The Cope
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The Cope, or the Templecrone Agricultural Co-operative Society (Irish: Comharchumann Thalmhaíochta agus Shóisialta Theampall Cróine), is a co-operative retail chain indigenous to The Rosses area of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1906, it has a number of normal supermarkets as well as a full department store, a builders merchants and an agricultural division.
The name comes from the inability of one of the founder shareholders to say Co-Op - as he could pronounce Cope, the name The Cope was adopted.
Outside of Donegal, the name is perhaps best known for being the semi-official nickname of a local politician Pat "the Cope" Gallagher, who is a Minister of State in the Irish Government. His family were connected to the foundation of the co-operative.
The founder of the chain, Patrick Gallagher (grandfather of the above, and known as Paddy "the Cope"), is featuring on a 48c Irish stamp released on January 16, 2006, depicted in front of the group's first Dungloe store.
The supermarket section of its flagship Dungloe department store was destroyed in fire in April 2006, although a reduced supermarket service was resumed within two weeks from elsewhere on the site.
Construction of a new supermarket began in January 2007.
The Cope has branches in the town of Dungloe, as well as Annagry, Lettermacaward, Narin and Kincasslagh villages. They formerly had a branch in Burtonport, but this has closed.
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