What became of James O'Neill ?

Mr_Hat

James O'Neill was the guy who brought LIdel and Aldi to Drogheda. Does anyone onw know what happened him. I thought he'd become a community activist and run in the local elections. Does anyone know whats become of him?

Antibac

I've seen him round town. Mainly round scarlet street area. Might live up that way. think he works in that computer place on stockwell street.

Biggins

Antibac wrote: »

I've seen him round town. Mainly round scarlet street area. Might live up that way. think he works in that computer place on stockwell street.

I think thats the same chap.
Also, he runs/owns www.solo.ie

Wolfe Tone

I remember that stupid campaign, I wonder how much harm those shops have done to local ones.

Biggins

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

I remember that stupid campaign, I wonder how much harm those shops have done to local ones.

I don't think he trying to bring Aldi or Lidel into the town has had a direct effect on shoe shops, on clothing shops, on bar and food places, besides chemists, phone shops, furniture shops etc.
I think that would be stretching it a bit.
The arrival of the outer shopping industrial parks are the greater cause of West street being starved - which by the way if you ever notice Dunnes Stores in West st, is always busy as is Tesco's across the road so Aldi/Lidle has had NO effect on them significantly.
So if you looking to blame someone/something - at least aim in a more correct direction!

It wasn't a stupid campaign. It was one that has served (and saved money) people well - as as times are currently more tough at the moment, a lot of people are damn glad they are able to buy cheaper food in the likes of Aldi and Lidle.
"Eaten bread is soon forgotten thou" isn't it!

The Tully's and Monaghan's that kept them out for such a long while with their local interference, thankfully are gone now.
(They were over-priced and refused to lower their prices. They paid for their own mistakes)
Drogheda is better served by the more availability of cheaper food.

Talk about some people being ungrateful by bitching about a man that is only trying to serve the greater community - and not even getting paid to do it!

Wolfe Tone

It was a ridiculous campaign Biggins, and I stand by that. Are you telling me that it had no effect on Irish run local shops? Is a couple of very cheap superstores really going to help the local economy or struggling shops already struggling to compete with Tescos etc?

I distinctly remember him asking for my signature, listening to him talk it was as if he wanted a lidl on every street corner, he was bitching about there being no Lidl/Aldi on a particular side of the river ffs.

Biggins

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

It was a ridiculous campaign Biggins, and I stand by that. Are you telling me that it had no effect on Irish run local shops? Is a couple of very cheap superstores really going to help the local economy or struggling shops already struggling to compete with Tescos etc?

I distinctly remember him asking for my signature, listening to him talk it was as if he wanted a lidl on every street corner, he was bitching about there being no Lidl/Aldi on a particular side of the river ffs.

You said and I quote "how much harm those shops have done to local ones."

Its two/three shops for gods sake!
Are you seriously saying that those 2/3 shops are the demise of the centre of the town?
Seriously?

I too remember the many long years that those shops were elsewhere - that is EXCEPT Drogheda - because a few well known and well connected West street business snobs didn't want them in the town.
Well they got over-ruled eventually - and thank fcuk!
...Ant you know why? Because there actually WAS enough people who wanted these cheaper shops.
Well pardon fcuking us for wanting cheaper food!


If your espousing that 2/3 shops are the sole reason for the decline of West street and its many varied shops, most of which sell nothing in product comparison to Aldi or Lidle, frankly you haven't a clue what your talking about nor had the experience of many, many years of having to suffer that the bullying of a few well known shop heads, you really need to aim your gun of blame at another more appropriate direction.

Pure stupidity.

Are you telling me that it had no effect on Irish run local shops?

Again, for you seem to be deaf or blind the first time I said it - The arrival of the outer shopping industrial parks are the greater cause of West street being starved.

zac8

The consumer was the winner here and anyone who disagrees with that is probably one of the town centre retailers who failed to adapt.

Wolfe Tone

Biggins wrote: »

You said and I quote "how much harm those shops have done to local ones."

Its two/three shops for gods sake!
Are you seriously saying that those 2/3 shops are the demise of the centre of the town?
Seriously?

I too remember the many long years that those shops were elsewhere - that is EXCEPT Drogheda - because a few well known and well connected West street business snobs didn't want them in the town.
Well they got over-ruled eventually - and thank fcuk!
...Ant you know why? Because there actually WAS enough people who wanted these cheaper shops.
Well pardon fcuking us for wanting cheaper food!




If your espousing that 2/3 shops are the sole reason for the decline of West street and its many varied shops, most of which sell nothing in product comparison to Aldi or Lidle, frankly you haven't a clue what your talking about nor had the experience of many, many years of having to suffer that the bullying of a few well known shop heads, you really need to aim your gun of blame at another more appropriate direction.

Pure stupidity.

