Danny Lafferty’s supermarket in Creeslough this afternoon
There was an eerie silence in the small Donegal village of Creeslough yesterday afternoon.
The few locals on the street were shaking their heads and whispering in hushed tones at the High Court’s ruling to close its supermarket and best-known bar.
It was almost as if they were calling to the wake of Lafferty’s Supermarket as word spread of its pending closure.
Local woman Catherine Robinson described Creeslough as “a small village with a big heart” but admitted the decision to close the town’s supermarket was a “hammer blow.”
A huge crowd turned out to support Danny Lafferty and help save 40 jobs in Creeslough
Catherine was on her daily visit to the supermarket when she heard the news.
“I am just in shock. I was hoping against hope that Danny and the staff would get a second chance.
“The next nearest village to me is in Dunfanaghy but I haven’t got a car so I don’t know what I will do to get my daily groceries,” she said
Catherine said the loss of the famous Corncutter’s Rest Bar would also mean the loss of the social life of the village
“It’s a great pub and the only pub I would go to the very rare occasion I might go out for a drink.
“I am part of the Creeslough Women’s Group and we had our Christmas party there and they put on a lovely meal for us.
“Yes, it’s terrible that these businesses have been ordered to close and the loss of the jobs but it means another part of the community has died,” she said.
Local undertaker Seamus Harkin was leaving Lafferty’s shop when he heard the news.
“That’s just awful news to hear. It’s hard to take in.
“I remember a time when there was 22 businesses in Creeslough back in the 950s but all that has changed now.
“Big business has changed all that. I know people are looking for value from the bigger supermarkets but they are not looking at the bigger picture,” he said.
Susan Moffett was carrying a bag of shopping which included milk, bread and the local newspaper when she heard that the shop had been ordered to close.
Accompanied by her granddaughter Sophie, she said she felt particularly sad for owner Danny Lafferty and his family.
“Danny may have got himself into debt but so many people are in debt because they are just trying to get by.
“He has done so much for the people of this village over the years that it is a shame.
“He sponsored so many festivals and was involved in St Michael’s GAA club. It’s just heartbreaking to hear the news.
“I don’t know what the staff are going to do either. There’s no jobs out there and it will only mean that more people will be heading to Australia or America or wherever,” she said.
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