PROUD family and friends watched on as the McAuliffe/Sweeney sisters unveiled the ‘Coirneal Mhic Suibhne’, ‘Sweeney’s Corner’ heritage stone outside Bank of Ireland in Falcarragh.
The location of the stone marks where the family run business began over one hundred years ago.
In 1920, Cassie Sweeney (McFadden) opened a small drapers shop called ‘Sweeney’s Drapers’.
The shop mainly sold household items and other essentials. At the young age of eighteen, Cassie’s daughter, Mary McAuliffe took over the business.
Paying close attention to the trends at the time, she developed the shop by introducing stylish clothing and renaming it ‘Sweeney’s Fashion House’.
Many items stocked were designed by her sister Greta Sweeney who was a fashion designer in Dublin who produced many garments using Donegal tweed.
After she married Jack Mc Auliffe, Mary began trialling a pop-up shop in Dunfanaghy before eventually moving her entire business over in 1969.
She worked alongside Jack and his chemist for many years in what was known as the ‘Tweed & Fashion Shop’.
After Jack and Mary retired, their daughter Anne McNamara took over the business and it eventually became ‘Mc Auliffe’s Craft Shop’.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Anne’s son Conor McNamara said the shop has evolved and transformed many times, but its core values remain unchanged – placing people and the community at the centre of all they do.
“I am now the fourth generation working in the business and I am very proud to continue the journey while keeping this heritage-rich story alive,” he said.
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