In memory of Joe Coghlan – 1935-2021

in memory of Joe CogHLAn

1935-2021

Joe Coghlan was very dedicated to the hardware business since the 1950’s. He began working at Donaldson`s in Dublin, before deciding to open his own hardware store in Sheriff St. which was a complete failure. Not daunted or discouraged, Joe then went on to work for Joseph Corry & Sons and loved it. However, he still felt the urge to specialise in one aspect of the hardware industry. He narrowed it down to two choices, tools or paint. For some reason, probably the toss of a coin, he decided to specialise on paint, and went on to work for HGW for over eight years, before moving on to become the General Manager of Dod`s of Mary St. In the meantime, he joined the Irish Hardware’s training committee and went on to write the Advanced Paints and Wallpaper training manual. Joe remained a very passionate member of Hardware Association Ireland and loved teaching his students in the College of Marketing and Design.

However, he always wanted to own his own business, and decided to have a go again, with the emphasis on quality products backed by superior product knowledge, and premium customer service. He opened Coghlan & Corbett with his partner Ned (a Painting Contractor) in Meath St. in 1979, which in turn became Coghlan`s Paints, with the addition of his wife Nora and son Kevin working alongside him. An opportunity arose in 1989 to purchase MRCB Ltd, and against all advice at the time, he went ahead and took it over. It became a real family affair with his other two sons, Dermot, and Eugene as well as Kevin’s wife Joan, joining the business.

MRCB is now owned by Colourtrend, and is still renowned for its service and quality today thanks to the long-standing commitment of the team in the store, who were tremendously loyal to Joe for over 25 years and share the same passion for quality products and service. Joe passed away in February and like so many from our industry that have passed away recently will be greatly missed, may he rest in peace.

men`s sHeds CreAte ten Bug HoteLs

Men’s Sheds welcome men of all ages, talents, and interests. A ‘Men’s Shed’ is a community based organisation that comes together to learn, share skills, and make long lasting friendships together. The Sheds encompass a wide range of experience and skills – from beekeeping, to singing, to photography. The majority of the men that attend the sheds have some form of expertise in woodworking, carpentry or building and there is nothing many of them enjoy more than getting stuck into a project that will both facilitate collaboration within the shed and result in an object that has a tangible benefit for its community. In August 2020, Aramark Property joined forces with the Irish Men’s Shed Association (IMSA) to develop a project that would see ten bug hotels created and built for client sites managed by the company. Bug hotels enhance local ecosystems by attracting a range of bugs, insects, bees, and butterflies offering them a suitable location to breed. A living environment with a live ecosystem, the bug hotels are undoubtedly an asset to any green space. With traditional fundraising not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Irish Men`s Sheds Association (IMSA) received much - needed funding from Aramark Property to deliver this environmentally beneficial project to key clients. The IMSA shared the brief with its affiliated sheds and solicited for expressions of interest to take part in the project, receiving an overwhelming number of applications. The finalists were announced in early September 2020 and the winning men’s sheds (MS) - Doon and District MS, Kiltimagh MS, Ballinamore MS, Killoe MS, Naas Town MS, Headway Dublin Men’s Shed, Rosses MS, Blarney MS, Clondalkin MS and Holywood MS - delivered the completed projects in early November. As seen in the photo, they produced some sterling structures, of which both the MS and Aramark Property can be very proud. Whether it is helping business upcycle their waste and excess materials, or developing a more sustainable environment on their premises, the organisation is well placed to utilise the skills, expertise, and enthusiasm of almost 10,000 men in 450 sheds around Ireland.