‘End of an era’ in Kilnaleck as Celia retires

As the clock ticked towards 6pm last Monday, October 31, the shop floor at O’Reilly’s of Kilnaleck fell silent. It was only for the briefest of moments, before yet another well-wishing local popped their head around the jam of the blue-coloured doorway to thank Celia Reilly for her 62 years of service to the village and community, and wish her the best of luck in her well-deserved retirement.

Tears were shed, and goodbyes aplenty shared the Saturday evening before, when a huge turnout of residents arrived outside to pay tribute to Celia, and also to her sister Gertie Smith and niece Kelley Condon (nee Smith) who had helped run the business in later years.

O’Reilly’s shop reopened yesterday morning (Tuesday), November 1, with a new face at the till, that of Celia’s grand nephew Aodhain Kiernan and his wife Sinead.

Monday was, many said, the “end of an era” where the abiding memory held by generations of customers was of either Celia, Gertie or Kelley holding court behind the counter.

Bought by Celia’s sister Ena in 1960, the business was sold to Celia two years later after Ena got married and moved to Loughduff, Mullahoran.

Celia had been helping out in the shop, a bustling village grocer, and was confident in her ability to keep it as a going concern. Gertie also offered assistance, and on fairdays in the village O’Reilly’s was particularly popular selling teas and coffees to a steady stream of traders and cattle drivers.

“It’s the end of an era surely,” Celia told The Anglo-Celt on Monday. She still vividly remembers the first day she opened the store.

Back then The Anglo-Celt set the shopper back 4d, and a pack of 20 Sweet Afton cost 3/2d or 10 for 1/7d. The Red Cup Tea brand was a popular choice, and a bar of Urney Chocolate could be bought for 1d.

Niece Kelley herself has worked with Celia at the shop for more than 30 years. That milestone anniversary was passed just two weeks ago.

“I moved in and lived with her here. I started here when I was 15 years, and I’ve been here now 30 years,” says Kelley, becoming emotional about the change.

“I’m heartbroken,” she admits honestly. “Absolutely heartbroken.”

When the Celt spoke with Kelley she was counting down the final hours of the shop in her stewardship with a palpable sense of sadness.

Yet she says the wealth of support for Celia, herself and her mum Gertie, and the kindness of so many who called by to share fond memories or say ‘thank you’ had greatly helped soften the blow.

“It’s just been amazing. People are so good. We’ve had lovely customers,” she says, remembering how when she first started, with no major multiples to compete with and a greater tendency to shop local, that O’Reilly’s was a hive of activity. “All the businesses here were all very united, and Celia was always very good to people as well.”

‘Social hub’

Kelley remembers how struggling families would at times be discreetly passed parcels of essentials, or wide-eyed kids gifted a lollipop to placate them as their parents would invariably meet their neighbour and end up chatting a little longer than intended.

The shop was a part “social hub”, often part “confessional”, safe in the knowledge that what information was shared would travel no further than the foot-and-a-half across the countertop.

“It was a social hub, certainly. All about the shop on a Friday, after the pension was picked up, and the chat. The chat was the thing people use to love the most I think,” says Kelley, who laments the demise of the rural village’s fabric following first the loss of the Ulster Bank (2013), then the Credit Union sub-office (2016), and most recently the Post Office (2019) after 38 years. “Another end of an era, another vital service gone,” sums up Kelley.

“It’s all changed, a change in times. The post office going was the worst of all because it forces people to do their business elsewhere, and when that happens it becomes very hard for a village to get them back.”

The decision to close was “mutual” says Kelley. “We sat down and had a chat and decided enough was enough.”

Kelley is delighted to see her own nephew Aodhain and his wife taking on the business, and wishes them well in the future.

“Its’ a nice thing to happen, and it’s lovely to see the business stay in the family as well,” says Kelley, who says she’ll take some time out to care for her young family, as well as Celia and mum Gertie before making a firm decision on what to do next.

“Time to myself, to look after my kids, and mammy and Celia as well. Time ticks on and doesn’t be long before it’s passed you by.”