Take a Visit to Carrick Mór this St. Patrick’s Day

From books and Aran sweaters to Barry’s tea and classy T-shirts, you will find every Irish thing you need in Carrick Mór.

Kristin McGowan, Irish America contributor, chats about her Irish heritage and what inspired her and her husband, Mike, to open an Irish store in the New Jersey town of Glen Rock, almost ten years ago.

Tell me about your Irish heritage. What generation are you and where are your ancestors from?

My grandparents were all emigrants from counties Kerry and Cork, making me second generation.

Was your Irish heritage a strong part of your growing up?

Definitely! Driven strongly by my father, and especially through music. Our kitchen radio was permanently tuned to 90.7 WFUV for Ceol Na Gael and A Thousand Welcomes. I learned a lot of Irish history through the music.

When did you first visit Ireland?

My first visit – and first time on a plane – was in the summer of 1989 with my father. We rented a car and just drove wherever we felt like, no schedule or plan. One afternoon we were driving through a remote part of Connemara and stopped at a pub for lunch. My father loved the Irish language and was happy to hear it spoken by a bartender as we walked in. However, when the young man turned to greet us, we were surprised to hear him speak English with a New York accent! Like my father, he was from the Bronx, just out for the summer helping his uncle.

 I was fortunate to return to Ireland the following summer as part of The Irish Way – a study abroad program for teens. We spent five weeks learning the language and studying the culture. One of the highlights was walking into the center of Newgrange.

I know you play the pipes — where did the interest come from and do you still play?

Going to St. Patrick’s Day parades, listening to Irish music (and confusing the Great Highland Pipe with the Uilleann pipe as a child) I heard about a local pipe band that gave lessons and started at 13 years of age. I also began lessons on the Uilleann pipes in my 20s. After marriage and kids, I no longer actively play either, unfortunately, but I’d recommend to anyone to join a pipe band.

What made you seek an internship with Irish America and was the experience good for you? Be honest. I know I expected a lot from you.

While a freshman at Fordham University, I found Irish America while flipping through an internship binder. When I called though, I was told there was no internship, but I didn’t believe him! The person who answered seemed rushed and confused, so I called back the next day – and this time, spoke I think with you, Trish – and got the internship!  I LOVED IT. Learning about my heritage was my biggest interest and I was a kid in a candy store. I loved the people there, working on the Top 100/Wall Street 50 issues, and being in the center of all things Irish. There were so many incredible experiences – having a chat with Maureen O’Hara was one of my favorites. Another was transcribing an interview you did with Gregory Peck. I loved that you expected a lot and gave me so many opportunities; to me, it meant you had confidence in me, and I took that with me throughout my career.

Where did the idea of the shop come from? Did people think you were crazy having a physical space in this day and digital age?

My husband and I noticed quite a few empty storefronts in our downtown and thought it’d be nice to see an Irish store. It started out first as a fun, ‘what if’ game that quickly turned real. We wanted to make sure we showcased the traditional alongside modern craft. Some people were skeptical, but all wished us luck.

When did you begin,  how did you come up with the name, and how is it going?

We live in Glen Rock, NJ, which has a giant rock just west of the main business district. Carraigh Mhor, or Carrick Mór, means ‘Big Rock’ in Irish. It was also a tie-in to the Carrick area, in Donegal, where Mike was born.

We opened September 8, 2015, and it’s going well! Bergen County has a large Irish and Irish-American population. Our online sales grow year over year as well, with orders from all over the United States. Many customers over the years would ask for more religious gifts for baptisms, communions, etc., so in 2021 we opened Morningside in the empty storefront next to Carrick Mór. There we focus on religious and inspirational gifts, with many items that give back to charities.

I love everything on your website — very tasteful—and reasonably priced…..who does the buying?

Both Mike and I do the buying, and we’re always happy to find new and different products either Irish-made or that promote Irish culture.

How is your Irish heritage carried down to your daughters (dance etc.)

The girls are in the process now of getting their Irish passports and two are studying the Irish language. In 2017 we spent three weeks driving all over Ireland and got to visit Mike’s first home in Teelin. (I attached the photo we took inside—the cottage pictured on our website is the outside)  All three girls took Irish dance lessons, and my eldest competed in the World Championships. She also plans to minor in Irish studies at Villanova University this Fall and dance for their collegiate Irish Dance Team.

You can visit the store in Glen Rock or order online.