Dove Hill Shopping Village in Tipperary celebrates 20 years with four days of special offers

Twenty years ago, Dove Hill Shopping Village in Carrick-on-Suir entered an exciting new chapter with the opening of its modern extension.

Today, combining shopping, interiors and a coffee shop, it continues to welcome customers from across Tipperary and beyond.

As Dove Hill marks this milestone, Freda Hayes, CEO of Blarney Woollen Mills and Meadows & Byrne, is preparing to celebrate the customers and staff who have helped make it a success, with four days of entertainment, special offers and family fun starting this Friday October 23.

Freda's own retail journey began in Blarney, where she grew up in a family with a strong connection to Blarney Woollen Mills. Her father worked at the mill before embarking on several business ventures, including a local cinema and, in 1969, a craft shop.

“I was the only one available to run the shop,” she recalls, explaining how she became involved in the family business.

When Blarney Woollen Mills went into receivership in 1975, her father saw an opportunity to buy it. Despite initial doubts from the bank, the family raised the money and secured the business.

On the day they took possession, her father arranged for the mill's entrance gates to be removed.

“When you worked in the mill, you came in through the back gate. It was only the office workers who were allowed through the front. My father said that, from now on, everybody would come through the front gates.”

In 1992, Freda left Blarney to establish Meadows & Byrne, recognising an opportunity to create a different kind of lifestyle store in Ireland. The business grew, offering customers distinctive furniture, homewares, gifts and interiors.

Her connection with Carrick-on-Suir began when she was offered the opportunity to purchase the cottage on the Dovehill site, previously associated with Tipperary Crystal.

“I suppose, in a funny kind of way, it reminded me of our own little cottage when we started the craft shop in 1969,” she says.

The name Dove Hill, linked to the historic Dove Hill Castle in the area, was retained. Following the planning and development process, the modern extension opened 20 years ago this month. The family businesses subsequently came together again, bringing Blarney Woollen Mills and Meadows & Byrne under the same group.

Today, Dove Hill Shopping Village employs approximately 60 people, some of whom have been there since the extension opened. Its appeal lies in offering more than a traditional shopping experience, with contemporary furniture and homewares alongside a café and drive-through.

“It's not a pressurised retail environment,” Freda explains. “People can come in, just have a cup of coffee. It's about giving people a place to enjoy.”

Now, customers are invited to join the anniversary celebrations that begin this Friday October 23, with live DJ music, family entertainment and a treasure hunt featuring prizes including vouchers and complimentary lunches.

A major highlight will be the opening of a permanent sale room on the Friday of the Bank Holiday weekend, offering discounts of 50% or more. Special offers will also run throughout the store.

There will be food deals too, including a breakfast offer, two different pizzas for five euros and a nostalgic return to the original price of a 99 ice cream cone: just 99 cent for the four-day celebration.

“Our customers come from within a 50-mile radius, and there's a great community spirit here,” says Freda. “We want to celebrate the whole 20 years and have a big party that everybody can enjoy.”