I took these pictures of some of Thomastown's shopfronts sometime in the mid 1980s.

I thought it might be interesting to show what has happened to them in the intervening years.
Two of the finest back then, O'Reilly's and O'Murcada's, are at the top of Market Street, separated by a stereotyped bank building, the intoroduction of which no doubt involved the destruction of a front integral to the original streetscape

If you look very carefully at the left hand window and to the left of the poster, you can just make out Billy O'Reilly mending shoes.

The bulge in the right hand window has been corrected, a pity I think: it had been a feature of the front since I came to Thomastown in 1972 and, as far as I could tell, remained entirely stable until its correction within the last couple of years.

But it was only as I took these up-to-date shots that I noticed that the left hand window has now developed a bulge. It must have come out in sympathy with me!

Today.

The beautiful bank

I don't think O'Murcada's was in use when I took this picture.

And this is it today. A bit of a shock, eh?
In between times, I remember it having been a craft shop and a solicitor's office.

Next one down the street.

And it's still here today but the shop is unused and for sale.
As with so many small Irish towns, it becomes increasingly difficult to find viable businesses for Thomastown's commercial street.

Last one on Market Street.

And here it is in its current incarnation.
It has been a green-grocery and a barber's amongst other things and is now a solicitor's office.

Across the street you can see a portion of Mullins' shop. It was a tiny pub at that time but it has been idle for many, many years. It is pleasing that Mullins' shop, although long out of use, is perfectly maintained and thus continues to contribute to the town.

A full shot Mullins' Shop today.
I remember this front being replaced by Podge Dack.
Podge (I spell his name this way because he told me to - and he will be a tale for another time) was a master joiner in the town.
He was used (exploited is probably more accurate) by architects, from all over the isalnd, who needed replica or replacement joinery for restoration or conservation projects.
I guess I was in that category too - for me he solved problems that I didn't (and, some of which, still don't) know how to solve and made things for me that I didn't then know how to make.
It is therefore with affection, and some relief (because I thought he was infallible), that I remember his disgust with himself that, on this occasion, he got his measurements wrong! (If you you look at the extreme right-hand footing, you will see that it is, yeh much, off-set.)

This shop on Low Street has been put to no commercial use since the Credit Union moved, first accross the road on Low Street and then into new premises on Market Street.

And so today it is a well maintained private residence.

Walsh's Pub on the corner of Low and Logan streets

...and today it is O'Hara's Pub

And this is a new front. It is pleasing to note that it replicates the main entrance round the corner. Whether this was the decision of the owner, Shem O'Hara or a planning requirement, I do not know. I must check.

Although a hardware shop at the time, Ryans was always known as (and still is by older people) 'Ryans the Tanners', this because the Ryans ran a substantial tannery behind the shop.


And today it is a gift shop run by the Reddy's.

It is by far the best preserved of all the shops and their fronts. You will note that the name, Ryan & Son, has been retained and even the Mobil oil advert was rehung after the faithful renovations: in fact, only the paint colour has been changed.

The iconic Carrolls Bar on Logan street.
I don't know why I didn't include this in my shots in the 1980's...

...or this one accross the road.

At the time it was a non-prescribing chemists and it led me to make an appauling faux pas. Sitting at a bar I was chatting with a woman I knew only by her married name. In what context I cannot possibly remember thirty plus years later, but I was trying describe the building I was rferring to in the conversation - 'you know the one I mean' I said 'the pretend chemists'. I thought I sensed a shudder go through the company and I was told afterwards that I had been talking to the owners daughter!

Today it is afirst class picture framing shop run by Marty Dwan

And it is also a mystery to me why I didn't include Murphys butcher's shop.

It has the quintessential butcher's shop facade with the tile insets.

The whole front is wonderfully intact. - The doorway on the extreme left, between the the shop and the building next door and with the railings over it, is the entrance for the animals on their way to the abattior at the back of the shop. And, to the right of the shop and garage is the imposing entrance to the substantial private residence above.

We are very lucky to retain an artisan butcher in Thomastown, run today by June and her daughter, Carol, and they still kill on the premises.

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Some very poor shop fronts have been introduced into the town over the years.
I have chosen not to show them because this is where I live and I know, like and respect many of their owners.
Anyway, in my view and in the first instance, it is the responsiblity of the planning authorities to take the overview and impose appropriate planning restrictions on renovations and developments.

But, planning in Ireland? - Well, as we all know, that's another story ............. and a very big and very depressing one!