Closure of O’Briensbridge’s last shop

THE relentless demise of the small outlets in rural villages continues following the recent closure of the last shop in O’Briensbridge.
Residents looking for a pint of milk, a loaf of bread or their weekly copy of The Clare Champion will now have to travel to Killaloe or Broadford, after the shop near the Old Mill Bar and Restaurant shut its doors for the last time.
The award-winning Old Mill had to close due to a lack of trade last October. Add in the closure of the local post office and the picture of a rural village fighting desperately for survival becomes clearer. There are now just two pubs, Darby’s and Bonner’s, left as well as the Village Bistro, while neighbouring Bridgetown also has to do without a retail outlet.
Several operators had tried to generate a sustainable trade in the O’Briensbridge shop but, like most small outlets, they had one hand tied behind their backs trying to compete with large discount supermarkets in Limerick City.
O’Briensbridge Community Group chairman, Mick Murtagh described the closure as a terrible blow to the community.
“It is terrible to see what is happening to small rural villages throughout South-East Clare.
“The group considers this closure as akin to a defeat because all the work improving amenities such as the National Looped Walks and children’s playground was done to keep local business viable.
“The survival of villages like O’Briensbridge is a big issue. People are bypassing local shops to buy cheaper goods in large supermarkets in Limerick. It is something that we are all guilty of,” he said.
The community group has posted a ‘shop local, drink local and eat local’ message on their website in a bid to boost local businesses.