WHEN the idea of a community shop for Courtmacsherry was first mooted over ten years ago it was no surprise that some people thought the idea was perhaps crazy.
The suggestion came after the village’s only shop closed in 2015. Cynics felt it couldn’t work - and how could it make money, they asked?
Fast-forward a decade and Courtmacsherry Community Shop is a permanent and valued fixture in the local community.
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It is not just a shop for provisions, but also provides a vital social community hub which also offers offices for rent and a well-stocked book shop upstairs.
It’s not surprising that the venture became the successful template for co-operatives, with other rural communities around the country following suit to ensure that locals retain access to a grocery shop.
Because it’s a co-operative, the shop is owned by shareholders made up of both locals and visitors, while volunteers and some paid staff put in the hours to provide a service to the village.
Its importance was recognised at last year’s West Cork Tourism and Business Awards when it was awarded a Special Commendation award for supporting the local community, which was richly deserved.
And while the shop sells all the basic provisions, including coffee and works by local artists, there is a real sense of people pulling together to ensure it continues and thrives in a community that sees its population almost double during the summer season.
What is clear on entering the doors of the shop is that it’s a very welcoming and happy place.
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It’s a shop where Mary Martin, wife of Taoiseach Micheál Martin, has been known to pop in for a few groceries while on summer holiday at the popular seaside village.
Mary explained to The Southern Star that the shop is next door to her grandmother’s old house and described it as the ‘lifeblood’ of the village.
‘I think the fascinating thing is that the volunteers in the shop who may not be from here get to know people. Great credit is due to the team behind the shop. It also means that we always have access to food essentials when we need them.’
She said those people who have put in all the energy deserve recognition for keeping the shop alive.
Sheila Desmond, Deirdre Barron and Teresa Fenton with the special commendation award for supporting the local community at the West Cork Tourism & Business Awards
Sheila Desmond, secretary of Courtmacsherry Community Shop Co-operative Society Ltd, said: ‘We’re just so happy with the place now. When we started off this was an old building which used to be the old Post Office but people had been living in it.
‘We began with meeting and then selling shares and people were so generous we were able to go up to Musgraves wholesalers and fill up the shop.’
A refit took place last November with the helping of funding from LEADER, and while the outlet had to close for a week to install highly efficient fridges, freezers and state-of-the art shelving, it was worth it as it has added a fresh, vibrant feel to the place.
Three years ago a 20KW solar panel was installed which now generates nearly 50% of the shop’s electricity.
‘It has developed its own character,’ said Sheila. ‘We have an arts and crafts corner so that local artists can sell their pieces and we also have an RNLI corner. It’s a very happy place and we are so proud of it.
‘It’s mainly a social hub and we have two offices for rent upstairs and we have a second-hand book store that makes a lot of profit for us. We also have a printing machine and we have so many things and some people may not realise that.’
There are 12 members on the board of management who meet monthly to discuss any issues, with any profit going directly back into something in the community. Two staff members are on a CE scheme, while the shop boasts around 20 volunteers who help out.
‘We pay the community back for shopping with us,’ said Sheila. ‘We are very unique here in what we have.’
The Courtmacsherry experiment has become the model for others to follow.
‘A community in Carrighaolt in Loop Head in Clare came here a few years and copied our template and they opened their community shop following the closure of their grocery shop in 2024,’ said chairman Denis Cahalane.
‘When the idea was first suggested people thought we were crazy and I guess it hadn’t been done before either so it was all new. We knew we needed money and decided that we would sell shares and the wonderful community of Courtmacsherry supported this initiative. The only way we could sell shares was to operate as a co-operative. They are now 446 shareholders and it’s €50 a share.’
Sheila told how a woman visited the shop recently to buy shares for her grandchildren, meaning the next generation will have a vested interest in ensuring the venture continues to thrive.
‘We are ambitious and always give back to the community. The rental offices upstairs also generate revenue for us. The second-hand book store has been in operation from the start and people are great to drop in books to us and then buy other books. Last year we made €4,000 from book sales.’
Sheila added that people can’t imagine the village without a shop now as it’s got its own character and people love popping for a coffee or a chat too.
Locals celebrated this special 10th anniversary in style on May 30th with RTÉ’s ‘Nationwide’ on location to film a special segment.
Volunteering at the shop has been a very rewarding experience for Belfast native Pauline Pollard, who moved to Courtmacsherry several years ago.
‘I been volunteering at the shop for almost seven years and I get to meet people and it’s very social. You are also doing your bit for the community and the shop is a great asset to Courtmacsherry. There’s no shortage of volunteers either which is great.’
With a determined will locals here will continue to embrace and support their own community shop.
