Connolly Motor Group has been appointed as main dealers for MG Motor in the North West of Ireland.
Connolly’s MG will open in Collooney, Co Sligo in June with the creation of 15 jobs and an investment of €2m by the Connolly Motor Group.
The new jobs will increase the number of full-time employees at Connolly Motor Group to 335, and the company will begin recruitment immediately.
The new MG dealership brings Connolly Motor Group’s total number of outlets to 16 with the company now representing 10 different franchises.
Connolly Motor Group already has Audi dealerships in Sligo, Ballina and Galway; Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Sligo and Galway; Volkswagen dealerships in Sligo, Ballina and Letterkenny as well as Volkswagen Commercial dealerships in all three centres. It also has Hyundai Galway, SEAT Sligo, Volvo Galway and CUPRA Sligo as well as running three used Car Centres in Ballina, Sligo and Galway.
With this latest appointment, Connolly Motor Group says it is taking on what is Europe’s fastest-growing car brand with the MG4 EV selected as The Irish Times Car of the Year 2023.
Connolly’s will have responsibility for MG Motor sales and after-sales services for the entire North West region – covering the counties of Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Roscommon, and Leitrim.
As well as selling new models in the MG range, the company will be offering after sales services to current MG drivers.
The company says its dealership in Collooney is being developed in a building which had been standing vacant since the financial crisis. The group has invested €2 million to rescue the building from a derelict condition and create a "state-of-the-art dealership".
The showrooms will have space to display up to six cars which will be a range of hybrid and fully electric models. The premises will also house a customer reception and individual sales offices.
The facility will also have a five-bay workshop featuring the latest diagnostic equipment.
Co-owner and director of Connolly Motor Group Neil Connolly, says the creation of another 15 new full-time jobs in Sligo is a source of pride as it expands the group in the North West.
"This is a fantastic market for the brand and its strategy of a full EV-focused range at market-leading price points which is incredibly attractive, all accompanied with a full seven-year warranty.”
MG Motor Ireland's managing director Gerard Rice says Connolly’s MG is based in a prime location in Sligo and will be a key dealership for MG in the North West region.
"We are excited to work closely with the Connolly Motor Group which has an excellent reputation and is committed to serving MG customers in the North West with an exceptional standard of customer care. As the MG brand continues on our strong growth journey with affordable and stylish electric vehicles for everyone, we know it’s vital to partner with the right people which is why we have joined forces with Connolly’s MG.”
