The name above one of Mullingar's long-standing town centre pharmacies has changed — Weir's Pharmacy is now McGreals. The business, based opposite Market Square, has deep roots in the town: McGreals first took over its management three years earlier, appointing Niamh Scally as supervising pharmacist, before buying the 66-year-old business outright as owner Niall Weir retired. Niamh is now a part-owner of the pharmacy.
A Killucan native with over 20 years' pharmacy experience, Niamh previously worked at McGreals Baltinglass before the Mullingar opportunity brought her back closer to home. She leads a six-strong team — Karen, Carmel, Joan, Regina, Sandra and Aisling.
Some things have changed gradually over the three years since McGreals arrived, but one Mullingar tradition continues: the pharmacy's long-running photographic service, provided by Joan Byrne for 37 years, including passport photos, memorial framing, and camera advice — a mainstay of the business that predates McGreals' involvement and continues under the new name.
The pharmacy's arrival in 2020 came just before the Covid-19 pandemic, and the team played a central role administering vaccines and boosters throughout, supported by a large private consultation room. Beyond vaccinations, the pharmacy offers free daily walk-in blood pressure testing, emergency contraception, children's medication dosage advice, and medical compression stocking consultations — several of which are free of charge.
Prescriptions can now be sent electronically direct from a GP, with text notifications when they're ready to collect. From March 2024, pharmacists also gained the authority to extend prescriptions from six months up to twelve, reducing how often patients need to renew them.
