LIKE so many good ideas, the idea for the Courtmacsherry Community Shop, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year, started around a kitchen table.

Chairman of the shop board, Denis Cahalane recalls how the village had been without a shop for several months when a group of like-minded people got together to come up with a solution.

‘Courtmacsherry was, and is, a village with a thriving tourist and marine industry and it needed a shop – something had to be done,’ said Denis.

‘When I was going to school there were six shops in the village – I was pleased to be able to help out when asked to do so by the people who came up with the idea of the shop,’ he added.

His sister Trish Gannon, who runs a B&B in the village, explained how her guests would always have visited the village shop before embarking on day trips and fishing trips.

‘When the shop closed, we knew we had to do something,’ she said.

A committee was formed and they set about researching the feasibility of a community shop, including visiting one in Tipperary, and gauging the support of locals for such an idea as buy-in was crucial – both financially and from a volunteering point of view.

‘We distributed questionnaires in the locality and organised a meeting in the community hall,’ recalls Dara Gannon.

‘I remember some people asked how would we get people to stand behind the counter and give their time and not get paid, but we pointed out how the lifeboat, which has just celebrated its 200th anniversary in Courtmacsherry, relies entirely on volunteers too. It could be done,’ said Dara’s brother, Mark.

‘We figured if 20 people attended the meeting we could make it work and when 60 people turned up we knew we were on to a winner,’ said Mark who described it as a ‘fantastic business story, right from its inception.’

A premises to lease was sourced in the village’s former post office but before the doors could open, funding had to be raised, and forming a co-operative was deemed the best way to do this.

‘We sold shares, starting at €50 and raised enough open the doors on June 1st 2016,’ said Denis.

‘There’s currently over 351 shareholders from as far away as the US and even Russia – locals, holiday makers, even people who have never been here but have heard our story, seen videos online, and want to support us.’

The committee, none of whom had any retail experience, availed of the expertise given generously by locals who work in the industry and the shop has gone from strength to strength over the past decade.

‘We had a lot to learn but we got a lot of support along the way – I remember the chocolate was melting in the shop in the first summer and we needed to get air conditioning. A grant from FLAG (Fisheries Local Action Group) helped with that and we’ve also had great support from Cork County Council and West Cork Development Partnership,’ said Dara.

The shop is open seven days a week (closing only on Christmas day) and is run by a part-time community employment scheme worker and a team of 20 volunteers.

The premises has recently undergone a €34,000 refit of which €17,000 was funded by the sale of shares and the remainder through grant aid.

It’s now as modern as any other convenience store while still retaining its innate charm.

As well as a well-stocked shop, there’s also a book store upstairs along with two working spaces.

Events like the Beast from the East, and Covid (the shop stayed open throughout the pandemic) proved what a vital service it is – not only as a shop, but also a social hub, where friendly chat is as readily available as a pint of milk, or take-out coffee.

Giving back is at the core of the community shop.

Last year it turned over €200,000 and all profits go straight back into local projects such as the Tidy Towns, Community Development Association, St Patrick’s Day committee, Barryroe national school and others.

‘It’s a circular enterprise. You know that if you spend €10 in the shop, some of that money will make its way back into community projects,’ said Mark.

Sustainability is also part of its ethos. Recently, 26 solar panels were installed in the rear garden of the shop and are expected cut energy usage from the National Grid by as much as 50%.

Julia Mulcahy is a regular holidaymaker in Courtmacsherry.

‘My mother brought me here when I was 14 and I’ve been coming since,’ said the 74-year-old who stays in the local caravan park.

‘We visit the shop at least once a day. We walk up for milk and bread and if we’re bringing the grand kids to the playground we’d stop for an ice cream. It’s absolutely fantastic and we’d be lost without it,’ she said, adding that the friendly chats always available are an added bonus.

Denis said they were delighted to win the special Commendation for supporting the local community and added: ‘This is a project that has brought the best out in everyone.’

Mark concluded: ‘This is something that every community could do if they’re prepared to put in the effort, and that’s what you have to do to make things happen.’