Mary Guiney

Mary Leahy, known as May in her youth, was born 2 March 1901 at the family farm of Creeves, near Shanagolden, County Limerick. Her parents were John and Hannah Leahy (née Cuddihy). It is believed she had an older brother and sister, a younger sister and two younger brothers. She attended the Dominican College, in Eccles Street, Dublin. After she left school, she was employed in Guineys & Co. on Talbot Street owned by Denis Guiney.[1]

She married Denis Guiney on 19 October 1938 in the St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin. Guiney became a partner in the business, with the couple overseeing the flourishing of their shop at 79-80 Talbot street. This success allowed them to purchase Clerys & Company on O'Connell Street after it went into receivership in 1941. After buying Clerys, they formed a new private limited company in August 1941. In an unusual move for the time, Guiney was a director of the company alongside her husband with no others sitting on the board at first. Despite the timing of their takeover, during World War II, she was noted as a 'keen businesswoman' with Clerys seeing an increase of 1,000% in turnover. The Guineys invested in Clerys, installing two restaurants, a ballroom, three bars, and 42 sales counters over the store's four floors.[1]

Many have credited Clerys with keeping numerous Irish small suppliers in business during the war, emergency and afterwards, and having a positive effect on the Irish economy more broadly. By 1967 the store had over 1,000 employees drawing in thousands of customers from throughout Ireland. Clerys became known for its sales which took place twice a year. During the first sale in 1941, O'Connell Street was blocked with traffic, and £100,000 was taken in its first week. Owing to Guiney's strong religious belief, Clerys hosted many charity events, in particular for the elderly or isolated Dublin residents. Beginning in 1954, Clerys provided afternoon tea with entertainment for 100 older people.[1]

Denis Guiney died in 1967, and after contesting her husband's will, Guiney retained control of their business with 52% share and remaining chair of the board.[1] Denis Guiney's nephew, Arthur Walls, took over the day-today running of the stores.[2] Guiney nearly died in May 1974, when Guineys on Talbot Street was caught in Dublin and Monaghan bombings.[3]

Over time, Guiney gave relatives positions as managers and directors, but continued to retain the controlling share in the business and resisted suggestions to sell the company or assets. Among the sales she refused, was a takeover bid from John Teeling in 1987, and a failed buyout in 1999 by the general manager, Tom Rea. She commented on the Teeling bid, stating "Why would I want to sell the best business and building in Ireland?"[2] Until the age of 99, Guiney visited the shop and attended board meetings. She signed the company's annual accounts until 2004 at age 103, making her potentially the oldest company director in the Ireland or United Kingdom.[1]

Largely, Guiney was seen as not making the most of the opportunities which arose during the Irish boom economic years in the late 1990s. In 1999 she did sell her house on the Howth Road for £4 million, the site of which was developed. In these later years, Guiney continued to resist changes within Clerys, which some think damaged the store and hindered its ability to garner new or younger customers.[1][2] Following her death, her shares were redistributed to a number of the extended Guiney family.[4]

Guiney died in Beaumont Hospital on 23 August 2004.[5] Following a funeral mass in St Anthony's Church, Clontarf, Guiney was buried alongside her husband and his first wife in Glasnevin Cemetery.[1]