Seamus Kavanagh grew up in the village of Finod, near Easkey in Co Sligo. He went to the Technical School there and the principal suggested he apply for a position as a trainee electrician with T Naughton & Sons in Galway. His colleague at work, Paschal Spelman introduced him to the Order of Malta which became a life-long interest. He did a correspondence course and qualified as an electrician. Rural electrification brought about major changes in the home, and new electric appliances were in high demand, and Seamus found himself selling these and travelling throughout the county installing them.
He saw an opportunity to fill a gap in the market and, in 1953, set up his own business in Cross Street, selling electrical goods. His window display in our photograph highlights Bush and Pye radios. He was soon joined by his brothers Elmer and Des. Des had been trained in refrigeration repair service in the Oxford factory of the Prestcold Company. He took over the service department and Elmer was in charge of company sales activities.
Trading as Kavanagh Brothers, they quickly built up a reputation for reliability. In addition to the radio and electrical business, they devoted a lot of attention to the growing public interest in Hi-fi and tape recorders. In 1957, they diversified further when they took over the distribution in Galway city of Kosangas cooking and heating appliances. They regularly organised demonstrations to introduce new appliances as they came on stream. For a time, they took over the running of the regional service station on University Road.
All of these new business lines meant that the accommodation in Cross Street was becoming increasingly inadequate, and so the search for a suitable premises began. When one came on the market in Mainguard Street, they quickly bought it and developed it. The introduction of Telefís Éireann in 1961 meant new business and so, when they opened up their new outlet that year, their department catered for television, radio, tape recorders and general electric service. This was run by John Martyn and Paschal Gardiner and included a TV aerial erection team staffed by Paddy Lyons and Frank ‘Rúcán’ Heaney. Paddy Fortune was in charge of the electrical service department while Una Casserley and Evelyn Kearney did the accounting and secretarial work. Paschal Walsh was the overall manager of the premises. As you can see on the banner on the window of Mainguard Street shop, television was now included in the marketing.
They were the first company in Galway to open up their own finance department and offered large appliances on payment plans. They had an outlet in Ennis for a time.
In 1969, the company was bought out by Tara Electric and the three Kavanagh brothers set up their own businesses.
Des, who married Maureen Staunton, set up shop in Market Street selling and servicing small electrical appliances. Much of the servicing was done from his home in Mincloon. His sons Des and David continued the business and recently closed down the Market Street shop and moved their operation to Mincloon.
Elmer was married to Elizabeth Conboy and they had two children. He set up an auctioneering business based in Victoria Place. He died in 2007.
Seamus was married to Patricia Craughwell and they had six children. He acquired a number of agencies in industrial cleaning equipment including the leading brand Nilfisk and his company, Seamus Kavanagh & Company supplied cleaning machines to retail stores, schools, hospitals and factories. All of the children worked for a time in the business, and two of them, Mark and Seamus, went into it full time until Mark died. The company is now called Cleaning Machines.
Seamus senior was one of the early members of Junior Chamber and served for many years as secretary and treasurer of the Galway Show. He was involved in the setting up of Galway Crystal and as its sales and marketing executive, travelled all over north America selling their product. Seamus died in 2016.
The Kavanagh Brothers certainly made a big impact on Galway.
