Crowds Turn Out as David Clifford Launches Garvey’s SuperValu Latest Upgrade

From Currow came: Shauna Falvey , Lauren O’Connor, Gráinne Fitzgerald and Ellie Kate Sheehy to see David Clifford at the blessing and opening of Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland at noon on Thursday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

No job too small: Kerry star footballer, David Clifford signing autographs for little Saoirse and Tadhg Roche from Knocknagoshel at the blessing and opening of Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland at noon on Thursday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Kyle O’Connor from Maherees looking forward to meeting David Clifford at the blessing and opening of Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland at noon on Thursday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

At the blessing and opening of Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland at noon on Thursday were: Liam and Shella Moynihan, Hannah Mary and S.J. Moynihan, Gneeveguilla and Denis Reen, Rathmore. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Meeting their Kerry Ladies heroines, Aishling O’Connell and Eilís Lynch were: Emma Reidy, Scartaglen; Sadhbh, Niamh and Evie O’Donoghue, Cordal at the blessing and opening of Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland at noon on Thursday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

John Sheehy, Currow pictured with sisters, Emma and Leah Falvey, Ballyhar waiting to meet David Clifford at the blessing and opening of Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland on Thursday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

And then the autograph hunters moved in on David Clifford and he remained mobbed but obliging for the duration of his visit to Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy

At the blessing and opening of Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland at noon on Thursday were, locals: David Geaney, Kate O’Sullivan, John Geaney and Luke O’Sullivan. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Castleisland PP Fr. Mossie Brick blessing the Garvey’s SuperValu refurbished store in Castleisland as David Clifford waits to cut the ribbon with: Kevin McCarthy, Eilís Lynch, Aishling O’Connell and Séamus O’Connor at noon on Thursday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Celebration time at Garvey’s SuperValu, Castleisland on Thursday at noon as Kerry footballer, David Clifford cuts the ribbon assisted by his Kerry Ladies counterparts, Eilís Lynch and Aishling O’Connell with Kevin McCarthy, Tomás Garvey, Jim Garvey and Séamus O’Connor and hundreds waiting in the wings. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Pop Star, Irish Eurovision Song Contest representative and radio presenter, Irene McCoubrey / Maxi performs the official opening of Garvey’s SuperValu Supermarket revamp at 85 – 87 Upper Main Street, Castleisland in March 1991 in the company of manager Kevin McCarthy. Straining at the door are Desmonds Avenue neighbours Chris Birmingham-Doody and Breda Fitzgerald. ©Photograph: John Reidy 21-3-1991
**The crowd expected certainly materialised for the relaunch of the greatly expanded and refurbished Garvey’s SuperValu in Castleisland earlier today.**

The building and all in it and outside it were blessed by Castleisland PP Fr. Mossie Brick before Kerry footballers, David Clifford, assisted by Eilís Lynch and Aishling O’Connell officially opened the now expansive shopping facility on Castleisland’s Church Street.

The €3m revamping of the Castleisland store is part of a programme of work to upgrade all of Garvey’s Supermarkets in Kerry and, the schedule of work on the stores which started in Dingle, is now moving towards a conclusion with the completion of the work in Castleisland.

An Audible Gasp

There was a clearly audible gasp from the ever swelling crowd today at the first glimpse of David Clifford.

The many Kerry colour clad children in the crowd came with biros, markers and autograph books and offered blank spaces on jerseys – that will never again be washed.

The young girls there were also delighted to see their particular heroines, Eilís Lynch and Aishling O’Connell and they too were busily signing autographs and posing with their little admirers and planting the seeds for the harvesting of tomorrow’s crop of players.

Opened in March 1988

Garvey’s SuperValu has had a business and community association with Castleisland since the company bought the former McElligott’s premises at 85 – 87 Upper Main Street in the later 1980s.

Back then too, the company undertook a huge programme of rebuilding and refurbishment on the site and the business was opened here in 1988 under the management of Joe Boland.

Again, in late 1990, revamp and refurbishment works were deemed necessary and the store got a huge makeover.

Maxi Cut the Tape in ’91

In March 1991 the pop star and Eurovision singer Irene McCoubrey / Maxi arrived with the ceremonial scissors and performed the official opening beside manager Kevin McCarthy.

For all that, the Garvey’s SuperValu store with Séamus O’Connor now at the helm and which Fr. Mossie Brick and David Clifford blessed and opened between them today is light years beyond what anyone could have foreseen when it all began here in 1988.

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