Death of Main Street: Portlaoise to feature on RTÉ Prime Time special
Eamonn Donegan, who took over the iconic Alo Donegan store from his father in the 1960s and sadly closed the front door with his son, Kevin, this summer. Image: RTÉ Prime Time
PORTLAOISE will feature in an RTÉ Prime Time show tonight that explores the decline of traditional main streets all over the country.
Eamonn Donegan of the much-missed Alo Donegan electrical store, which closed this year after generations in business, is among several former retailers featured on the programme.
Susan Gowing of Phelan's Bakery, which is continuing a century-old tradition in the heart of Portlaoise, is also interviewed on the programme as she shares concerns about the future of local shops.
Titled ‘They’re all dying’ – Can Ireland’s main streets be saved?’, the show will look at concerns about the future of traditional main streets in Ireland and ask what, if anything, can be done to save them.
The Prime Time programme will air tonight on RTÉ One television and RTÉ Player at 9.35pm.
In advance of the broadcast, Conor McMorrow of Prime Time posted the following report:
‘Peeling apples for tarts, Susan Gowing is continuing a century-old tradition at Phelan’s Bakery in Portlaoise.
The bakery is one of several long-standing businesses on and around the town’s Main Street, but Ms Gowing is worried about its future.
"It's really changing for the worst. There's nothing going to be left on it. Everyone is closing down. They just can't keep going," Ms Gowing told RTÉ's Prime Time.
Main streets across Ireland are under pressure - and Portlaoise is no exception.
"You have the few chemists, the nail bars, the phone shops, but that's all there is left now," Ms Gowing said.
"You can only go from day to day because you don't know what's going to happen."
Richard Phelan is the fourth generation of bakers in his family. He works more than 80 hours a week, baking before delivering produce to shops across Laois, Kildare and Offaly.
"As I deliver around the shops, the main streets of every town, they're all dying. There's a lot of vacant premises," he said.
Mr Phelan said that when some shopkeepers reach retirement age, their businesses close because their children are not interested in taking over.
He also believes parking charges and fines are driving customers away from town centres and towards retail parks and other outlets offering free parking.
Across the street from Phelan’s Bakery, another long-standing family business has closed its doors.
The shop was opened in 1929 by renowned Irish cycling hero Alo Donegan. His son Eamonn began working there in 1966 and remained for 60 years. Eamonn’s son Kevin later joined him and worked there for more than two decades.
Originally a bicycle shop, the business adapted over the years, selling everything from televisions and records to fishing tackle and in more recent years telescopes and electronic gadgets.
Mr Donegan retired in February. His son Kevin continued trading but decided to close the business after footfall halved over the past year.
"Kevin has said it's disheartening for him to stand at the counter all day with four or five people coming in the door," Mr Donegan said.
"If you walk down Portlaoise Main Street today, you can't buy a pint of milk or a newspaper. Most of the shop fronts now are pubs, nail bars, barber shops, and a couple of restaurants. There's not a mix of shops like there was.
"That all just disappeared. Behind us here, the new shopping centres were developed and closed two supermarkets here on the main street and the traffic just drifted," he added.
