Cork woman: I have three roles postmistress, spiritual celebrant, and being a mum!

YOU may have seen the bubbly Grace Batterberry, from Castletownroche, on Operation Transformation in 2012.

The mother-of-one made a lot of people happy - and that’s what she does best in her role as postmistress of het town’s Post Office. Grace is also an officiant of the Spiritual Union of Ireland.

“So yes, I like to think I make a lot of people happy,” says Grace.

“When I’m not working in the post office, I often officiate at weddings and other ceremonies. Last weekend I married an American couple - they were well happy!

Grace was happy when loads of well-wishers descended in the post office when she was trying to shed the weight and give up the fags more than 10 years ago.

“Their words of encouragement were wonderful,” says Grace.

My customers really motivated me with their interest, and they helped keep me on the right track.

Being a leader on Operation Transformation was obviously a major talking point in the village when Grace was on the RTÉ programme.

“Yes, everyone was interested in my progress,” says Grace.

“And everyone was behind me. It was great! What started as a group of 15 turned into 50 that weighed in at the local butcher’s every week. The camaraderie was very special.”

The everyday camaraderie in Casletownroche post office is very special too.

“We know all our customers and we love interacting with them,” says Grace.

“I grew up in the village and the post office is an amazing business with loyal customers who are all our friends.”

Grace’s grandmother was a special woman.

“She ran the post office, and she managed the post and telegraph side of things,” says Grace.

May Battersberry was well known to everyone in the village, and she always had a kind word for people.

Grandad Gus had another role.

“He had a sweet shop once in the States,” says Grace.

Grandad was the shopkeeper here while granny looked after the post office.

Times changed.

“When my granny passed away, my Uncle Pat took over the post office,” says Grace.

“Unfortunately, Pat got cancer and he died in 2008. I took over the post office then. Mam and Dad ran the other family business, Batterberry’s pub.”

The Batterberrys were industrious.

“Yes,” says Grace.

“Between running the post office, helping out in the bar, and going to college, it was in us to support each other as a family.”

How did Grace slot into the post office, which offers essential services to the community, including universal access to mail and parcels, access to benefits and bill payments and a banking service, when she took over from her Uncle Pat?

“It was relatively easy to take over,” recalls Grace.

“Our staff member, Liz Magnier, worked in the post office for many years and she took me through things. It was easy then to take over the daily running of the post office. Knowing everyone helped.”

The uncertain economy didn’t help though.

“The economy took a down-turn in 2009,” says Grace. “We had to close the shop, which was a hard decision, but we had no choice. We couldn’t bring in the goods to sell at a competitive price. It was hard to compete with the multi-national supermarkets.”

The post office is Grace’s baby.

“I have three roles,” she says. 

Postmistress, spiritual celebrant, and being a mum! I love all three.

Grace adores her pensioners, whom she regularly meets every Friday.

“One of our pensioners got a letter from social welfare suggesting their money went into a personal bank account,” she says.

The pensioner was having none of it.

“He wrote back, ‘Listen here, I’m on my own as it is. I come to the post office every Friday to meet people. It is the only time I can get to meet people’.”

And that was the end of that?

“That was the end of that,” confirms Grace.

Covid presented its own challenges to the older and more vulnerable of the community.

“We stepped up to the mark,” says Grace.

“We stayed open all during Covid. We took on extra roles like helping the guards in the community to help identify who needed help. 

We brainstormed together on how best we could help them out during the stressful time.

“People found this to be a valuable service as all our older members of the community were checked on regularly by the local guard. This gave them a great sense of security.”

Castletownroche post office provided a life-line when things were bleak.

“We did people’s shopping for them, and we posted out their newspapers,” says Grace.

“We were a lifeline for elderly people or for those who were ill. The community here is well supported and here at the post office we like to do our bit.”

Trade is brisk on Main Street, Castletownroche.

“We are at the crossroads of Killarney and Waterford,” says Grace. “So we have a lot of passing trade.”

The post office often replaces Google Maps.

“Travellers often stop by looking for directions. We can always help them out. Often, they do the Lotto while they are here.”

Any winners?

“We had Lotto wins of up to €20,000,” says Grace.

“That made us all very happy!”

Grace helps out a lot of people.

“If the postman calls to a house and there’s nobody in, he’ll bring the parcels/letters back to me and I’ll keep them safe until the person is available for delivery.”

Grace says business is brisk at Castletownroche post office.

“Every day is busy,” she says.

“There are benefits to collect, bills to pay, like the ESB. Local businesses buy their stamps and do their posting here. Up to closing time at 5.30pm, is busy.”

Customers often have an interest in the notice board pinned to the post office wall near the counter.

“All sorts of things are advertised,” says Grace.

“People who are looking for babysitters, furniture for sale, the GAA weekly lotto, and the numerous fundraisers and events happening in the area.”

Grace is currently wearing another hat, that of interior designer.

“We’re refurbishing the premises,” she says. 

I’ve come across old mementos which I’ll put into a cabinet out front.

“And I’ll frame the old photographs and put them on the wall.”

No doubt the mementos and old photographs will evoke a lot of memories for Grace’s loyal customers?

“I’m sure they will,” says Grace.

“My customers are the salt of the earth. I am lucky to have so many.”