A Laois man has bought a Supervalu branch after running it as manager for over 18 years.

Mr Paddy Holohan from Rathdowney has officially bought Daly's Supervalu in Greystones, Co. Wicklow.

Mr Holohan first began his career with Supervalu as an after school job in 1991.

"I started working in 1991 for Pat Delaney in Supervalu Rathdowney, packing half stone bags of potatoes," Mr Holohan told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"I began working on the shop floor, and went on to work on the fruit and veg, the deli and the butchers. I worked part time during school hours and full time during the holidays," he explained.

"After my Leaving Cert, I went to DIT and worked in The Card Stand in the square for a while. I started as a trainee manager in Supervalu in 1996, when i wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I'm still in the business it all these years later," he said.

Mr Holohan has worked in several Supervalu branches throughout his career; Rathdowney, Maynooth, Kinnegad, Bayside, and Carrick-on-Suir.

"I bounced around the place before I had the kids and had a mortgage- I did a year in Australia in 2002, and I worked in a supermarket called 'Supavalue' down there," he laughed.

Mr Holohan moved to Greystones in 2007, and began working as a manager in Daly's Supervalu.

"I had only planned to be there for a year or two at most, and I wanted my own little place at the time. Two years later, things were very different when the recession hit," Mr Holohan said.

"I was very happy to work as a PAYE worker, and it was around 2015 that I had the conversation with Ann Daly about her retirement plans. I told her that when she retires, if it were at all possible, I would buy the business. We made an agreement that if it ever hit the market, I would get first refusal, and she was true to her word," he said.

Pictured: Mr Holohan and a customer

Daly's Supervalu officially reopened as Holohan's Supervalu on July 11. The new owner shared that he cannot believe the outpour of support from his local community, and his hometown in Laois.

"Everyone has been so supportive, I have been  bowled over," he said.

"I have been inundated with kind messages and well wishes from customers and locals. My parents, Dinny and Frances, had no idea that I was going to buy the place, when I went home to tell them the news, I called in to Pat Delaney to thank him for giving me a job all those years ago," Mr Holohan shared.

"The staff here seem to be relieved that the new owner is someone they know- better the Divil you know," Mr Holohan laughed.

"I look forward to continuing to support the community, local clubs, charities and schools, the positivity has been overwhelming!" Mr Holohan finished.

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