The Travelling Shop

The Kennedy family have taken on a new and interesting project – that of preserving the memory of “the travelling shop”, something that was part and parcel of rural life throughout Leitrim for many decades.

A 1950’s Austin Loadstar 2 tonne lorry that had been used as an army mobile canteen and later as a travelling shop in the Louth area, was purchased in August 2009 by the Kennedy’s.

Though in dilapidated condition in every aspect at that time, the lorry has been fully restored to its original mint condition through the painstaking attention to detail by Alan Kennedy and Mick Woods, Drumsna and also by Padraig Prior of Prior’s Garage, Ballinamore who took responsibility for the paint work.

The rebuilt vehicle will fully replicate the travelling shops of old, with the brightly painted cab, shelves of groceries and an array of household necessities ranging from flour to washing powder to paraffin oil.

As would be fitting, all goods will be as they were packaged through the years and the museum curators have sourced an amazing array of such commodities.