By Mrs. Tess Brady

Sources: FAS Teamwork Scheme 1989-1992

Leader; Mrs. Marie Fahy

Scheme Sponsors: Athenry Project Society

There have been numerous butchers in Athenry over the years.

Some of them were: Mr. Patrick Cahill (1846), Mr. M. Hopkins (1870), Mr. Hynes (1870), Mr. M. Connor (1881), Mr. P. Fallon (1881), Mr. Brady, Mr. Dempsey, Mr. Hession, Mr. Curran.

Established in 1926

Brady’s opened their establishment in 1926 in Church Street, Athenry. The original proprietor of the business was Mr. Edward Brady who originally came from County Meath. Mr. Edward Brady had an employee working for him full-time and his name was Mr. John. Crosby from Ballinasloe, who was trained by Mr. Owen Kelly also from Ballinasloe. 

John Crosby

John Crosby stayed working for Mr. Brady for a total of 45 years. They both were kept busy as Mr. Brady had the task of going to Tuam, Galway, Mayo, Athleague, Roscommon and Ballinasloe at times to the fairs. While Mr. Brady was away John Crosby had the task of ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Mr. Brady often used to hire extra workers who helped at busy times. Mr. Brady had a slaughtering yard at the back of the shop, which the present-proprietor, Mr. John Joe Brady, also has nowadays.

Six day week

Work started at 9.30 a.m. for these men and continued until 7.50 at night. They worked a six day week with a half day on Thursdays. The best meat sellers were beef and mutton. In his slaughtering house Mr. Brady killed 10 lambs and 1 beef at the beginning of each week. The cost of meat has changed dramatically over the years as a pound of meat in the early days cost only 8 pence or 10 pence depending on the quality.

Mr. Edward Brady also had a piggery at the back of his yard. A lot of bacon was sold in those days. A Mr. Mattie Murphy used to come down the whole way from Dublin to buy pigs.

Tom Curran

It was a Mr. Tom Curran who encouraged Mr. Edward Brady to open his own butchers’ shop. Mr. Tom Curran had a butcher stall in Old Church Street and he gave an old butchers block to Mr. Brady to start up his business.      

Other butchers in Athenry the same time were Mr. Michael Hession and Mr. Michael Dempsey.