Anthony Ryan's, Galway

Anthony Ryan’s is a family-run department store founded in 1909 by Anthony Ryan and Katherine Morrison. The couple met while working for a nearby hardware business before opening their own drapery shop. Early advertisements used the slogan “Anthony Ryan, that’s the name,” while Katherine became known for restoring worn dresses for local customers.

The business expanded steadily through the 20th century. During wartime shortages in the 1940s, their son Patrick Ryan reportedly travelled by bicycle to obtain fabrics and garments when fuel and transport were difficult to secure. The premises were remodelled in 1944, doubled in size in 1972 and extended again in 1984 to accommodate growing fabric, curtain and bed-linen departments.

Today, Anthony Ryan’s concentrates mainly on fashion, including women’s and men’s clothing, footwear and accessories. A specialist boutique, La Femme, opened in 1991, while the expanding homewares department later moved to separate premises in 2005. The company remains closely associated with the Ryan family and more than a century of independent retail tradition.