Doyen of TV trade

THE death has occurred of Liam Hayes, Anaghlee, Cootehill, Co. Cavan at Cavan General Hospital on Tuesday, October 21 last. Liam was a prominent local businessman whose name became synonomous with the television and electrical trade in counties Cavan and Monaghan. Born in 1937, the second son of six children to Seamus and Mai Hayes of Grange Park, Waterford City, Liam was educated by the Christian Brothers at the famed Mount Sion School where his father was a teacher. On leaving school, Liam went to work in Dublin where he met his future wife, Joy Finnegan of Newbliss, Co. Monaghan. Liam Hayes had an interest in things mechanical and how things worked and this fostered his interest in the new world of television that was opening in the late 1950s. He went to London and became a television engineer, returning briefly to Ireland to get married in 1959. While in London, he became acquainted with Cootehill through his friendship with the Scott family and on returning to Ireland Joy and Liam opened for business in Market Street, Cootehill on the November Fair day in 1960. A complete outsider to the area, Liam slowly made his mark in the locality. He recognised the need for people to work together to improve the lot of a small rural business town and with this in mind he was instrumental in the setting up of Cootehill Chamber of Commerce. His work alongside many likeminded people in Cootehill resulted in the opening of Abbott Ireland. Liam served on the Chamber committee from its inception and was its president in 1971 and 1972. Liam was part of a group of Cootehill people who visited Clones Credit Union in the late 1960s with a view to establishing a Cootehill branch and as a result the highly successful Cootehill Credit Union was born. Liam was also instrumental in the setting up of the Cootehill Social Services Council, becoming its first chairman and subsequently the first Mayor of Cootehill in a charity fundraiser for the Social Services Committee. In his own business life,Liam with his wife Joy, developed a thriving television rental, sales and service business, employing many people over the years, serving a wide customer base from Carrickmacross to Glangevlin. He subsequently opened branches in Monaghan and Cavan, where the name Hayes is still strong in the electrical trade. Liam became president of the Irish Radio and Television Dealers association in the 1980s and brought its annual conference to the newly opened Slieve Russell hotel in Ballyconnell. The mood amongst many of the delegates was a recognition of the need for independent retailers to come together in order to be beter able to compete against the increasing threat of large multiples. At a meeting on the morning after the conference, Liam co-founded an organisation called 'Natelex'. Natelex soon merged with one of Europes biggest electrical giants 'Expert', which is now Ireland"s largest electrical retailer. Liam Hayes was a quiet person who got on with life and what it had to deal. He retired from business in 2002 to his garden and his family. His health began to fail in recent years but his determination to live and his positive outlook were admired by all who met him. He fought against his illness right to the very end. Liam"s funeral was brought to St. Michael"s church, Cootehill and received by Fr. Ultan McGoohan on Wednesday, October 22. His funeral mass was celebrated the following day by Fr. Owen Collins, assisted by Fr. Gerry Kerins (Redhills), Fr. Brian Mc Elhinney (Lavey), Fr. Gerry Cumiskey (Kill), Fr. Gerry White (Sacred Heart Fathers) and Fr. Kevin Fay (Cavan). Liam was laid to rest in St. Michael"s Cemetary, Cootehill. He is survived by his wife Joy; sons Paul (Cootehill) and Brian(Rathoath); daughters Claire (Dunshaughlin) and Aisling (Cavan); grandchildren Joshua, Carla, Tom, Ellie, Roisin and Cathal; sister Maura Maguire (Mullingar); brothers Thos (Dungarvan), Shea(Tramore), Sean(Waterford) and Eamon(Dublin); nieces; nephews, relatives and a large circle of friends.