NOEL’S DELI THROUGH THE AGES

Spirit and Community Live on in The Liberties with Noel’s Deli Noel Fleming gives an insight into one of Meath Street’s most well known shops

On a quick Friday morning visit to Noel’s Deli, located on Meath Street in the beating heart of the Liberties, you might just about get to say hello to the man himself.

Noel Fleming is the definition of a hard-working, self-made businessman. Although for Noel not everything is business. It’s his love of talking and getting to know the people, or as he put it, “It’s the reason I get out of bed every morning.” Though he’s quite the busy deli owner, Noel isn’t alone in his venture, he has the help of family to keep both the shop and deli afloat.

As is the case with many Irish corner shops and delis the owners tend to have a wealth of knowledge of the surrounding locality, which is very much the case with Noel. 30

For less than five minutes, to pull him aside for an interview, no less than 5 different people walked up to get in a quick “hiya, how’s it going?” On the other hand, Noel seems to be able to reciprocate, he was also able to point the local paper man, Paddy Kelly, who happens to be 87 years old and still works a fulltime job. Noel noted it’s people like Mr Kelly that make the Liberties what they are, even after years of change.

Fleming has owned Noel’s Deli in one form or another since 1977. Nonetheless, it’s not the great wealth of knowledge or the deli food he sells to the rear of his shop that makes the man special, it’s his authentic, outgoing personality and enthusiasm he has for his shop and the locality that stands out. Many may find this in common with their own local newsagents or deli, across all four proud provinces of Ireland. What makes Noel’s shop stand out from the crowd in the bustling Liberties? Noel is unique in the sense that he has managed to stay standing proudly as one of the last remaining independent shops and deli of its kind on Meath Street, an area of Dublin facing a current plight of boarded shop windows unable to compete with large multinational chains and new hotel development in the area. The man truly has an obvious passion for the job. Businesses like Noel’s Deli need no advertising or publicity, it’s growth over generations of people ‘just popping down’ for the paper, or a loaf of bread that make it what it is. The shop is one that sells ‘a little bit of everything and anything.’ Relationships like Noel has with the community around him aren’t something that can be formed in a day. They take time, effort, energy and most of all the art of general chit-chat. It’s the chit- chat that keeps the man around, or more importantly will keep him around into the future, he added, Although it hasn’t always been chats and trade for one of Meath Street’s most well-known. The past recession (2008) almost bankrupt the shop, Noel expressed nostalgically “the last recession we had nearly went bankrupt but we stuck through it, we came through it on the other side the good will of the people is what helped us.” He went on to further express gratitude for the people of the locality who helped him get through it. By Adam Thibault Apart from economic struggles that much of the nation felt through the period of recessionthere has been other instances where Noel has felt the brute struggles of being a small business owner in an increasingly difficult market. Multinational supermarket chains put the heat on the independent business owner, “Tesco opened around the corner on Thomas Street, briefly Iceland did too, as well as Lidl but the biggest [hit] was when The Square in Tallaght opened. What happened was people who lived in the area for years went to The Square where they had lots of choice and cheaper prices, it made it tough.” The people of the Liberties sticking to their local business even when prices may be higher has helped keep businesses like Noel’s open, even through tough times. To Noel- the premises makes no difference, it’s the people of the area that make the difference. In addition, he isn’t just known as one of the area’s leading business men, he’s also known to be heavily involved with the Liberties Cultural Association and aids their efforts to continue with the ongoing preservation of the area’s history, another passion which further involves him in the vibrant community. As Noel has no plans to retire any time soon and has the support of his family behind him, who knows if or when the legendary Meath Street figure will cease trading. “I know the people so well, they come in and chat, I have no plans on retiring anytime soon” Photograph by Joshua Teoh