Award winning Shannon Butchers to close in Kiltimagh

AN award winning Kiltimagh family business will close its doors on Saturday next, August 5. John Shannon Butchers in Aiden Street announced the news in recent days and they have been inundated with messages of goodwill and grateful thanks for their outstanding service to the community and region.
John and Marion Shannon opened their Butcher shop in Aiden Street in 2000. Around five years ago they scooped the Grande Prix d"Excellence for creative sausage with the pork and leek flavour at the annual Commanderie des Fins Goustiers du Duche d"Alencon.
The annual European Sausage Competition held in Alencon, France, attracts entries from all over Europe.
That accolade was just another in a line of impressive awards clocked up by the Shannon Family enterprise in Kiltimagh. In 2015, John received a gold cup for his spicy Italian sausage.
Some months earlier, they landed a national award for Ireland's best speciality sausage and also scooped the coveted Sausage of the Year crown at the gala awards in Dublin. The event was hosted by the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland which celebrates independently owned, traditional butcher shops, who use top quality, locally sourced and locally prepared meats.
John, a member of the well known Shannon family from the town, worked with his uncle John O’Brien who was a victualler in Kiltimagh for many years. There, he acquired and learned so much about the business. Marian, nee McEvilly from Craggagh, played a central role in the business, carefully preparing the ingredients that secured national and international honours.
The announcement of the decision to close the business took so many by surprise. “We know that this might come as a shock but we have decided to enter a new chapter in our lives. We will be closing our shop on Saturday, August 5, after 25 years. It was a hard decision to make as even though the work was hard and the hours long, we enjoyed what we did.

Grateful
“We will always be grateful to each and every one of you, our customers, who inspired us initially to set up our own business, to all who came through our door and supported us and for your continued loyalty down through the years.
“We have shared good times and bad, laughter and tears along the way. We will miss the interaction we had with you all.
“To all the local and surrounding businesses who have supported us, some since the beginning, we have gratefully appreciated working with you and thank you for your business.”
They had special words of thanks for Nicola Coughter “who worked alongside us for many years, so much that she almost became part of the family.” John and Marion also expressed thanks to their suppliers and their family and friends for their support and loyalty over the years.

“We know it will be a sad day for the town to see another business closing. It will be sad for us too but we hope God will grant us good health to embrace this new chapter that we are about to begin. Thank you all again so much.”
Seamus Corry was among those paying tribute to John and Marion as the news spread around the region. “The end of an era, cannot imagine Kiltimagh without calling to Shannon's for their lovely display of meat and the warm welcome we always got when you arrived in.”
Sharon Williams commented: “You will be very missed, John and Marion, and thank you for your exceptional care and attention and for looking after all our needs at Ballinamore House for the last 25 years. God knows you have earned a wee bit of a break!”