Butcher Sean McGrane at the Ludlow street premises with his wife Anne-Marie.

We'll meat again ..... emotional day as Sean McGrane's Butchers closes doors for last time

Holly Alder

Published: Wed 2 Sep 2026, 11:32 AM

After almost 38 years in business, Sean McGrane’s Butchers has closed its doors for the final time on Ludlow Street in Navan, marking the end of an era for loyal customers, employees, suppliers and life long friendships formed over the counter.

Last Saturday, he served his final customers and was overwhelmed with the amount of support and gratitude that came into the shop over the afternoon.

“We’ve had four generations of the same families come through the door over the years, from 80 years of age to those in their 20s," Sean said.

Sean McGrane pictured in his Ludlow Street premises in 1989.Photo: Courtesy McGrane Family Photo by David Mullen

“The loyalty and support shown by our customers over the years has kept us going. We have formed friendships with people that come in, and sometimes customers will just pop in for a chat. Our customers are salt of the earth types of people and I will miss the banter, laughs and daily conversations the most.”

Sean McGrane’s Butchers first opened its doors on 6th March 1989 when he was just 28 years old to a very different town in comparison to Navan today.

Sean says that, despite being of retirement age, he would have ideally liked to continue his service up to the 40 year mark, but changes in the town and redirecting of traffic surrounding Ludlow Street has partly made his decision for him.

Sean McGrane retired on August 29th after 37 years as a butcher in his premises on Ludlow Street. Pictured at the Ludlow street premises with his family and well wishers. Photo by David Mullen

“It is difficult seeing my customers pull up outside the shop for a few minutes only to be hit with a parking fine. Many of the older customers wouldn’t realise they were parked in a loading bay. It was hard watching people get fined for supporting a local business.

“The town was very different when we first opened. Ludlow Street has become an increasingly difficult place to do business. The lack of parking in the town has become a struggle for business owners and the street is a main bus corridor, with the bus coming up past the door all day, which is uncomfortable for customers and myself alike.

“The lack of access to the shop was hard on me and hard on my customers. Sometimes I would drop their orders at their car window. All of this changed my mindset, despite feeling like I had another few years left in me for the business.”

Sean McGrane pictured attending a customer on his last day of business after 37 years as a butcher in his premises on Ludlow Street. Photo by David Mullen

The shop became extremely busy in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with one employee in particular staying by Sean’s side for the entire run. Thomas Monaghan walked through the doors a month after Sean opened the shop and never left.

“Tom was there all the time, other employees came and went but Tom was there from the beginning. He is a hardworking, reliable and loyal employee who was brilliant with our customers.”

A visit to McGrane’s Butchers became a social outing for many, and Sean and those behind the counter warmly reciprocated the chats.

Sean McGrane being congratulated by customer - Olive Forristal on his last day of business after 37 years as a butcher in his premises on Ludlow Street. Photo by David Mullen

“Customers became good friends and it was a very personal service. They were sad to see the shop go and I am, too.”

Sean’s wife, Anne-Marie and four sons, Kenneth, Brian, Colin and Ronan, were an integral part of the business over the years, with his sons helping out in the shop on weekends home from college at Christimas time and Ann-Marie raising the boys and keeping the household held down while Sean invested his time into the business. Now, Sean and Anne-Marie’s sons are living abroad, fueling the couple's post-retirement plans.

“Apart from indulging in my hobbies such as gardening and playing a bit of golf, my sons are living in Berlin, Brisbane and Nashville, so I’m hoping to get over to them and return the favour of them always visiting us. I also have my granddaughter, Amalia and daughter-in-law Kim Mei, in Brisbane, too. We'll be visiting them and my son Kenneth for a month. I just want to enjoy the simple things in life.”

Tom Monaghan and Sean McGrane on the last day of trading. Photo by David Mullen

After a small celebration over the weekend, the reaction was bittersweet from Sean’s loyal customers, with many of them being sad to see the shop go but also happy for the butcher to hang up his apron for the last time and enjoy retirement.

“Saturday was very emotional but closing up went very well. I was overwhelmed with all of the cards and gifts from everyone. It took me a long time to open all of the cards wishing me well.

Son Kenneth McGrane makes a presentation to his dad Sean McGrane on his last day of business after 37 years as a butcher in his premises on Ludlow Street. Photo by David Mullen

“None of it would have been possible without my customers, employees and the businesses who have supported us over the years. The businesses that supported me in the early days when I was getting on my feet were especially very important to me, too.”

With almost 40 years of fond memories to look back on, Sean isn’t looking at the shop's closure as a goodbye but more of a ‘see you later’ to all of his customers and supporters over the years on Ludlow Street.