Michael Commins
A TRADITION of retailing petrol going back over 70 years came to an end in Balla last week when the Gaughan family decided to close the pumps. Proprietor Peter Gaughan now plans to extensively develop the supermarket end of the business and to extend the current shop.
Peter took over the business from his parents Phil and Sarah (nee Wade) Gaughan. It was her late father, PW Wade, that started the business in Balla, close to where the current premises is today, and later up in the middle of Balla the well-known filling station operated for many years.
It was Sarah’s grandfather, Peter Wade, who first went into business in Balla when he operated the Gaelic Bar where the Bridge Inn is today. The Wade family roots were in Co Armagh. Peter married Mary Noone from the local area. Her father was the carpenter who helped build the famous Land League cottage at Lisnolan between Balla and Manulla. A remarkable feature about the cottage was that three of the main men who worked on the construction and completion of the house had the surnames of Earley, Noone and Knight.
The petrol pumps end of the Wade business was a central player in the life of Balla for many years and a gathering place for locals who came to chat about the events of the day. With new regulations concerning pumps on the streets of towns, they decided to develop a whole new business venture at the Castlebar end of the town and Gaughan’s Filling Stating and shop has operated successfully there for several years now.
While the pumps have now closed, bringing the curtains down on that part of the commercial enterprise, Peter Gaughan is busy preparing to expand the shop and supermarket as well as develop a car park to facilitate customers. Whatever about talks of a recession, Peter is prepared to vote confidence in the Balla community and hinterland.
