'Great excitement' in Mayo town as landmark building re-opens to new business

There was great excitement in Claremorris recently with the opening of Daily’s XL Shop on Main Street. The new convenience store, operated by Mark and Caroline Cosgrove, occupies the building that, until recently, housed Smyth’s — the landmark business where the Smyth’s Toys dynasty began.

For many in the town, the reopening of this well-known premises represents more than just a new shop. It marks a welcome moment of investment right in the heart of Claremorris, at a time when much of the commercial focus has shifted to the outskirts.

Mark Cosgrove, who already runs Daily’s in the Silverbridge Shopping Centre with his wife Caroline (née Moran from Brize), said opening on Main Street was both a business decision and a vote of confidence in the centre of town.

“This was Smyth’s shop. Everyone knew it, everyone went into it, and everyone still calls it Smyth’s,” Mark told The Western People on opening day. “We all miss Liam Smyth — he was a huge part of Claremorris life — and people told us they missed having a shop here. When the building became available, we thought it was a chance to bring life back into Main Street. If it works, we’ll have secured a good business and helped the town at the same time.” 

The new Daily’s XL is a modern convenience store with a deli counter, a seating area, and an off-licence set to open shortly. The shop also stocks groceries, cards, gifts, books, balloons, stationery and party supplies and of course a small selection of toys— a nod to the Smyth’s tradition of variety. It opens seven days a week from 7.00 am to 10.00pm and employs 20 staff, full and part-time.

Mark explained that the expansion reflects how shopping habits have changed in recent years. 

“People want convenience now,” he said. “They’re working, they’re busy, and they don’t want to queue in the big stores. They just want to grab what they need — a few bits of shopping, something from the deli, maybe a bottle of wine — and be on their way. That’s what this shop is about: ultra-convenience, local service, and easy access. We have plenty of parking spaces at the back of the shop people can park there and shop in the middle of the town”.

He also hopes to restore something of the community character long associated with Main Street shops. 

“People say there’s a resurgence in books, and they like browsing again,” he said. “We’ll be bringing in Irish authors and hope to host local book signings. There’s still something special about walking into a shop, seeing what’s on the shelves, and talking to people.” 

Claremorris native John Grant, a businessman who grew up across the road, remembers the Smyth’s building as one of the busiest shops in town.

“My first memories of it are of Babs behind the counter,” he said. “At Christmas, it was the place to come for toys. During the school year, everyone came in for their school books and pens. They used to sell the silver nibs for fountain pens — they were the ones everyone wanted.”

John recalled the shop’s atmosphere as lively and friendly, where customers often came as much for conversation as for shopping. “You’d come in, meet people, have a chat,” he said. “It was a real hub of the town. Smyth’s was famous for its range — papers, magazines, toys, books. There weren’t many newsagents in those days. It was the place you came for the paper every day.” He also reflected on the wider significance of the reopening. 

“It’s great to see life coming back into the centre,” he said. “Too many businesses have moved to the outskirts, but this is a real investment in Main Street. Between this and the regeneration work on Mount Street, you can feel the town lifting again. Mark and Caroline have done a marvellous job here. It’s bright, it’s friendly, and it’s local — that’s what towns like Claremorris need.” 

The Cosgrove family’s connection to Main Street goes back generations. Mark was born just two doors away from his new shop, where Flynn’s is now based. His uncle, Robert Cosgrove, said the family has always been rooted in local business. “Mark’s grandfather, Matt Cosgrove, bought Begley’s drapery shop on Main Street in 1958,” he said. “Mark was born there in after, and the family lived over the shop before moving to the Knock Road. It’s fitting that another generation of the family is now back trading on Main Street.” 

For the Cosgroves, the new venture is both a return and a new beginning. “All businesses take time to build,” Mark said. “The first year is always the hardest, but we’ve a good team and great support from local people already. You have to rely on people — good staff make a good business. And if we can make this work, it’ll be good for us and good for Claremorris.” 

As customers passed through the doors during opening week — some still referring to the shop as “Smyth’s” — there was a sense that the building’s long story had gained a new chapter. What began decades ago as a small local shop that sparked an international toy empire has now returned to its roots, serving the people of Claremorris once again from the same address.

We have 20 parking spaces at the rear of the building and you can park up and shop in Claremorris.

And in a time when many rural towns are struggling to hold on to their centres, the message from Daily’s XL is a welcome one: that Main Street still matters.