Popular Kilkenny business premises announces imminent closure
Kilkenny butcher Gerry O'Brien is retiring and the shop in the Market Yard is closing, but his son James will continue to operate O'Brien Butchers in Loughboy
A popular Kilkenny business premises (O'Brien Butchers) has announced the upcoming closure of their unit in the Market Yard in Kilkenny City on Friday, September 26, 2025.
"We regret to inform you we are closing Market Yard on Friday, September 26, 2025," a statement in the window reads.
"Business as usual at James O'Brien Butchers Loughboy Shopping Centre. We are retiring after 45 years in business.
The O’Brien family have been in the butchery business for over 40 years.
In 1980, Gerry O’Brien opened his first butcher shop in Loughboy Shopping Centre in the heart of Kilkenny.
A farmer by trade, Gerry, who had on excellent work ethic, worked hard to establish the business and hired his first member of staff, Seamus Tynan.
Five years later, Gerry bought the land in Bonnetsrath where, with the help of his brother Sean, began to rear sheep and cattle.
With a passionate vision of 'farm to fork', he went on to build the abattoir and started to cure bacon and ham, and slicing low-salt rashers.
Later that same year, Gerry began making the award-winning Bonnetsrath black and white pudding and sausages.
In 1987, with a well-established business renowned for high quality meat, Gerry opened a second shop in the Market Yard.
Gerry's son James joined the business full time in 1996. In 2016, he took the reigns from Gerry and took over the abattoir in Bonnetsrath and butchers in Loughboy.
If you are impacted by the closure in the Market Yard, the team at O'Brien Butchers in Loughboy will be more than happy to fill the gap.