63 Liberty Square
From the late nineteenth century Edward Davy ran a very well established family grocery business at 63 Liberty Square. Having a wide range of goods on offer he also complemented his grocery business with the provision of hotel accomodation and livery stables to the rear.
The advert shown above is from Bassett’s Guide and Directory, 1889.
On the occasion of the unveiling of the 1798 centenary monument in the middle of the square – unveiled in 1901 – Davy’s Hotel can be seen in the background as hundreds of people gather round for the historic occasion.
In the twentieth century the occupational use of the building changed from that of a family grocer and hotel business to that of a chemist shop when M.A. Tobin, M.P.S.I., opened up another family business, Tobin Brothers, chemist and opticians.
They also had a chemist shop in Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny.
In the early 1970s the addition of a fast food outlet, The Wimpy Bar, to the left hand side of the premises split the business model into two distinct units.
The fast food outlet changed names to that of the Mona Lisa in 1975. Tobin Brothers subsequently retired from the pharmacy business in the middle of the 1970s and the Orlandi family, natives of Italy, opened a restaurant and fast food business encompassing the whole premises.
It remains a very successful family run business, continuing the trend of family run businesses at 63 Liberty Square.
Tipperary County Council is not responsible for content hosted on external websites linked in the buildings review of Cathedral Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.