GER Naughton spent her entire adult life in the workforce, a colourful career that began in the banking sector in Ennistymon, before setting up a Bewley’s franchise in Ennis. The last two decades have seen her become the most recognised figure in media sales in County Clare, having worked with Clare FM, The Clare People and most recently, the Kilmurry McMahon native was key in helping The Clare Echo grow to become Clare’s most circulated newspaper.
Noted for her infectious energy, hard work and loyalty, Ger is a mother of three and grandmother to six. Now, in her final week of employment as she prepares to retire, Ger sits down with Clare Echo editor Stuart Holly to look back on her life and discuss her plans for the future.
Stuart Holly: You’ve come to the end of your working career but I want to visit the earliest part of your life. You speak fondly of Kilmurry McMahon. What was life like growing up in West Clare?
Ger Naughton: We had a dairy farm, there were 10 of us so we played together up the fields and we had a fort and we’d play up there, in our own little world. It was amazing. I was the fifth of 10.
My dad John – they used to call him Brud – he died when we were really young, I was only 13 so my memory of him isn’t great as at that time, farmers were out on the land morning, noon and night. He was very innovative, he was one of the first farmers in Clare to bring in the milking machines while most were still doing it by hand. My mam Susan worked really hard, she was a widow with 10 children and she managed the farm until Paudie took it over. They were both from Kilmurry McMahon.
We were all big into the GAA, Shannon Gaels. We used to have a great time going to the matches
every Sunday. The older three, Paudie, Ben and Sean, they all played for Kilmurry. We’d be roaring at the Kilrush fans, we were bould as brass. That was our social life along with going to Kilkee.
Stuart: Where did you go to school?
Ger: Convent of Mercy, Kilrush. We’d get the bus in. After my Leaving Cert I went down to Limerick to what was called the Commercial College then. Then I got offers for Bank of Ireland and AIB and I took AIB.
Stuart: What brought you into that line of work?
Ger: I haven’t a clue. I was kind of told, ‘you’re going down there’ so that’s what I did. So I got the bank and I was sent to Ennistymon. I was told I was being sent to Ennitymon – I didn’t even know there was a bank in Ennistymon at the time! But anyway, that’s where I met my husband Mike.
Stuart: You must have very fond memories of Ennistymon so?
Ger: We had good craic. We played tennis there, badminton, we’d walk out to Lahinch every evening during the summer. There was a whole gang of us, we were all young. When I got married I was 21. We then built a house in Ennis and I put in for a transfer and I was moved to Bindon Street.
Stuart: Your career in finance was a short one?
Ger: I gave it up because the three girls [Ciara, Sarah and Eimear] arrived and it was too much then. When they were all in school I opened up Bewley’s in 1990 and we ended up selling that around 1996.
Stuart: You made a jump into media sales after that with Clare FM. How did that occur?
Ger: Dominic Considine, the sales manager, and the Clare FM team used to always come into Bewley’s and I got to know them really well. He gave me a job in sales, it just came up in conversation. I loved it and worked really hard. We all had our Clare FM cars and I suppose Clare FM was new enough at the time and was a bit of a novelty to head back to West Clare for the day. I was there just over a year in 1999 when Mike died, and I never came back.
Stuart: The Clare People started in 2005 with very ambitious plans to rival The Clare Champion. What pulled you back into media sales?
Ger: I thought ‘I like the sound of that’ and I wanted to get back into sales. Gerry Collison the editor, Claire Griffin, the financial controller and Irene Hamilton, the sales director, the three of them interviewed me. I said ‘You need somebody like me’. I was really strutty and I could see them looking at each other! Next thing they rang me and offered the job.
It was the height of the Celtic Tiger but also a time when the internet was beginning to impact the media industry. With these factors at play, what was it like in a newspaper start-up?
To be fair, it was a great place to work. We used to have a brilliant time and socially it was a great place, we’d be out every Friday after work. It was very ambitious what they did but I could see what was to come. We did well also but at the time, we had so many staff, between 20-30.
Stuart: When you heard another newspaper, The Clare Echo, was being established, what were your initial thoughts?
Ger: I was actually on holidays in Tanzania when my daughter text me about it. I thought, they are doomed before the start. The first day I picked it up I said ‘disaster’, because it wasn’t a great paper, you know that yourself. But when you approached me I knew you’d be serious about the project and I thought ‘I’ll give it all I can’.
Stuart: Was it that you wanted a new challenge?
Ger: I didn’t want a new challenge at all. The first day I met you I went home and thought ‘I don’t know if I can start all over again’ and then I met ye again and thought, let’s give it all I can. Which I did, I’m happy to say I did.
Stuart: You’re leaving The Echo much better place than found it. How have you found the last three and a half years?
Ger: Absolutely wonderful, sure why am I so emotional? I’ve never felt it leaving a place so that says it. That’s the truth, I loved working there. I loved everyone, you can see everyone is so serious about their job and everyone worked as a team. I loved it and I often thought all these years ‘when will I ever leave?’ but I think the pandemic and not seeing my daughters for so long played a part. Absolutely, the pandemic made me think about life being so fragile and precious, and short. The way something can close down the world, and I do want to travel!
Stuart: How confident are you for the future of The Clare Echo considering threats to local advertising revenue posed by huge corporations such as Google and Instagram?
Ger: I received four advertising enquiries this morning which is a great sign of where the paper is at. I have no doubts it will continue to prosper. I really do, but obviously I think it helps that The Echo is so strong digitally and the type of paper it is, being free. People will always pick it up. I often meet people who stopped buying newspapers but continue to pick up The Clare Echo. The fact that it’s free, door-to-door and audited, that’s the key.
Stuart: You told me in December that you would be retiring this year so it’s been a long wind-down. Now that it’s here, how have the emotions been?
Ger: I just steeped myself in my work, I really decided not to think about it. I was weepy but now I’m in a better place again. I’ll always feel part of it, always helping out. I’ve made great friends.
Stuart: Do you have any advice for anyone in media sales?
Ger: Treat every client as if they were the one and only client.
Stuart: How would you like to be remembered and what will you do next?
Ger: I’d like to be remembered as a great team player. Now, I’m going to travel the world over with my partner Ken. I plan to travel quite a lot. Hiking, which we love, domestic holidays, South America, Africa. I have all those places in mind.
Stuart: Any parting words?
Ger: Thank you to the clients who have kept me in employment and thank you to my colleagues over the years. I’ll always be part of The Clare Echo.
