Arran Street, Ballina, Mayo, Ireland
The next Irish Woolworths store to be opened was Ballina in 1953. They traded here for 31 years, closing when Woolworths left Ireland in 1984.
With thanks to Stephen Nolan who has sent in the below information and photos.
The Ballina store 823 was probably the most remote in the Republic of Ireland (see map). I finally turned up a photo on the RTE archive stills collection last month where you just about see the store next to the roadworks.
The Woolworth fascia was left in place for several years after Woolworth left the Republic in 1984 with a discount store occupying the premises. I can’t find a photo of it but I was there as a child on holidays there in the late 1980s. In my innocence as a child I thought Woolies had forgotten to close this branch with all the others in 1984 (because it was so far away) and was taking years to clear the stock! I do remember being disappointed this “Woolworth” in Ballina didn’t have the variety of toys and sweets the stores I was used to Woolies in Northern Ireland having…
This building now houses Eason book store (the Irish equivalent of WH Smith).
Thank you Stephen for telling us about Ballina Woolworths!
Woolies Buildings - Then and Now 