Rathvilly – a village with a vibrant community and great businesses

RATHVILLY is a perfectly-formed village that’s full of vibrant businesses, strongly supported by their loyal customers.

Nestled in the heart of the community, the long-standing Centra branch has recently undergone a stunning renovation, seamlessly combining modern design with familiar charm.

The addition of an An Post office to the shop has greatly added to the services available in the village, offering banking, parcel delivery and bill payment which is very convenient for local people. Whether you’re picking up some groceries, sending a parcel or doing some business, this revitalised store continues to be a beloved hub at the heart of the village.

For a village of Rathvilly’s size, it punches way above its weight in terms of food and refreshments.

People flock from all over the region to eat at The Green Lemon, an award-winning café run by Tracy and Paul that’s renowned for its homemade food and delicious bread and cakes.

“We're proud to serve the local community of Rathvilly with delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Our bakery offers fresh-baked bread, scones and delightful desserts, along with specialty cakes for all occasions. We're excited to announce our new venture into outdoor catering, with delivery available for all your special events. Let us bring our great food and service to your next occasion!” said Tracy. The café is also available in the evenings for hire for private functions so call in or give a ring on 0599116160.

Just across the road from The Green Lemon are two pubs, Lawlor’s and Molloy’s, both of which are part and parcel of life in the village.

Lawlor’s is a modern, vibrant pub with a large function room that caters for all social occasions. There’s also a large outdoor smoking area covered in with a marquee. The pub received a substantial makeover during Covid, being fitted out with all new upholstery, new sound systems, a new bar layout with new beer lines installed.

They currently have three teams in the Carlow Darts League and have also sponsored Slaney Rovers Soccer Club with training tops and match jerseys. Lawlor’s pub has a brilliant atmosphere, especially at the weekends when they have live music on Saturdays at 10pm and Sundays at 6.30pm.

Molloy’s public house is seeped in tradition and history. It’s been in the Molloy family for over 100 years and is now run by Martin who is part and parcel of the village.

Since opening in October 2022, Borza Takeaway has been serving the Rathvilly community and surrounding areas with fresh, tasty food every day.

Whether you're craving fish and chips, burgers, homemade pizza, or kebabs, they've got it all, and everything’s made fresh in the shop.

With a focus on quality and daily preparation, Borza has built up a loyal group of customers, making it a go-to spot for takeaway in the community.

The village is a wonderful place to raise a family, with a local national school within walking distance and for the little ones, there’s the wonderful service offered by Little Learners Montessori and Pre-school. They’ve been running for years in the Village. They are an inclusive, sessional service providing ECCE to eligible children. Children must be two years and eight months before the 1 September to qualify.

“We like to make our service feel like a home from home for all children and families, where children can learn and develop through an emerging curriculum. We have a capacity of 16 children during the ECCE session,” said Sharon Molloy. So with only 16 children in their care, everyone gets as much care and attention as they need.

Another important business is Rathvilly Pharmacy which was established in early 2005 by local pharmacist, Patricia Lawlor. The pharmacy, in an historic granite building, is in a prime village centre location with ample parking spaces. It’s an integral part of community health care, providing advice on medication and all prescription types as well as a wide range of over the counter medicines, supplements and personal care items. In addition, Rathvilly Pharmacy has built up a significant vaccination service and offers a wide range of vaccinations including shingles and influenza.

“The professional team at Rathvilly Pharmacy is proud to serve the people of Rathvilly and surrounding areas. Our range of health care services continue to grow and we will soon celebrate 20 years in operation!” said Patricia.

Rathvilly is a close community where everyone knows and supports each other and where neighbours are friends. That’s particularly true when it comes to the shops and services in the area, like in the Spellbound Nails or the Hair And Beauty Lounge.

Spellbound's Nails, owned by Kim Flynn, opened in May 2023. The salon offers a variety of services, including shellac, biab and gel nails, catering to clients who appreciate both quality and creativity.

“We at the Hair Lounge love all things hair!” said Sarah Kelly who runs the hair salon. “We specialise in hair, scalp and wig therapy while we also do oxygen therapy. We are always fully stocked for hair after care and look forward to welcoming new and existing clients.” The area is steeped in history and is home to the beautiful and historic estate of Lisnavagh. Lisnavagh is a special place that features ancient woodlands, a lake, beautiful scenery and more than a hint of magic and mysticism. It’s the perfect place to host a festival like Hidden Hearth.

The festival is directed by Oonagh O’Sullivan and Emily Bunbury, whose family resides at the historic estate.

It’s a special festival that’s poised to light up Ireland’s Ancient East from 11 to 13 October. This alcohol and substance free festival blends the arts, music, poetry, and the rich tapestry of Irish language and heritage into a profound three-day experience. Festival-goers will engage in meditation, yoga, breathwork, and masterclasses on food. There’s also a brilliant music line up including John Spillane, Liam O’Moanlaí, Wallis Bird and Bog Bodies. Expect magic and madness in the forest as people sing, dance and connect with nature and each other! For more information or to book tickets see www.hiddenhearthfestival.ie 

In Rathvilly Garden Centre, you’ll find the finest flowers, shrubs and plants for your garden. This time of year is particularly special in the centre because the place is festooned with Halloween decorations, with a huge choice of pumpkins for sale. Owner Dermot Byrne grows the pumpkins on his land so it’s lovely for him to see the fruit of his labours being so appreciated by his customers. He also has a range of home grown potatoes for sale, including Irish Gold, Charlottes and the Duke of York varieties. They also have a huge range of autumn bulbs that if they’re planted now, they’ll add bursts of colour to your flower beds and pots in the Spring time. Dermot has 25 years’ experience in horticulture and is always happy to advise his customers about their gardens.

Flowers are used to mark the most important occasions in our lives, from the joyous milestones like weddings right through to sadder times when a loved one passes away.

It takes a special, kind service to help a family that’s bereaving and John Halligan’s reputation is impeccable. Families appreciate the respect that John and his team show to them in their time of need.

Established by John in 1987, Halligans Funeral Directors is a family-run business who pride themselves as respected funeral specialists. They recently opened their second funeral home in Barrack Street, Tullow which will also serve as a cremation service chapel. Their service is available to their clients personally 24 hrs a day, seven days a week.

Also an essential business in the village is Halligan Bros garage, run by another member of the Halligan family, Pat. The business was originally set up by Paddy and Joe Halligan in 1946 when they build a garage there. The business has been thriving ever since with generations of local families going to Halligans for their car services and repairs.

Part of the fabric of Rathvilly village is their local credit union. It’s been helping generations of families for years, assisting them with loans for the big moments in life – whether it’s buying a car, doing up a house or may be even getting married!

The Rathvilly branch is part of the Carlow District Credit Union Ltd and is a co-operative based financial institution, owned by its members for the benefit of its members. They provide safe and secure savings accounts, low interest rate loans, mortgages, insurance and more. Visit their website at carlowcreditunion.ie or download the app today.

Rathvilly is a perfectly sized village in that it has everything that the locals might need such as groceries, delicious food, hospitality in the local pubs, beauty needs and, above all, a community that supports and appreciates its local businesses!