Again, for you seem to be deaf or blind the first time I said it - The arrival of the outer shopping industrial parks are the greater cause of West street being starved.

I didnt mention West Street at all did I? And ease back on calling my opinion stupidity.


Now Biggins, can you not see how these shops can effect local ones, such as corner shops etc, which simply can't compete with Tescos prices, never mind Lidl and Aldi. Lidl and Aldi don't contribute to the local economy like those type of shops do. The profits leave the area and ultimately while everyone is stuffing their faces with the cheap food the town suffers.

I say buy Irish, or at least from Irish run shops and help out the local economy rather than have the profits disappear back to Germany.

It seemed to me, especially when he was campaigning for Lidls on specific sides of the river closer to his house, that a great deal of his campaign was an ego trip.

Biggins

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Now Biggins, can you not see how these shops can effect local ones, such as corner shops etc, which simply can't compete with Tescos prices, never mind Lidl and Aldi. Lidl and Aldi don't contribute to the local economy like those type of shops do. The profits leave the area and ultimately while everyone is stuffing their faces with the cheap food the town suffers.

I say buy Irish, or at least from Irish run shops and help out the local economy rather than have the profits disappear back to Germany.

Any "corner shops" that your attempting to mention - were previously deeply effected ANYWAY for years beforehand by the arrival of a lot more of the likes of Dunnes, Quinnsworth, Spar, Tescos, etc than just the arrival of the 2/3 shops in the last few years. Again just blaming Aldi/lidle is just short-sightedness and a total lack of understanding about the situation that has beeing going on now for 25+ years.
(I take it you wouldn't know about this as your younger and not aware of other important aspects)

Where the profits go - is a whole other topic and has NOTHING to do with the effect on the center of the town!
...And by the way, where do you think the profits go of the other main big retailers go? Are you saying they keep their money in the town? Seriously? You can't be that uninformed!

Mr_Hat

Anyone know why he just stopped. I expected him to run on the local elections and to do at least resonably well.

Mr_Hat

I think we can all agree the food from Aldi and Lidel isnt the tastiest.

Wolfe Tone

Mr_Hat wrote: »

Anyone know why he just stopped. I expected him to run on the local elections and to do at least resonably well.

No idea, don't think I would vote for him though

Biggins

Mr_Hat wrote: »

Anyone know why he just stopped. I expected him to run on the local elections and to do at least reasonably well.

As one that knows the local political scene first hand (head of a local large cumann at one stage and finance treasurer for a Louth party), the local political landscape can be VERY closed shop and to a great deal very back-stabbing.
Any independent seriously face an unbelievable uphill struggle.

I don't know even if James had any political aspirations or his reason for not running, if he had wished to but certainly he would have become very more aware of the situation had he decided to look into the matter.

I would have like to see someone like him run. The town needs new blood and vigour like his.
Not still a lot of the old boys club that still seems to operate around the area at times.

Mr_Hat

Next town council elections Biggins. I wanna see you on the paper!
For REAL this time. No excuses and no pussyfooting about. Ok. Maybe you can talk James in to running as well.. Twould be good for the town If Shanks can get elected no reason you two cant.

whelan1

Mr_Hat wrote: »

I think we can all agree the food from Aldi and Lidel isnt the tastiest.

are you for real, just because its cheaper doesnt mean its not tastier ... cop on

The Grammar Police!

I thought James O'Neill is Biggins, no?

Mr_Hat

The Grammar Police! wrote: »

I thought James O'Neill is Biggins, no?

Is he, I always thought he was someone else. In fact I'm pretty sure he is someone else.

Mr_Hat

whelan1 wrote: »

are you for real, just because its cheaper doesnt mean its not tastier ... cop on

There cereal is like cardboard, and prawns are full of fat. Its the only food I've ever found the packaging tastier then the food.

Wolfe Tone

The Grammar Police! wrote: »

I thought James O'Neill is Biggins, no?

Apparently not

Biggins

The Grammar Police! wrote: »

I thought James O'Neill is Biggins, no?

MOST certainly not.

...And anyone that says this, that I am, is an idiot.

whelan1

Mr_Hat wrote: »

There cereal is like cardboard, and prawns are full of fat. Its the only food I've ever found the packaging tastier then the food.

well thats your opinion... there are plenty who dont agree with you

The Grammar Police!

Biggins wrote: »

MOST certainly not.
...And anyone that says this, that I am, is an idiot.

Oh ok, my mistake, sorry.
Doesn't mean I'm an idiot though and there's no need to call me one.

Biggins

The Grammar Police! wrote: »

Oh ok, my mistake, sorry.
Doesn't mean I'm an idiot though and there's no need to call me one.

