Despite years of closures, rural Ireland is showing signs of renewal, as local entrepreneurs reopen long-shuttered shops and pubs, restoring vital social and economic hubs.
Recent figures from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland show that more than 2,100 pubs have closed since 2005, with rural counties amongst the hardest hit. Meanwhile, according to the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA), 100 local shops shut annually, with at least three closing every fortnight.
Yet in Co Tipperary, signs of recovery are emerging. The reopening of previously closed premises is helping rebuild essential spaces for social connection and economic activity—bringing people back together in the heart of their communities.
In Boherlahan, the only shop in the village now stands on the former site of Eddie and Helen O'Dwyer's petrol station, which served locals for decades before closing.
Local man Liam Maher and his partner Santina Coyle purchased the site and opened a state-of-the-art convenience store and filling station in June.
"My mother would have driven her car down here and Eddie and Helen would have come out, brought her messages out and put them into the car," said Liam said.
"That kind of stuff doesn't happen anymore in supermarkets or anything like that, and I suppose I just wanted that back."
While Santina brings retail experience, for Liam—who runs a civil engineering company — this is a new venture driven by a desire to restore community spirit.
"There was no Lidl's or Aldis or Supervalu or any of that wasn't there then so everybody went to the local shop," he said.
"Everything changed again once Covid came in, and people realised that we're all rushing and racing for what? Nobody gets to meet each other; no one gets to chat. Whereas now, a lot of local people are back shopping in the villages again."
For new residents, the shop is more than a convenience. One man picking up refreshments shared: "I've just bought a house down the road."
"The shops and the pubs are the heart of the village you know? My mother-in-law is 84. So, when we move in, she'll be able to walk down here where she wouldn't really be able to get into Cashel or anything like that."
Another local woman enjoying a coffee said:
"A lot of people don't drive and the bus services here only come, I think, twice a day, like once in the morning then back in the evening.
"When I moved here first the shop that was here, it closed after a couple of months. And so having the shop after nearly 10 years... it's fantastic."
For Paddy Cullen, the reopening of the shop has restored a vital social space.
"People weren't meeting anybody. The only place we could meet, maybe on a Sunday was maybe at Mass. Even my own wife and a few of the local ladies are coming down here today to sit outside and have a coffee and have a sandwich," he said.
"That's what it means. You know, we're able to communicate with one another again. That wasn't happening in Boherlahan."
Liam agrees, saying that "there's farmers around here that wouldn’t meet anybody day-to-day until their wife or their partner comes home in the evening".
"Whereas now they come down to the shop, maybe a couple of times a week and have a chat with everybody, which is great like."
With 20 staff now employed, Liam knows the shop’s future depends on local support.
"It's up to me to make sure that we keep our standards very high. Keep food at a reasonable price that people buy, keep everything good. But after that, then it depends on the locals.
"There's only so much passing trade here between Thurles and Cashel. It wouldn't be enough for this shop to survive."
John G. O’Dwyer, guidebook author and former chairperson of Tipperary Tourism, sees a broader shift underway.
"A rural village is seen as the perfect place to bring up a family. It's relaxed, but it's within a community. House prices tend to be lower, and you get a better quality house, maybe you get 1/4 of an acre with it or whatever. Big advantages and people, I think are beginning to appreciate that."
In Terryglass, entrepreneur Caragh Walsh has also reopened a vital local business.
The Derg Inn—once a hub for locals and tourists—had been vacant for over a year. Caragh, who owns River Run House and Cottages, purchased and renovated the premises, reopened in July 2024 with over 40 staff.
"I was familiar with the hospitality trade because I have an accommodation business here," said Caragh.
"I just saw the gap in the market and the need for somewhere else to open. When the shop was closed it was a huge loss to the community, but also here in the Derg Inn.
"And it's not just about pints and you know the bar trade, it's also people coming out in the afternoon with children or their grandchildren to meet up and have a coffee and have something sweet you know whether it's lunch or just a snack. But it was that hub, that social hub that was missing at the time."
Next door at Paddy’s Bar, owner Mairead Tierney has seen the benefits firsthand of the reopening of the Derg Inn.
"The village was very quiet, very quiet and it's a great addition to the area," she said.
"People have choice. When it closed, it was a completely different picture here. People came and they couldn't get in and like, we have a very small footprint here so we wouldn't be able to cater for the crowds that the Derg can cater for. It's a huge addition to the area."
Still, Caragh cautions that reopening a rural business is not without risk.
"I think it would take a long time to recoup costs and we have a long-term plan. We knew that things weren't going to break even, in the first six months or eight months or whatever," she said.
"The price of produce is expensive, utilities are expensive, VAT rates are very high. So, all of those is worth taking into consideration."
Despite the challenges, the doors of the Derg Inn are open — and the crowds continue to make the trip to Tipp.
