Hogan book fnl

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Serving Limerick through the generations Hogan’s Pharmacy Estd. 1940

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ogan on Pat & Peg H

Photo: The Quinn Collection

ary, 1980.

th Annivers

Hogan’s 40

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HOGAN’S PHARMACY

SMALL BEGINNINGS The doors open to a place in history for the Hogan family at 45 Upper William Street, September 1940.

Hogan’s Pharmacy Interior 1940s Hogan’s Pharmacy Exterior 1940s

, 1980.

at Hogan established Hogan’s medicines were readily available, as well as everyday items like soap, for Pharmacy at 45 Upper William Street in September 1940. Where which Pat had his own effective once the vast majority of local chemist formula—a household staple for many shops were family owned and run, 75 Limerick homes. years later Hogan’s is the longest “When he started out he had no established pharmacy still in the same choice but to work hard. No-one had family—a legacy Pat anything; no-one could only hope for had money. Dad was at the time of working in Clontarf, “When he started opening.

Dublin and he out he had no While Pat, from wanted to come choice but to work the South Circular home but in most Road was jubilant pharmacies, the hard. No-one had at the foundation of proprietor was also anything; no-one the business, this the pharmacist and had money.” happy occasion was very few could in stark contrast to afford to take on - Marie McConn (née Hogan). turbulent events another pharmacist across the water. so your options were The Battle of Britain took place that either you opened your own shop or same month and most of Europe was in you went into the industry as a medical the grip of World War II. Ireland, rep. It was a difficult time to start a though a neutral nation in the conflict, business but he felt it was worth it.” was subject to shortages and rationing.

Marie McConn (née Hogan).

The pharmacist’s role was to ensure

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EARLY DAYS

Marie McConn and Pat Hogan 1990

Pat & Peg Hogan with Tim Sheehan in the 1980s

harmacy has truly evolved since 1940. At that time, each pharmacist carefully mixed and made medicines on their own premises. Raw materials with exotic names like Laudanum, Chlorodyne, Theobroma Oil, Gentian Violet and Balsam of Peru, were sourced from wholesalers. The mixing of these concoctions gave pharmacies their distinctive smell. Pat made a variety of creams, ointments, lotions, syrups and in some cases, tablets and suppositories.

Every pharmacist had their own unique formulae, which were heavily guarded.

Even in the first few years of business, Pat witnessed rapid advancements in medicine.

Antibiotics like

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penicillin went into mass production in 1944 and this forever changed the treatment and outcomes of dangerous infectious diseases. It also boosted the success of surgical procedures. The BCG vaccine was developed in the 1940s, as was effective screening and treatment of tuberculosis.

Customers went to Pat for sound advice as well as treatment for ailments large and small.

“He would’ve built up friendships with a lot of the customers and we have continued those friendships. We have a lot of customers who’d be fourth generation and a couple who are fifth.

He always cared to help the person try to solve the problem when they had an issue. He instilled that in us. We try to go the extra mile.”

Elenora Hogan Pat married Peg Hanly from the Old Cork Road in the late 1950s.

They had two children, Elenora and Marie, and as they grew up Peg worked alongside Pat in the pharmacy, sharing her expertise on household and beauty matters and creating instore and window displays.

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More Than Medicine oil. Coty of Paris and Gala of London He also supplied treatments for four legged patients. Farmers and pet may have been making perfumes and owners alike came from nearby—often cosmetics, but shipment by sea became from local marts, fairs and feed stores— increasingly difficult, while a local to secure medicines for their animals. pharmacy always had essential oils to Even today, Hogan’s offers some add a touch of glamour to locally made remedies for ‘companion animals’. cream.

