Christmas in Tipperary: shopping local at Nenagh's Country Market

With appeals going out for people to shop local this Christmas, you can’t get much more local than the Country Market in Nenagh.

“You couldn’t get more local than this,” says chairwoman Alice Wallace. “We are all local women - and there's a few men. Everything is homemade, no additives, no preservatives, no air miles, just a few car miles.”

Going strong for the past 57 years, the Friday market in the New Institute, draws customers from near and far - with many waiting outside before it opens its doors at 8am.

“Come in early,” pleads chairperson Alice Wallace, warning that the final market before Christmas will be this Friday, December 17. “Between 9am and 10am is our busiest hour.”

Among the local produce on offer are Christmas puddings, cakes and floral arrangements that wouldn’t be out of place at Chelsea Flower Show.

They also have all the “usual stuff, says Alice, from bread to mince pies to tarts to pavlovas to free range eggs.

However, they can’t guarantee that there will be an ample supply of duck eggs as, it appears, ducks can be temperamental when it comes to laying in cold weather.

“It depends on how cold the weather is. They don’t like the cold much,” says Alice.

While Covid has brought difficult times to all businesses, Alice says the Country Market has had good support.

“Nenagh is very good at supporting us. We have a one-way system, so you are in one way and out the other way,” she says.

Alice says they are looking forward to seeing all their regulars and thanked them all for supporting the market down through the years.

“It has been difficult for everybody, but the support is brilliant," says Alice.

The market only closes for a few weeks during the year, and after this Friday, it will not reopen until sometime towards the end of January.