Join Jarlath Sweeney as he and guests recollect a unique period when family-owned travelling shops called on the farming community, supplying a wide range of goods – from groceries, to animal feeds, to general household items.
How did they begin? Why did they last so long? And what brought them to an end?
Through the memories of travelling shop operators and customers, this programme, funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and developed by Claremorris Community Radio, explores the role of the travelling shop in the rural social fabric, sharing anecdotes, and capturing the flavour of a much-treasured bygone era. It also features recordings from the last day of business at Sweeney’s Travelling Shop, Claremorris, which began in 1932 and continued until retirement in 2005.
It was produced by Allan Tiernan and Jarlath Sweeney, and was first broadcast on St. Stephen’s Day 2022.
