goes through a massive transition.

And while he once knew every single person in Moate, he says with the growth of the area as a commuter town, and the many new people and estates, that's much more difficult than it was previously. All in all, though, Larry says it's a great community to be part of, and he's very grateful to many who were very loyal to their business over many, many years.

“I just want to thank everybody in the community, everybody who supported us, every organisation. Thanks be to God, we're able to walk out rather than be carried out. Thanks to the community for keeping us in business for so many years. It's our own decision to retire, not everyone gets that lucky,” he ends.