The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The butchering trade in Ireland is changing radically in the way it does it’s business but the essence of a successful meat business, i.e. establishing and maintaining lasting relationships with satisfied customers, will always persist.

This in any event is the view of Maureen Dowling and her daughter Linda as they welcome you to her newly appointed butcher’s shop in Seafort Avenue, next to O’Reilly’s Pub and the A.I.B. Bank in Sandymount.

But Maureen is not the first lady butcher at Dowlings of Seafort Avenue. Her late mother-in-law Rita ran the business for many years following her husband, John, sustaining a fatal heart attack at Knock Shrine, way back in 1951.

“I’d be the first to admit that I was very lucky not to have been around in the days of the early 50’s” says Maureen. “We were a licensed slaughterhouse then, and killing was done on the premises. Every Wednesday the cattle came by lorry from the market, but the lambs were driven on foot right across the city, with a short stop for grazing at the C.U.S. sports ground on Bath Avenue.”

And what of business to-day?

“Since my husband Tony, diversified into the commercial motor trade, with factories in the Inchicore area, some eight years ago, it’s been ‘all hands on deck’ with the help of my two daughters Linda and Susan and our recently retired butcher Dermot Gogarty. We have lots of challenges just now as the Christmas trade builds up, and preparation for stocking of the traditional Fresh Turkeys, Irish Hams and our own delicious Spiced Beef is well in hand.

“It’s really amazing how the same people come in to us, to order their Christmas Fare, year after year, and I won’t embarrass our customers by mentioning their names. Believe it or not we are still serving some people who have been dealing with us since we were established by Tony’s dad in 1935, which of course makes us the longest established family Butchers in the area.

Our immediate neighbours in Seafort Ave, Seafort Villas, Seafort Crescent and adjoining areas have been most supportive to us over the years and we sincerely hope that our refurbished premises serves their needs for many years to come. We of course welcome the many new faces we have encountered over the last few years and hope they will avail of our daily delivery service to the immediate area.