The rivalry between Meath and Louth dates back many decades when both teams were battling for All-Ireland titles in the 40s and 50s. Despite, the fact that Louth have been waiting 50 years to reach the Leinster final, the intensity and rivalry between the counties has never diminished in anyway.

Gaelic football is part of our national heritage and it has proven to be a major part of everyone's lives in this country in some way, shape or form. The banter created from potential clashes is common place and it is no different in the lead up to this year's Leinster final as the Wee County realise their dream final against the 'aul enemy'.

People from both counties meet in everyday life and the main talking point in the last week of June and the first week of July was the meeting of the two in the provincial final.

Whether it be in a pub, shop, restaurant or a doctor's waiting room, the focus of attention is the match. One such location where GAA talk has been common place for many years is Eddie's Hardware in Drogheda.

This long established builder merchants could be compared to the RTE studios where the Sunday Game is held as most Monday mornings are dominated with analysis of the previous weekends GAA action.

Opinions may differ on many an occasion, but there is always a mutual respect among the customers as they go about their business. General manager Noel O'Connor may be accustomed to filling the Michael Lyster role and although he hails from Slane in Co Meath, Noel stresses to Hogan Stand that Eddie's Hardware is very much a neutral venue.

"There is great banter here with regards the GAA and that has certainly intensified after Louth and Meath reached this year's Leinster final. We would have a large customer base from both counties and indeed even further afield, so you can imagine the craic when some of them meet here," said Noel.

"The majority of our customers would have a connection to the GAA in some way, we realise that it is a major part of people's lives and on that front we help out with sponsorship where we can.

"We have been involved in a number of different fundraisers for clubs in the surrounding area and we like to help out where we can as we feel that it is important to give something back to the community."

This year sees Eddie's celebrate its 21st anniversary and it is a testament to the service that they provide that the business has lasted so long. Their dedication and commitment to providing a top quality service aligned with competitive prices for all the top brands has seen their customer base increase considerably over the years.

"We have worked hard to build up the customer base over the years. When we first started we spent a lot of time getting the customers in through the doors and thankfully they have stayed with us."

Noel revealed that despite the downturn in the building trade, business is still steady and he believes that one of the reasons for this is that they treated every customer big or small with the same respect.

"Even though, the building trade has suffered greatly in the last eighteen months or so. There is still a good bit of private work. We would have a lot of customers that concentrate on small jobs. Throughout the good times, we always gave them the same level of service as the bigger firms and thankfully we did as they are the ones that are still around today.

"There is the odd small housing development going on at the moment, while there are a number of school projects in the pipeline, so all in all, we're hoping that business will continue picking up steadily."

Situated on Scarlett street, Eddie's is a one stop shop for builders as its large premises houses everything from the smallest screw to the largest equipment needed on a site.

With 20 employees on the books, one can see that the business is a growing concern and Noel admitted that the staff have played a huge part in the success of the business down through the years.

"Most of the employees have been with us for many years now and they have built up a good rapport with the customers during that time, which is very important. They know their jobs inside out at this stage and sometimes know what the customer wants even before they do.

"Without a loyal and efficient staff, most businesses would struggle to continue, but we are very fortunate on that front and hopefully all of them will be with us for many years to come."

Having been in the trade for the past 21 years, Eddie's has become synonymous with  looking after the builders in the Louth/Meath area and Noel is confident that they can continue doing so for many years to come.

"Certainly, if we continue to give the customers what they want at reasonable prices, then there is no reason why the business can't continue to flourish. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers for their custom over the years, many of whom have been with us since the business was first established.

"Our aim for the future is to continue providing a good service and working closely with our customers to try and improve the business in anyway that we can. The building trade is going through a turbulent time, but hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel and it will pick up in the near future." 

 

Tweet

Most Read Stories