Sadness at death of Nenagh shop owner

By Peter Gleeson

Great regret and sadness has been expressed throughout Nenagh and surrounding areas at the news of the death of one of the town’s most popular and revered citizens and owner of one of its longest established businesses, Joe Starr.

Joe was proprietor with his equally lovely wife, Angela, of Starr’s of Mitchel Street, a business run by Joe’s family for the past 114 years.

The colourful shop, which sells clothes, religious artefacts and bric-a-brac, has become a tourist attraction in Nenagh and Joe and Angela the focus of much public and media attention for their unique business, which included a special feature on them screened by RTÉ television.

At the age of 82 back in August 2016, Joe, who died on Friday last, April 9th, spoke to this newspaper about the long history of his family run shop that was founded by his grandfather who ran a tailoring business there from 1907.

Over the subsequent 114 years three generations of the Starr family -grandfather, father and son - all with the Christian name of Joe have headed up the business.

Asked by this newspaper five years ago if he had any retirement plans, Joe replied that was determined to see out the business to the end of his days. “We will stay going for as long as we can,” he replied, and that is what he and Angela have done over the intervening years.

Their shop, with its women’s dresses and Tipperary sports jerseys hung up outside on the street blowing in the wind, remains a colourful embellishment of the town and a testament to the couple’s dedication to making their business truly unique and a throwback to days long gone in so many other towns across Ireland.

Under Joe and Angela, the shop became the go-to place to buy a flag, scarf, jersey or banner of any county or local club colour in the run-up to a big match. They even sold country flags, purchased by tourists visiting from far flung places such as Australia and Mexico who were thrilled and surprised to see that a shop in Nenagh was selling their national flag.

Joe took over the running of the shop from his father in 1967 and Angela, a native of Toomevara, was the first staff member he hired. Romance blossomed and they enjoyed 49 years of marriage, raising two daughters, Veronica and Florence. Of their relationship from the very first date, Joe revealed: “We got on great and it just happened after - we never looked back.”

Joe and Angela and their shop featured in ‘The Local Eye’ programme which screened on RTÉ five years ago. The programme makers were captivated by the enterprise and wanted to bring it to the nation’s attention.

Joe, who died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family, was predeceased by his parents Joe and Margaret and his brother Johnny. He will be sadly missed by Angela and his daughters Veronica and Florence; son-in-law Seamus Ryan, brother, Mick, sister Alice, sisters-in-law, Teresa Starr and Mary Kennedy as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Following his funeral Mass on Monday in Saint Mary of the Rosary Church, burial was in Kenyon Street Cemetery.