Footfall up at Navan SC as Pat prepares to step away

There was a bullish atmosphere in Navan Shopping Centre in the run up to Christmas with businesses expecting a very successful festive season.

For Pat Mullaney, manager of the facility for the past 30 years it was great to see. He is retiring next year and was delighted that his last Christmas in the Shopping Centre, was such a very busy one.

The very cold weather affected footfall when it was at its coldest last week, but the retailers were very happy. "Some businesses were reporting sales up 30 per cent on last year," he said.

"They are all doing very well and while the bad weather took its toll, the people will come out and the sentiment is that it will be a great Christmas."

Pat said footfall was up five per cent on the previous year two weeks ago with an extremely busy midweek - up 18 per cent on the same period last year, but when the cold snap came, it was down two per cent on the previous year.

"People don't want to travel in the very cold weather, but they are coming out and we are predicting a very successful Christmas this year."

Pat was particularly glad to see a successful Christmas, as it will be his last, after 30 years at the helm of Navan Shopping Centre.

"The plan is to retire at the end of February," he said.

"I started in Navan Shopping Centre on 1st May 1992 and at the time, it was owned by Monarch Properties."

In the intervening years, the facility has grown enormously, was owned by Duignan and McCarthy and is now overseen by Davy Asset Management and Aramack Property management.

Pat was born in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo and moved to Dublin when he was six, where he lived until 1983, when he bought a shop in Blackcastle in Navan.

"The shop was called Grocer Pat's and I was there until I took over in the shopping centre in 1992.

"I had been a store and property manager for Superquinn before I opened the shop.

"I remember when I had the shop I would sometimes go for a coffee in the Coffee Garden in the Shopping Centre.

"Id be sitting there, looking around, thinking I'd love to have my shop there, but it was unlikely while Quinnsworth as there. It's funny how I ended up there, but in another way."

When asked if he is looking forward to retirement, Pat says he tends to live in the present.

"I try to be present in the moment and it is a happy way to live - I don't worry about the future.

" I have a lot of interests outside of work. I'm involved with Tabor House, the addiction charity and there are plans to open a new centre for women next year.

"I love golf and have been doing a lot of cycling. I did the Ring of Kerry last September.

"I'll probably extend my voluntary work and maybe take up singing again," he said.