Information on the History of each Building 

Photos Taken by Gerry Ahern in 2010 

AIB Bank. Formerly Munster and Leinster Bank. Before that Athenry Post Office. Postmaster: Hugh Griffin. Staff: Kate Heneghan on counter, Kitty Lardiner, telephonist

Stephen Harris owner. Rented to tim Holian, accountant. Formerly Hessions, owned and run by Bridie and Jackie as a Grocery shop.

The Square Inn. Formerly owned by Michael and Mary T Whelan. Run as a shoe shop. Now owned by Brian Fahy, Bookmaker. Was run as a bar and bookmakers – shop/office.

Shields House and Office: V P Shields and Son. Reconstructed to shops and offices. Formerly owned by Richard Murtagh who had a sister, Delia, living in Abbey Row.

O’Neill’s Yard formerly Sweeney’s fertiliser and timber yard. Sweeney’s house and business owned by Jones and Louie Sweeney and run as a bar and hardware shop. Later owned by Frank and Ann Sweeney, Auctioneers and Valuers

Formerly RIC Barracks. Later Garda Barracks and later again FCA Barracks. Now run as a restaurant.

O’Hara Solicitors. Formerly owned by Jones Sweeney and run as petrol station and garage. Later owned by Joe Keating also run as petrol station and garage. Now converted to solicitors law office and owned by Joe O’Hara, solicitor

Three terraced town houses. 1. O’Gradys  2. Joe and Bridgie White, he worked as a tailor in Esker Monastery. 3. Fred and Mrs White, he was the local postman.

Maloney’s Shop and Appartments:  Formerly owned by Christy Howley who had a furniture manufacturing business. He was also very involved in the Athenry Drama Group.

Leo Coffey owner. Previously owned by the Healy family, Rockmore.

Martin T Kelly: Formerly owned by Johnny and Mrs Whelan who was a native of Ballygurrane and who had a shop in another part of town. Bought later by Sean and Noreen Hynes  who sold it to Martin T Kelly – present owner

O’Grady’s Bungalow. Built and owned by Christy O’Grady Senior and his wife Ena. Christy worked in CIE Athenry. It is still family owned

V P shields & Sons Solicitors. Previously owned by the Flynn family who ran an ironmonger’s business in the yard.

Eugene Quinn and his wife: Son of Anthony and Mrs Quinn, the previous owners. Formerly owned by Louie Sweeney, Cross Street. Later Dr Peadar Finnerty and his wife Mary lived there and ran a doctor’s surgery

Payne’s Hall: In later years it was a courthouse. At present it is a car park

Two Storey House 1: Previously owned by Sheila Broderick who had a chemist shop in another part of town

Two Storey House 2: Previously owned by Sheila Broderick who had a chemist shop in another part of town

Hynes Family: Single storey town house. Previously owned by the Hynes family. Una Hynes and her family. Two brothers priests and two sisters nuns and another brother lived in England

Leonards Lawn: Previously owned by the Taylor Family. Now in the ownership of Oyster Homes Development Ltd. Sherlock & Co Solicitors was previously the ESB Local Office.