The truly great thing about the GAA is the manner in which it seeps through the very fabric of Irish society. The Association is at the very heart of our communities, providing a vital service to our people and sustaining our very existence. In its own way, Smith's Super Valu in Monksland, Athlone is part of the incredible, complex equation that is Westmeath GAA. The All-Ireland finals at Croke Park in September are the very pinnacle of the Gaelic Athletic Association. These matches represent the tip of a deeply-rooted triangle that reaches down beyond grassroots level into the very core of Irish identity. Behind the scenes, beyond the tireless foot soldiers who nurture and preserve the GAA, there is a network of businesses, organisations, companies and individuals dotted throughout the nation's communities - and these people keep gaelic games alive through their endless support, encouragement and patronage. Often, they dig deep into their pockets to offer financial sponsorship; other times, they launch schemes and initiatives to encourage people to take part in the indigenous codes. Super Valu is one body that has always been extremely supportive of the GAA. Various stores all over the country sponsor local clubs and SV is also a notable benefactor of gaelic football and hurling through its Kids In Action initiative, which has been operational nationwide for many years now. As an inherent part of the local community - and a major supporter of local business to boot - Smith's Super Valu in Monksland, Athlone is doing its bit to promote the GAA in the Lake County. The store is 100% Irish; it is a local entity, with an emphasis on providing for the locality; and it's part of a brand that prides itself on being a significant buyer of Irish goods. The resplendent store at Monksland is owned by Michael Smith and recently celebrated its second anniversary, having thrown open its doors to the public in March of 2007. Michael moved into the area from Dublin and developed the site, opening a brand new, purpose built, self contained Super Valu outlet - much to the obvious approval of the locals. The complete ease of access is one of Smith's Super Valu's major selling points, as it is located close enough to Athlone centre to serve a large population yet far enough from the town's bottlenecks to be considered convenient. At present, the store comprises some 10,000 square feet, but planning permission has already been acquired for an additional 4,000 sq ft. It is the flagship store in the River Village Retail Centre, which boasts 15 retail units in total. The owner and his store manager Tim Dolan make a point of supporting local suppliers and businesses as much as possible. All their meat is sourced from Irish suppliers and, wherever possible, Irish produce is purchased and stocked on the shelves. This is store policy and this positive outlook towards everything Irish is good for the locality and the county and nation as a whole. With well-stocked fresh fruit and veg, meat and poultry and general grocery sections, Smith's Super Valu also offers an in-store bakery, an ATM, mobile phone top-ups, full lotto and full off-licence services. The opening hours are extremely generous - above and beyond the hours of most shops - 7.30am-10pm Monday-Saturday and 9am-8pm Sundays and Bank Holidays. "We try to stay open as long as possible and to cater for those who want to do their shopping outside of working hours. People need flexible stores these days and we are here to provide a great service to people from both the Roscommon and Westmeath sides of Athlone," Tim notes. Gainful employment is provided to a total of 50 people at present, including 35 full-time employees. This, too, is of inestimable value to the local economy, especially in these testing times for all. As for the convenient access, Tim continues: "It really is very handy. You just take the slip road for Tuam coming out of town and you can't miss us. There's ample surfaced parking here, with space for up to 200 cars. We like to think this helps take the stress out of shopping. Super Valu provides great value for money as it is a large buyer and our easy access, coming in and out, makes us a much more attractive proposition than the congested town centre." The business has gone every bit as well as projected since it started out a couple of years ago, and this is backed up by the owner's plans to expand the store in the not-too-distant future. Smith's Super Valu has never been shy when it comes to supporting local clubs and other worthy causes, as Tim reveals: "The Kids in Action is a big one with Super Valu and I'm sure that is proving very helpful to all the local GAA clubs. We also sponsored Feile locally in 2007 and we have provided some sponsorship to the Clann na Gael club in Roscommon. We are extremely community-orientated and we try our best to support anybody who approaches us looking for a bit of help or assistance. "Most of our employees would be living locally and we also support local suppliers wherever possible, so we like to think we're an important part of the community here. We're community-conscious and we do our best to look out for the people in the area and to give our customers a quality service that they can depend on." Tim is originally from Ballinasloe and he's a keen GAA supporter. The store owner, Michael Smith, is also a GAA supporter and both men are looking forward to the action this summer. Needless to say, though they're not Westmeath natives, they'll be cheering for the boys in maroon and hoping they can give the area a boost with some good results. As for the future of the store, Tim is confident that they can see out the present nationwide downturn and rise to the challenges that lie ahead: "The challenge at the minute is all about price, service and quality. If we can deliver consistently on all three fronts, then we shouldn't have anything to worry about. We have always offered customers top quality products and services at a competitive price, so we'll continue to do so, always with an eye on being as competitive as possible without compromising on quality. "As part of the Super Valu group, which is a massive organisation, we have huge buying power and that helps us to get he value out there to the people of Athlone and beyond. So remaining competitive will not be a problem." Clearly, Westmeath GAA and Smith's Super Valu, Monksland have a lot in common! Tweet

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