Aside from urgently required Popular photography developed in medicines, Hogan’s dealt with more the 19th century mundane matters. In and in 1891, Kodak fact, all pharmacies introduced the first “Then, like now, dispensed ‘cures’ commercial roll early on a Saturday pharmacies sold more film. The early days or Monday to help than medicines. Pat of photography people cope with the manufactured demanded precise excesses of the use of chemicals emulsions, creams, weekend! and careful lotions, moisturiser Then, like now, exposure of the pharmacies sold and cold cream” film—similar skills more than to those of the medicines. Pat pharmacist so the manufactured two disciplines had a natural synergy. emulsions, creams, lotions, moisturiser Hogan’s Pharmacy has been processing and cold cream. Before the growth of images and giving the gift of happy modern cosmetics, especially during memories for generations as well as the war years with rationing, beauty providing photo restoration, framing products were fragranced with rose oil, and other services. lavender, gardenia, lemon or orange

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TIMELINE: HOGANS PHARMACY 1940-2015 1940s 1940 Hogan’s Pharmacy opens, Friday 20th September 1940 Limerick wins All Ireland Senior and Minor Hurling Championships 1942 Shannon Airport opens 1944 Penicillin goes into mass production

1960s 1961 RTÉ Television begins broadcasting on New Year’s Eve 1963 John F. Kennedy visits Limerick and is awarded the Freedom of the City 1967 Christiaan Barnard performs first Heart Transplant

1945 World War 2 ends—May in Europe, August in Asia 1948 Ireland wins Rugby Grand Slam

1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 land on the moon, July 20

1940 1956 Ronnie Delaney wins Olympic Gold in the 1500m in Melbourne 1957 Pat Hogan and Peg Hanly marry in University Church, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 1959 Todd’s Department Store destroyed by fire

1950s Hogan’s Pharmacy opens, Friday 20th September 1940

1972 NIHE, now the University of Limerick established. Medical Card Scheme is introduced 1973 Limerick wins All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Ireland joins the European Economic Community (EEC). Irish Pharmacy Union founded, Pat Hogan is Mid-West representative on National Executive Committee.

1978 Munster beat the All Blacks 12-0 in Thomond Park 1979 Pope John Paul II visits Limerick and is awarded the Freedom of the City

1970s

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2000s 2000 Marie Hogan is the first woman to be elected President of the Irish Pharmacy Union

1980s 1981 Radio Luimni with John ‘The Man’ Frawley is established and broadcasts from 47 Upper William Street e

1981 Elenora Hogan qualifies as Pharmaceutical Assistant

2001 9/11, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in the US. 2002 Euro currency enters circulation, replacing the Irish pound

1982 Marie Hogan qualifies as a Pharmacist

2005 Hogans Pharmacy moves to 46 Upper William Street

1987 Elenora Hogan is elected President of Junior Chamber Limerick

2009 Ireland wins second Rugby Grand Slam

1989 The Berlin Wall falls

2014 Limerick is Ireland’s First City of Culture

1989 Pat Hogan retires and Marie and Elenora take over the business

2015 Hogans Pharmacy’s 75th Anniversary Year

2015 1990 Pat & Peg Hogan celebrate 50 years in business 1990 Mary Robinson is the first woman to be elected President of Ireland 1994 Riverdance is first performed, with music composed by Limerick’s Bill Whelan 1996 Peg Hogan passes away 1998 US President Bill Clinton visits Limerick and is awarded the Freedom of the City 1998 Pat Hogan passes away

1990s Elenora Hogan President of Junior Chamber Limerick 1987

Marie Hogan President of the Irish Pharmacy Union in 2000

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6 Celebrating 50 years - Elenora, Pat, Peg & Marie

A NEW ERA “

always wanted to do pharmacy. I spent my summers working there with Dad from an early age and I always enjoyed it. I liked meeting people and helping people. I always knew it was something I wanted to do.”

Elenora Hogan.

“The things that fascinated me first were the smells—a chemical, medicinal smell. That was the smell of a pharmacy because there was still some compounding going on.” Marie McConn.

A new era began for Hogan’s in the 1980s.

Pat’s eldest daughter, Elenora, qualified as a Pharmaceutical Assistant in 1981 and her younger sibling, Marie, qualified as a Pharmacist a year later.

Having helped out in the pharmacy all their lives, over the following years, both returned to Limerick to work full time with their father. Elenora was President of Junior

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Chamber in 1987 and she took leave of absence to work as a project executive with Limerick’s Treaty 300 celebrations in 1991. In 1989, Pat retired and Elenora and Marie took over the business.

