This small department store on Main Street in Lisnaskea, started off life as a draper's shop. It was bought by Samuel David and Mary Mildred Kells in 1928. The young couple, who were involved in the drapery trade, wanted to develop a business concern of their own. Since those early days the company has expanded and now there are a number of SD Kells stores across Northern Ireland. But it's the original shop, which has been the scene of some turbulent events, that remains at the heart of things. It's where the company's chairman, Roy Kells, was born in 1936 and it's where he can still be found most days, despite the fact that 'officially' he's retired.

In the 1920s the Lisnaskea store was much smaller than it is today. On sale were fabrics, 'hanks' of wool, haberdashery and men's and women's underwear. There were wooden counters and drawers, which contained many of the items for sale. Market days were the busiest days, with farmers coming in to get measured up for new suits and jackets. As with many shops of this generation a fair amount of bartering went on and the shop floor was a hive of activity.

Roy Kells with Helen Mark Once a man had been fitted for a suit, the material - invariably 'serge' - would have been taken down to the local tailors, Jack Kenny and Skinny Breen. Roy Kells fondly remembers being sent to the men with the material, plus the 'trimmings' - the buttons and the buckles. According to Roy these tailors weren't the fastest workers in town "they sat on a big table and it was at a cross-roads (down below the railway gates in Lisnaskea). One would sit looking out that road and the other would sit looking out that road. Jack Kenny would say to Skinny Breen 'there's Kells coming for his suit' and Skinny would get under the table and Jack would say 'well Skinny's not in today, I'm sorry, your suit's not ready'. But even though Skinny Breen took his time completing orders, Roy says he was an amazing character. He would measure you and never write the measurements down. You'd come back in six weeks and not only had he made the suit but it was a perfect fit! One local resident with fond memories of the SD Kells store in Lisnaskea is Mrs Ida Anderson. She worked in the shop from 1929 and remembers the early years of the shop. She recalls visiting Belfast with Mr and Mrs Kells in their Austin 7 car, during which they would visit other stores to buy clothes for customers. Mrs Anderson would be asked to try on the garments to see if they were suitable. Roy Kells took over the running of his parents' business in 1964. By that stage he says the store was struggling; his mother and father had been running the shop in the 'old style' and he was keen to introduce changes. Despite his mother's desire for Roy to become an accountant or join the clergy he was desperate to enter the family firm. He was sent to R Corbett and Sons in Portadown to train in the drapery business. He was reluctant to go there at first, but ended up staying for five years. As well as enjoying football in the town it was here that Roy met his wife Shirley. The couple went on to have four children, three boys and a girl.

Today SD Kells sells all sorts of things, including bedding, men's and women's clothing, curtains and, just along the street at another door, school uniform. Linda Morrison, who works in the shop, says they stock uniform for nearly thirty local schools and she loves the run-up to the autumn school term "You meet lots and lots of children and I've known them right through, going to primary school, then moving on to secondary school, grammar school - right through! A lot of the ones I would have fitted years ago are now grannies coming in and buying for their grandchildren".

Loyal staff members Anne Woods and Shirley McCoy - with a mystery customer between them! The Troubles had a huge impact on the store. In 1971 Roy Kells joined the UDR and over the next two decades the shop was bombed and totally burnt down twice. Roy himself was shot at in the front window of the shop, but was uninjured. Tragically the SD Kells shop in Omagh was bombed on 15 August 1998 - twelve people were killed in the store, although the nine staff working that day all survived. During the tough times the staff stuck with the shop. Roy Kells says their continued loyalty is very much appreciated. In return Shirley McCoy, who has worked in the store for forty years, says "we've been here through thick and thin.no matter what Roy would ask us to do, we would do it. Even late at night we would've worked (after being bombed).... you know clearing up and rooting out stock, trying to sort things. We would've worked at any time for him". Roy, Ida and Shirley have been reminiscing about this family store. Share YOUR memories of S.D. Kells here at Your Place & Mine by filling in the form below.

Listen to Helen Mark as she pays S.D. Kells a visit.
(Bargains and Bed Linens, broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster 24.07.2004)

YOUR RESPONSES

Geraldine de Courcy - nee Lenihan - Nov
Hello Roy,
What a lovely ramble down memory lane. I was born in Lisnaskea, where my father, Dan Lenihan taught in St Ronan's PS and was principal in Tully South school prior to that. Mum and myself always shopped in SD Kells and this article brought back very many happy memories to me of my home town. Great to see you looking so well. I can still picture your dear Mum & Dad very clearly - Christmas caroling under the tree at the bottom of the chapel brae - with my Dad conducting and singing, completely lost in his music.
God bless you all!

James Kilpatrick - Aug '06
Hello Roy how are you, just came upon this article on S.D. Kells, Lisnaskea and thought i'd say hello.

Adam Woods - Jan '06
Have been searching for lost relatives for some time now, but have several new leads, would Anne Woods (above) have a sister by the name of May? Think its May Breán or May Breen.
Some of the names in the above article match my search critera and though I doubt there is any relation my folk are coincidentally from C.O. Fermanagh. Worth a try, eh? Adam

Violet Falkowsky (nee Fiddis) - June 05
I live in Kelowna, B.C. Canada and my brother John sent me this article on Fermanagh. I remember from a very young age my Mom (Mrs Fiddis) buying us clothes in S.D.Kells and when I started Lisnaskea High School in 1960 that's where my uniform was bought and also uniforms for my other brothers and sisters over the years. Mom always insisted that S.D. Kells had a very high quality in their materials. I was in the same class at school as Shirley whom I remember with very fond memories and when we return on holidays to Ireland we usually go shopping at S.D. Kells and it's always nice to see Shirley's smiling face and it's true what the article says we are all grannies now. Congratulations Roy you are an excellent bussinessman to have come through what you have over the years and to have been so successful.

Anthony Kells - April '05
My Father and his family are from Dublin. Guess I may be a distant relative, I live in Barry on the outskirts of Cardiff. There are no other Kells that I know of in this area. I am part of the catholic community in this area, my church is St. Helens RC.

Anyway. Just a line to say Hi.

All the best
Tony.

Gerard Breen - August '05
I Live in Leicester U.K. My Grandad was your John (Skinny) Breen. If anyone has any more information on John Breen please contact me at YPAM.