After 102 years in business, a newsagent in Clonakilty, Co. Cork is closing its doors for the last time on Christmas Eve.

J. MacCarthy's is a special store in the town of Clonakilty that has been owned by three generations of the same family.

This year the owners, David and Kay McCarthy have decided to retire and enjoy life in their older years. 

Speaking to The Southern Star, David said: 

"We’ve had it up for sale for three years now and it was only this summer we decided that we would close the shop for good,

"We will miss it alright, but the hours are very long. I’m hoping that someone will come in and buy the premises and I would be open to leasing the premises if some interested party was interested."

The shop has historical significance because it is also the last place that Michael Collins was seen in public before he was shot dead on August 22nd, 1922. He had stopped in to buy some newspapers. 

Michael Collins was a revolutionary, a soldier and a politician and was involved in a bitter civil war with Éamon de Valera when he was shot in the head during an ambush.

His death remains a mystery for many as there were only a small number of witnesses at the scene. 

Since making the announcement of closure, David said that they will miss all the people they've met while working there:

"I will miss it as I’ve met some wonderful people and there’s great comradery there. I must say it’s been a pleasure, even though I came into it by default as did my father John. I will also miss the interaction alright and I’m sure Kay and my daughter Ciara, who has also worked here, will too. We will have a small bit of a goodbye gathering the day before we close,"

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