Didn't say YOU were one.
Long version: I said if anyone actually comes out and says I AM James - is an idiot.
You were just asking a question and that a-ok.

lamoss

If it was not for the likes of Aldi/Lidl we all would be paying top prices for our food. Even if you never use them they have shaken up the grocery trade in this country and made it more competitve.

I remember shopping in west street years ago before all the out of town shops and aldi/lidl came along. Nowhere to park......the only place which had a car park was supervalue and you would be lucky to get parked up in their if it was a friday or saturday. Their was no price competion in these shops (Supervalue, Dunnes, Crazy prices ) all the same prices , never any special offers no 2 for ones. Nice cozy cartels :mad: They fleeced us for years :mad:

When Aldi first arrived in the area, it was in Dundalk, Newry road, We heard about it though a relative and we went to try it one saturday........It was jammed pack, the car park was full and cars were queing in the road to get in :eek:

Lots of people were coming up from Drogheda to shop there.
The shopping was so bad in Drogheda that lots of people went to Dundalk or Blanchardstown to shop . The town was losing money every week.

Finally........Do you remember when Lidl opened its first store on the Donore road? Dunnes dropped a lot of its prices in the scotch hall store and was Offering 25% back on its loyalty card. It is funny how prices can be bought down when their is serious competition . Their prices offer a lot more value now then they ever did in the past.

I have to agree with Lidl/Aldi being great for the town. Fantastic stores when it comes to shopping value. Tesco aren't too bad either (at least for the kinda things I'd be buying).

Used to work in Dunnes and I remember the first Day Lidl opened when I was at work (late shift) and on the way to the canteen a few of the other staff were talking about how Lidl had 'beaten'* both Dunnes and Tesco.


*By beaten, I assumed he meant brought in more money or had more total shoppers or somesuch. Thinking back, I'm not entirely sure what was being referenced, or how they'd have gotten such stats so quickly, though he was reading from a sheet of paper.


I remember we used to go to Balbriggan to their Lidl.

event

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

I didnt mention West Street at all did I? And ease back on calling my opinion stupidity.


Now Biggins, can you not see how these shops can effect local ones, such as corner shops etc, which simply can't compete with Tescos prices, never mind Lidl and Aldi. Lidl and Aldi don't contribute to the local economy like those type of shops do. The profits leave the area and ultimately while everyone is stuffing their faces with the cheap food the town suffers.

I say buy Irish, or at least from Irish run shops and help out the local economy rather than have the profits disappear back to Germany.

It seemed to me, especially when he was campaigning for Lidls on specific sides of the river closer to his house, that a great deal of his campaign was an ego trip.

so the people who are employed by aldi and lidl dont spend any of their wages in the town?
of course they do, which means in turn they ARE contributing to the local area.

talking about buying Irish? perhaps you should have a read of this before you spout ignorance
http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/product_range/best_of_ireland.htm

EI8GHB

As a father of five kids, I can definitely say Aldi has saved me a fortune. We do our week's shopping there and overfill a trolley each week for around 120 euro. The same trolley in Dunnes or Tesco would cost 200+. There are some things in Aldi I don't like (pasta sauce, beans, their corn flakes etc) but I just nip over to 24 hour Tesco and get the rest there.

I believe James O'Neill's intervention in the matter was driven by wholehearted reasons, and not for any political gain. He simply wanted to give voice to the ordinary citizen/shopper while RGDATA and its powerful allies made every attempt possible to keep these stores out of town.

I, for one, have a better quality of life as a result of these discount stores. It's given us far more choice, and there's both an Aldi and Lidl close to where I live. Free parking, and plenty of it, and a huge choice of foods and products, much of it produced in Ireland.

I believe too that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Not everyone will agree with mine. But James O'Neill did the ordinary Drogheda citizen a massive favour with his campaign and I thank him for it.

EI8GHB

PS: I was one of those who drove from Drogheda to Dundalk to shop in Aldi on the Newry Road once a week because I simply could not afford to do my shopping anywhere else.

borderlinemeath

When I moved to Drogheda the only places to shop were Dunnes and Tesco on West St or SuperValu which was far more expensive than it was these days. And parking was crap in the town.

I used to shop on my way home from Dublin in either Lidl in Balbriggan or Blanch so I was delighted to see them come to the town. Although I didn't and still don't think Drogheda was big enough to sustain 2 Aldis and 2 Lidls.

Apart from the outer town retail parks, Drogheda Borough Council made a rod for their own back with the redevelopment of West St. An absolute disaster and did irreperable damage to the traders on West St and surrounding streets. This was a huge factor in destroying local businesses and taking revenue out of the town.

Another factor was the exchange rate and the craze for cross border shopping. It certainly wasn't down to the introduction of german discounters in the town.

Mr_Hat

Was Ken O'Heiligh involved in getting Aldi and Lidel in to Drogheda. I'm sick of all his nonsense with the M1 Toll. I cant see that ever changing.