Although officially retired, Pat continued to work part-time in Hogan’s for a few years more and celebrated his 50th year in business in 1990. Sadly, Peg Hogan passed away in 1996.

After a distinguished career in business and professional organisations across Limerick and the MidWest Region, Pat passed away in 1998.

Following in her father’s footsteps in being an active union member, Marie Hogan served as President of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) from 20002002.

In 2005, Hogan’s expanded into the neighbouring unit at 46 Upper William Street and broadened its offering further.

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Photo: Sean Curtin

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Photo: Michael Cowhey

Looking Back modern pharmacy is virtually In 75 years, a unrecognisable from the chemist shop huge number of yesteryear. Laudanum, Chlorodyne et of momentous al are long gone, replaced by the local, national complex treatments and and biotechnological products we have international today. events have One thing that hasn’t changed is that occurred. Since 1.4 million people visit Irish 1940, there have been two Limerick Senior Hurling All Ireland wins, two pharmacies on a weekly basis.

Irish Rugby Grand Slams, 20 Irish “We’re trying to provide people with Governments, the the best possible world is on its service in terms of seventh Pope and a medicines and “The modern dozen people have advice on pharmacy is virtually walked on the healthcare as unrecognisable from moon. In the appropriate. We medical arena, the help them access the chemist shop of first heart whatever health yesteryear.” transplant was in services that are 1967, the first baby available because born after the routes to some conception by IVF was in 1978 and the services can be complex and people can have difficulties navigating them. first animal to be cloned was in 1997.

In addition, we would like to provide Advances continue every day. value and good quality products at Everything has changed—the urban landscape, society, transport, reasonable prices.” Marie McConn. communication and of course, the

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THE FUTURE

retail in Limerick City appears to be on harmacies are facing many the up again—boosted by the challenges such as rising running refurbishment of public spaces, costs and reducing income and business initiatives and also by the the growth of multinational chains and great success of Limerick City of franchise models. The lower cost of medicines is welcome but it is hoped Culture 2014. that Government Schemes move with “Looking at some of the buildings in the changes to make our area going back them more over the years, it’s sustainable. amazing how much “After a number of "The Minister has the area has recently welcomed improved visually. difficult years, retail the IPU proposal for The job the council in Limerick City a Minor Ailments did on the roads and appears to be on the Scheme which paving made a huge would allow improvement. up again—boosted by patients to access Times are difficult the refurbishment of treatments for but you do your best public spaces” certain conditions trying to provide in their Pharmacy value and encourage without the need to people to come in go to a GP. This is a logical extension of because you’re doing something our role and would be of great benefit different. There are signs of shutters to patients, while relieving pressure on going up and new businesses doctors." Marie McConn. beginning to come in. That’s a positive After a number of difficult years, sign.” Elenora Hogan.

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Visit by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD in May 2014

Elenora and Marie with Minister for Finance Michael Noonan TD

Elenora and Marie are delighted that an interest in pharmacy continues in the family through cousins on their mother’s side including Professor Stephen Byrne, Head of the School of Pharmacy in University College Cork and Jessica Hanly—both of whom did summer work in Hogan’s.

The Hogan sisters are optimistic about the future and determined to maintain the personal touch of a kind word and a helping hand first established by Pat Hogan 75 long years ago.

“You’ll often hear if you’re away for a

few days: ‘You weren’t here yourself when I came in’. It’s not just about dispensing drugs.

When people come into Hogan’s, they know they’ll meet a Hogan. I think that’s why they come here. They like to meet us and talk to us.

From time to time we have occasion to go to a customer’s funeral and there’s a loneliness in knowing that person isn’t going to come in any more.

When you’re doing it as long as we’re doing it, you build relationships.

There’s a certain amount of trust but it’s the friendships you value as much as anything else.” Elenora Hogan

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Your Family Pharmacy • Since 1940

46 UPPER WILLIAM STREET, LIMERICK T: (061) 415195 F: (061) 415358 E: hoganspharmacy@gmail.com www.facebook.com/hoganspharmacylimerick