Probus Outing Wednesday 3 April 2024: Pat Kirk Showrooms, Omagh
On Wednesday 3 April the club visited the newly refurbished showrooms of Pat Kirk Ltd on the Brookmount Road, Omagh. Seventeen members attended and on arrival were warmly welcomed by Mr Pat Kirk himself. Seated in the board room they were treated to tea, coffee and a lavish array of pastries, before Mr Peter Dermott gave an overview of this renowned family-owned enterprise.
Now in its third generation the business was started by “grandad” Pat who opened a petrol station in Strabane in 1963. He gradually moved into sales, stocking tyres, batteries, brakes etc before becoming a Vauxhall A.S.O. [Authorised Servicing Operative.] This continued very successfully until the mid-90’s when Vauxhall rationalized in Northern Ireland and Kirk’s lost out. The family responded by writing to every car maker from Audi to Volvo promoting their business and were successful in attracting the interest of Mazda. Determined enterprising won them franchises for Nissan and Ford as well, and to some extent the rest is history.
Not that it was plain sailing or easy. The move from their original location in Omagh on the Gortin Road to the present site on the Brookmount Road – on St Patrick’s Day 2005 – was fraught with difficulty but marked a turning point in the fortunes of the company. Nor have things stood still in Strabane, the business having relocated three times from its original home on Railway Street; it is now located on Bradley Way.
Today Pat Kirk Ltd is a major employer. The company has a policy of recruiting young men and women from college and supporting them while they develop into skilled mechanics, salespersons, etc. Government policy dictates the future of motor manufacturing and sales. The decision to “go green” by 2035 and focus on Electric vehicles [EV’s] will engage the minds of all in the motor trade for the foreseeable future. However, Mr Pat Kirk and his family are clearly up for the challenge, determined to build on the success of the past, and provide for the population of Omagh and beyond, with first class motor sales and service.
