Local pharmacist Neil McConnell has bought McGovern’s Pharmacy in Derrylin from its previous owners for an undisclosed sum and has plans to expand the services offered by the business.

Mr McConnell has owned and operated Pillbox Pharmacy in Irvinestown for 20 years, providing a full range of services to its customers including a travel vaccination clinic, treatment of minor ailments, PillPac Plus management of medicines, a free repeat prescription collection service and information and advice on health matters.

McGovern’s is to be renamed Derrylin Pharmacy and will be managed by Conor McQuaid, who has worked with Mr McConnell in Irvinestown since 2020.

All staff from McGovern’s are being retained by the new owners, who have announced exciting plans to introduce new services such as flu and travel vaccinations, weight loss clinic, help to quit smoking scheme and photographic services.

Neil McConnell, Owner of Pillbox and Derrylin Pharmacy, said:

“I have always been interested in having a second pharmacy and when the opportunity came up to put an offer in on the business in Derrylin I immediately saw it had great potential. It is a large building, which offers us the scope to try new things and add services that will benefit the local community.

“We owe much of the success of our Irvinestown pharmacy to our staff and take pride in the fact they are highly skilled to meet the health care needs of our community. I know this is an ethos shared by the staff in Derrylin. For customers it will be business as usual, with new services coming soon.

“Danske Bank were very enthusiastic about the project and could see the potential for the business, so they were fully behind me all the way. I would particularly like to thank our relationship manager Caroline O’Hagan for her support and excellent customer service.”

Oonagh Murtagh, Head of South Business Centre at Danske Bank, said:

“Local pharmacies are an important part of the community and provide a vital service to all, but particularly the most vulnerable in society. The success of Neil’s Pillbox Pharmacy in Irvinestown is a testament to his skills as a pharmacist and a businessman and the strong relationships his team has built with customers. We’re delighted to support him in this expansion of his business with the acquisition of a new location in Co Fermanagh, which also provides a unique opportunity for cross border business.”