Kieran Coughlan: Co-op movement to the rescue as village loses shop

During the bank holiday weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the picturesque village of Courtmacsherry, a medium-sized village located on the coastline between Timoleague and Clonakilty, in West Cork.

The village is probably best known for its long heritage with the RNLI, having been one of the first communities in Ireland to establish lifeboat services, over 190 years ago.

Like many West Cork villages, the population grows substantially during the summer months, with an influx of tourists staying in local camp sites and holiday accommodation, and dining at a variety of cafés and pubs in the village and its hinterland.