Danielle Eriksson dropped into the Milk Market to meet shoppers and stallholders
LIMERICK’S revamped Milk Market is a huge hit with locals and visitors alike.
However, not all the stall holders are pleased and a couple expressed the view that it had lost its old atmosphere.
“It’s like stepping out of Limerick city,” commented one male shopper, when the Limerick Post dropped in last weekend.
Even though this writer grew up in the Granville Park area of Limerick, my last visit was as a child.
My personal memories were mainly of fruit and vegetable stalls, gardening stalls, dodgy goods and cheap clothes.
In those days, stepping into the centre of the market one observed hardened sales people with a variety of goods on display, from a small table at the back of a van to intricate builders tools.
Practically all the foodstuffs, from chocolate to delicious looking cakes, plus the pick of the crop from the farm, were home produce.
Nearby, was a huge selection of tools and household equipment, which, in the main, looked to be second-hand.
Nonetheless, there were buyers, prepared to haggle with the vendors for the best possible price.
“Two for a fiver,” shouted one middle-aged man, as he tried to persuade passers-by to stop and at least look at the ornaments he had available.
Also in days gone by, despite the cold weather, the liveliness, shouting and the rush within the market meant that it was always a good day out.
On my visit last week, I enquired from one stall holder about the price of a telescope, I was told: “€100 and €30 for binoculars”.
Eventually, both the telescope and the binoculars were up for grabs at €50.
In keeping with the times, nicely presented foods from other countries were available.
The stalls were more orderly than before, and prices varied significantly.
The reaction from people who crossed my path was positive.
Sarah Shanahan, from Dooradoyle, enjoys the activity at the market.
“I like that people can come here and just chat away to each other.
“You don’t feel that you have to buy something. You can just come for the atmosphere”.
Ian McCarthy, from the Strand, makes his way to the market every Saturday for breakfast.
“The smell from the food is nice. It is a lot busier here than it used to be and the quality is a lot nicer”.
Hazel Ryan, from Raheen, was delighted to see what she described as many new faces at the market.
“The layout is a lot better now. You are more inclined to go.
“It is nice that there are people selling local handmade crafts. You also feel that you are supporting the local economy”.
Cillian Boyd, from Ennis, is an entertainer at the milk market and plays the flute.
“It is very lively here. The people enjoy the music. I used to play the guitar but now I play mostly the flute. The people can identify a lot more with the trad music and they enjoy it”.
Despite the positive comments from shoppers, stall owners gave a different reaction.
John O’Brien, from Murroe, operates a fruit and vegetable stall.
“I think it was better the other way. I preferred the atmosphere at the old market. It is a much younger crowd and they don’t come for the fruit and veg. Most of the older people also say that they preferred the atmosphere at the old market”.
Another stall owner agreed that the new market has lost some of its appeal. “I have been working in the market for 30 years. There is a lot more hassle now and a lot more work. Parking is a problem. We park at the Potato Market, which means that we have to carry our products all the way up to here. We can’t park on the streets because we could get a parking ticket.
“There isn’t much sunshine coming through either because of the cover, so it can get very cold”.
What should be said is that the market has brought activity and liveliness back into Limerick.
With street entertainers, face painting for kids and crêpes for sale, it continues to provide a good day out for those seeking something different.
