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Cloughoge Postmistress Mairead Mulkerns is retiring after working for 36 years in the branch which is located inside Mulkerns Eurospar at 51a Forkhill Road, Newry, BT35 8QY. Having started her career at 18 she was the youngest postmaster in NI at the time.
Established in 1976 by Mairead’s Father, Paul Mulkerns, the Mulkerns brand was one of our first stores to offer much needed convenience to the community. Since then it has supplied fresh foods and quality services for over 40 years. With experience in the retail side of the business, in 1986, Mairead and her brother Terry went on to managed the Post Office.
The store being situated close to the border meant Mairead was faced with several periods of unrest during her time as Postmaster. Instances such as robberies and break-ins were at one stage a regular occurrence, and three nearby branches temporarily closed because of this. In spite of the fact that Cloughoge was affected, it remained open and Mairead serviced all of the displaced customers at her branch, until the others were able to re-open.
Mairead said: “Becoming a Postmistress enhanced my personal development, giving me many new skills. I thrived on helping others, giving advice and often just being a constant in the lives of local people. I gained their trust and developed a deep sense of community. I grew and matured alongside the growth of the business.
“I grew up in the area and already knew many customers and with the office being very close to the North, South border, it was the ideal place to attract customers from the South of Ireland.
“As my Post Office is located inside a busy supermarket, it was business as usual during the pandemic, and with safety measures in place things went very well. This was only possible by having a dedicated team lead by the wonderful office manager Brenda. I can’t imagine Cloughoge Post Office without Brenda!
“Now at the age of 55, I’ve decided to retire, take the time to travel and see more of the world in the coming years.
“The office will remain part of the family business in the same location with the same wonderful staff.”
Post Office Area Manager, Timmy Grant, said: “I’d like to thank Mairead for her dedication, years of hard work and service to Cloughoge Post Office. The branch is really at the heart of this community, and I really appreciate the service that has been provided for many years. Mairead is a first-class Postmistress. I’d also like to wish Mairead and her family all the best in the future.”
Mairead's brother Terry will be taking over the role.
