M&P O'Sullivan Ltd 100 Years

M. & P. O’Sullivan, Celebrating 100 Years, 1905-2005
Mairéad McCarthy recalls her time with the company fondly:
Mairéad McCarthy,
former staff member
“The setting was an old fashioned shop in Princes Street. There was a fair amount of learning
to do. For instance, there were so many different types of pipes, tobaccos, snuffs, not to mention
all the other goods, the different qualities, quantities and prices. The twist or chewing tobacco
was very popular. Some people asked for a quarter, half, or ounce, which ever was suited to
their needs. The tobacco was kept rolled in a coil and kept under the counter for convenience.
The twist tobacco was made in the firm’s factory, then distributed round the country from the
wholesale department, to the different retail outlets. Where the retail end of it was concerned, a
little block of wood was placed on the counter. Then with a knife the amount asked for was cut
to suit each persons’s taste. Popular though it was in those days. In later years, it disappeared off
the market completely. Cutting the plug tobacco was a new experience for me. There was a right
and a wrong way to cut it. When it was cut with the grain it was easy to rub out or tease it out.
I worked for M.&P. until 1987 when I retired”.
Another long term employee in the retail department was Margaret O’Donovan, who was
well respected and extremely popular with the customers. Madeline Barry (nee O’Sullivan) worked for 8
years in the accounts department and Mary Walsh (nee O’Sullivan) also worked in the shop during this
period.
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