Mulligans - How it all began
Mulligans Pharmacy Group has a rich history that began 50 years ago in 1957 when a young man from Mayo, pharmacy graduate Jim Mulligan was dating a teaching student, Sheila O'Kennedy from Tipperary. Sheila's uncle had a vacant shop in Waterford and wrote to her mother saying that as Sheila was dating a young pharmacy graduate he might be interested in opening a pharmacy.
In 1957 Jim and Sheila Mulligan established Mulligans Pharmacy at 25 Georges Street, a site now occupied by the Hanger Boutique. By 1969 a larger premises was required and the business relocated to 40/41 Barronstrand Street, where it remains today.
In 1982 an opportunity arose to open a second outlet at Rockshire Road, Ferrybank. This was initially managed by Seamus Mulligan and subsequently by Kate Mulligan. In response to changing consumer demands in Waterford City, Mulligans Pharmacy opened its third outlet at the City Square Shopping Centre in May 1993. In 1997 our firstlate night pharmacy opened in the Dunmore Road, in response to major residential expansion in the area and the redevelopment of Waterford Regional Hospital.
In April 2000, Mulligans Pharmacy purchased Fulhams Pharmacy at the Waterford Shopping Centre, Lisduggan and was soon followed by the opening in December of that year of a new pharmacy at the Superquinn Shopping Centre, Kilbarry. In September 2003, Mulligans Pharmacy returned to Tipperary to purchase two existing pharmacies, Joys Pharmacy, located in O'Connell Street and Market Place in Clonmel and in December 2004 opened a third pharmacy in Clonmel in Western Road.
In September 2005, Mulligans Pharmacy opened in Ballybricken, in the old Bank of Ireland premises in the heart of the original trading district of Waterford. In December of that year Mulligans Pharmacy opened Piltowns first ever pharmacy, meaning customers no longer have to travel 6 miles to have their prescriptions dispensed.
In September 2006, Mulligans Pharmacy opened their 12th pharmacy in the South East. Henry Shefflin offically opened the latest Mulligans Pharmacy along with Supervalu's 13,000 square foot shopping centre.
The last few years have been a time of tremendous expansion for Mulligans Pharmacy. Fresh ideas are being introduced by the next generation and Jim and Sheila's solid foundation of hard work is being capitalised on. Today, half a century on from that small beginning in Georges Street, Mulligans Pharmacy is a force to be reckoned with.
