Lord Mayor Toasts Musgrave’s 150th Anniversary
22/10/2026
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Damian Boylan, welcomed guests to City Hall where retail giant Musgrave held its 150th anniversary gala dinner.
The Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and EU Commissioner, Michael McGrath, were among the guests in the spectacular Concert Hall setting.
[Photo: Musgrave]
The Lord Mayor said City Hall belongs to the people of Cork and is a fitting setting to celebrate a business that is such a proud part of our city’s story.
“We Cork people take great pride in our own. We are proud of this building, proud of our city, and certainly proud of Musgrave,” the Lord Mayor said.
“To bring all of that together here tonight makes this a very special occasion.”
Musgrave was founded in Cork City in 1876 by brothers Thomas and Stuart Musgrave who opened a small grocery business on North Main Street.
That was followed 11 years later by a second shop on Grand Parade, and then a sweet factory behind the Metropole Hotel, laying the foundations for what would become one of Europe’s great food retail, wholesale and foodservice companies.
The business introduced Ireland’s first voluntary trading group, it pioneered the cash-and-carry model, and it has built some of the island’s best-known brands such as SuperValu and Centra.
“One can’t help but wonder what Thomas and Stuart would make of modern Cork, of modern business in Ireland today,” the Lord Mayor said.
“They founded their business in a Victorian trading port of horse-drawn carts and sail-powered ships.
“Now, Cork is a key economic engine for Ireland Inc, a hub for global tech and pharma firms, and a designated city of growth for the decades ahead.
“Yet for all the change, I think they would recognise something familiar.
“They would recognise how Cork City still values enterprise, how it fosters a pioneering spirit, how it believes in hard work, rewards ambition — that it is still a city that celebrates its own.
“Theirs is a story of ambition, hard work, resilience and innovation.
“Just like this great city.
“150 years on, the company they founded embodies those same qualities.
“On behalf of all gathered here, I want to congratulate the Musgrave family, the generations of family leadership, all of the staff and partners who have helped build something truly special over the last 150 years.
“Cork is proud to call Musgrave one of its own, and we wish you every success for the next 150 years.”