End of an era in Kinnitty as Peavoys closes

Peavoys, the popular corner shop in Kinnitty closed its doors last week as shopkeeper Iris retired after 56 years behind the counter.

Hot water bottles, snuff, teapots and mugs, coffee, Bisto, Batchelors Beans, Little Chip marmalade - everything and anything you might need adorned its wooden shelves - a layout that has remained largely unchanged throughout the decades.

“We have a little bit of everything,” Iris told documentary maker Ronan Kelly, who shot a video with her last year.
The clip, which has gone viral, discussed Iris’s love of conversation, one of her favourite things about her job.

Last week a street party was organised to mark her retirement and her contribution to the community in Kinnitty.
“My husband wanted to make it into a supermarket and I said ‘No way!’ It would lose all its individuality, people come in for a chat... people would come in with their troubles, I’d listen to them.”

“I’m a very good listener,” says Iris, who talks of her hatred for all things technical, such as mobile phones and tablets - “they drive me insane”.

It will be the end of an era in Peavoys, where a wooden till still holds old money, and collection boxes for the African missions sit on the countertop.

“Saint Anthony does very well, I have people coming in and telling me, ‘I have to pay him, he did this for me, he did that for me!’
Iris talked of the departure of shoppers for Lidl and Aldi, to Tullamore and Birr.

“I can’t stay going on my own,” she admitted.
Maybe now, with more time on her hands, Iris will opportunity to take a holiday and she admitted “I haven’t had a holiday since I got married, that was 55 years ago”.

Cllr John Clendennen paid tribute to the retiring retailer: “The end of an era with over five decades at Peavoy’s Shop welcoming grocery shoppers....best of luck to Iris in her retirement!”