New owner Shane Jones says it will also create new jobs in the New Year.
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A €1 MILLION investment in the New Year will transform Skibbereen’s Eurospar supermarket and create new jobs locally.
Triple store owner, Shane Jones, with the backing of BWG Foods, started his first day of trading in the town on Monday.
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He told The Southern Star that the planning application process has already commenced and he is optimistic that work on modernising the Market Street store will commence in March and be ready in time for a relaunch in June.
Shane, who has two other Eurospar stores, one in Cobh and one in Killorglin in Kerry, said the 38 members of staff in Skibbereen will be retained and additional jobs will be created in the New Year.
He thanked Seamus Daly, the CEO of Drinagh, and Mike O’Brien, for being so co-operative in arriving at a deal granting him a 20-year lease of the business.
Shane said he is pleased that store manager, Gordon Benn, and assistant manager Karen Shannon will continue in their roles, claiming: “They are key drivers of this business. They know the customers extremely well, and are looking forward to the improvements too.”
Speaking of improvements, Shane joked: “There won’t be a fridge left in the place! We need to move with the market, and the times. The shop needs investment so we will be putting in a new butcher’s counter, new deli counters and a new in-store bakery.
“We plan to massively develop the food-to-go section up the front with freshly-made salads, made in store, sandwiches, wraps and rolls, as well as a new on-trend coffee brand offering all of the oat coffees; iced coffees, matchas – everything, the whole works.”
After 26 years in retail, having started out in Super Quinn in Blanchardstown in the Fergal Quinn era, Shane said the modernised store will have real rewards offers.
“We will also be putting electronic labels that will keep our price file correct and up-to-date,” he added. What that means is the Eurospar in Skibbereen will shortly be able to price-match Tesco on hundreds of offers.
“Using an App, the digital tags will highlight where we are the same, or cheaper, than Tesco,” said Shane.
There’s more good news for Drinagh shareholders: the traditional in-store accounts are to remain in place, which means shareholders can continue to shop on credit against their co-op cheques.
Shane said he personally will be based in his Skibbereen store a lot, especially during the revamp. But the Dubliner has the backing of his wife Alma and their three children: Alannah, Ariana and Joey, especially Alannah, who at the age of 23, will be working alongside her father.
“This is a fantastic business,” Shane concluded. “We are just trying to improve on what is already here. We have a very good customer base, great staff and a great team.”
Seamus Daly, the chief executive officer and secretary of Drinagh Co-operative Ltd – which was established in 1923, and had a reported annual turnover of €215 million in 2025 – said: “We are looking forward to this exciting new chapter for the store under Shane’s management.
“On behalf of the board, I wish Shane every success for the future. I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely acknowledge and thank all our staff for their dedication, commitment and contribution to the business over the years, and extend my sincere thanks to our loyal customers.”
