In Reply to: Re: County Cinema Sunday Matinee posted by Good-Fellow on August 15, 2008 at 00:09:22:

In response to Good Fellow's message re the County Cinema. Yes, we the Halligans, did go head to head against Peter O'Malley's shop on McHale Road. We opened a shop in our front room at #33 McHale Road. It was about 1953 because as I recall it was that year when my Dad (James Halligan r.i.p.) split the jackpot prize of 600 pounds with a woman in Dublin by doing the crossword puzzle in the national newspaper (I cannot remember which one). We won a massive 300 pounds (a relative fortune) in 1953.

Our shop only lasted about 3-4 years. We started off with a "no credit" policy but my parents (Jim & Delia, God rest their souls) couldn't keep to that policy as there were so many people who were in need on "the road" and we started giving things "on the tick". Well, needless to say, as the debts ran up, it became impossible to collect from those who owed us. I remember going around on a Friday night to collect what was owing to us and on a bill of 6 pounds three shillings and threepence halfpenny, it was not uncommon to receive a sixpence against the large debt.

Well, no need to tell you folks that you cannot keep the stock up if you cannot afford to pay for it. Our suppliers were not as generous with their credit to us, as my parents were. So, we had to close the doors after an unsuccessful attempt to compete with Peter.

One intersting fact is this though. When we opened our shop we started to sell Lucan ice cream immediately. Peter O'Malley, who had been in business for years prior to us, never sold ice cream., but about a week after we opened up...Peter started to sell ice cream. I can also remember that folks on McHale Road would go to Peter's for their groceries and then come to our shop for their ice cream because our threpenny ice cream was about twice as large as what you would get at Peter's for the same price.

How many of you folk, remember our little shop at #33 Mchale Road?