Limerick city shop once owned by Terry Wogan's father is still trading

Two Cork brothers today fly the business flag at the shop once managed by Terry Wogan’s father in Limerick city centre.

Just like in the middle of the last century, customers yesterday came and went at 112 O’Connell St on the corner of Shannon St.

In the 1940s and 1950s Limerick’s merchants and the country gentry shopped there for the exclusive range of foods stocked by Leverett and Frye a company with about 20 stores around the country

The address is now a men’s outdoor clothing and footwear outlet run by Richard and Tim Deasy from Bantry, who have the Timberland franchise. Aoife Kelleher from Shannon, who manages the store, yesterday recalled Terry’s last visit to his dad’s old shop.

She said: “Terry called in here four years ago, this very week. He just wanted to see the shop and share memories of the grocery business his father used to manage. He chatted with all of us and was so nice. He was able to tell us where the cash register was and where all the different fruit, veg and meats were located in the store.

“He showed us where he sat when, as a young boy, when he called in to see his dad and might help a bit. It was very upmarket back in those days. He knew the history of the different businesses which were here after Leverett and Frye closed. Apparently he kept track of the shop after he left Limerick for Dublin when his father was made manager of all the Leverett and Frye shops around the country.

“We knew from the first time we moved in here 13 years ago that Terry Wogan’s father had a shop here. Limerick people are very proud of him and often people came in and talked about the olden days when Mr Wogan (senior) ran the Leverett and Frye business here.”