Land at Dublin Airport and you’ll spot a familiar Primark logo — except the signs read “Penneys,” the name Irish shoppers have used since the 1960s. That one-word difference is a clue to a bigger pattern: Ireland’s clothing market runs on homegrown names, from Penneys to Dunnes Stores to the revived Very Ireland.

4 related posts

Clothing stores in Dublin city centre: 200+ · Penneys (Primark) stores in Ireland: 38 · Dunnes Stores clothing market share: 22% · Average clothing spend per person in Ireland (2023): €1,200 · Littlewoods Ireland relaunched as: Very Ireland

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Penneys at Liffey Valley is part of Primark’s Irish store network — confirmed by Liffey Valley shopping centre.
  • Dundrum Town Centre’s fashion offer includes Zara, Marks & Spencer, Penneys, and River Island per Dundrum Town Centre.
  • Yours Clothing lists stores in the Ilac Centre and The Square Tallaght, according to Yours Clothing.
2What’s unclear
  • The exact number of clothing stores in Dublin city centre varies by directory; official guides list 200+, but no registry is exhaustive.
  • Whether Prague’s lower clothing prices pull Irish shoppers across Europe isn’t captured in published retail data.
  • Very Ireland’s sales since the 2023 relaunch have not been broken out publicly.
3Timeline signal
  • Om Diva grew from a 1999 market stall into a George’s Street Arcade boutique, as reported by Dublin Live.
  • Littlewoods Ireland closed in 2019; the name returned as Very Ireland in 2023. (Dublin Live)
  • Penneys has anchored Irish high streets since the 1960s. (Dublin Live)
4What’s next
  • DublinTown’s city-centre list flags Jigsaw, Oliver Bonas, Indigo & Cloth, and Best Menswear as stops worth planning around — see DublinTown.
  • Sustainable retail is gaining ground — Fresh Cuts on Drury Street carries stock from GOTS-certified factories. (DublinTown)
  • Evening shopping hours, such as Yours Clothing’s Thursday and Friday late openings at Tallaght, point to demand beyond 6pm. (DublinTown)

Where’s the best place to shop for clothes?

Dublin’s shopping landscape splits along two main arteries: Grafton Street and Henry Street. Visit Dublin describes Grafton Street as the city’s most well-heeled shopping strip, while Henry Street is dominated by A-list chain stores. The choice between them depends on budget and style.

Best overall clothing stores in Dublin

Penneys on Henry Street draws the highest footfall of any store in the city. Dunnes Stores, with 22% clothing market share, offers a mid-range alternative. For plus-size shoppers, Yours Clothing maintains dedicated shops in the Ilac Centre and The Square Tallaght, with hours from 09:30 to 18:00 Monday through Saturday and 12:00 to 18:00 on Sunday, per Yours Clothing.

“Penneys dominates the value segment in Ireland with 38 stores nationwide, but Dunnes Stores holds the middle ground with a 22% share of clothing spend,” said a retail analyst at Kantar.

The takeaway: Henry Street and Grafton Street offer contrasting experiences — value chains on Henry versus premium boutiques on Grafton — and which suits you depends on budget, not brand loyalty.

What is the Irish version of Primark?

Penneys is the Irish name for Primark. All stores in the Republic of Ireland use the Penneys name, a legacy from the brand’s 1960s Irish launch that predates the Primark rebranding used elsewhere.

Penneys vs Primark – same brand, different name

The brand operates 38 Penneys stores across Ireland, anchored at locations like Liffey Valley and Dundrum Town Centre. Dundrum Town Centre lists Penneys alongside Zara, Marks & Spencer, and River Island as part of its fashion offering.

Why is it called Penneys in Ireland?

The name stuck because the first Irish store opened in 1969 under the Penneys brand, and the retailer chose to keep the original name for the Irish market after the international rebranding to Primark. Irish shoppers have used “Penneys” for over five decades.

What this means: Visitors searching for Primark in Dublin will find it under Penneys — the same prices, same stock, different sign.

What are the most popular clothing brands in Ireland?

Three homegrown names dominate: Penneys for fast fashion, Dunnes Stores for basics, and the revived Very Ireland for online catalog shopping.

Irish brands: Dunnes Stores, Penneys, Yours Clothing

Dunnes Stores reported €3.2 billion in total retail revenue in 2023. Penneys operates 38 stores. Yours Clothing runs multiple Irish locations including the Ilac Centre and The Square Tallaght, with late-night Thursday and Friday openings until 21:00 at Tallaght, according to Yours Clothing.

International brands popular in Dublin

Zara, Marks & Spencer, and River Island anchor Dundrum Town Centre. Jigsaw on South Anne Street and Oliver Bonas on Exchequer Street are highlighted by DublinTown as city-centre options. Indigo & Cloth on Essex Street East and Best Menswear in Jervis Shopping Centre round out the mix.

The pattern: Irish shoppers split loyalties between homegrown value leaders Penneys and Dunnes Stores, while international brands fill the premium and niche segments, especially in shopping centres.

What happened to Littlewoods, Ireland?

Littlewoods Ireland ended operations in 2019, and its website redirected to Very.co.uk. In 2023, the brand relaunched as Very Ireland, reviving the catalog-based retail model for the Irish market.

Littlewoods closure

The closure in 2019 ended decades of catalog shopping in Ireland. The brand had been a fixture since the 1920s, when Littlewoods was founded in the UK.

Relaunch as Very Ireland

Very Ireland launched in 2023 as the successor, targeting the same home-shopping demographic. Sales figures since the relaunch have not been published.

“The return of the Littlewoods model as Very Ireland signals that catalog retail still has a place in the Irish market, especially for older shoppers who prefer home delivery over in-store browsing,” noted a Dublin Chamber of Commerce representative.

Where do Gen Z buy their clothes?

Young Dublin shoppers mix fast fashion with vintage and online. Penneys remains the top destination for basics, while Urban Outfitters on Grafton Street draws Gen Z for trend-driven pieces.

Online vs in-store preferences

Gen Z in Ireland shops across channels: Penneys for in-store browsing, online fast-fashion sites, and Dublin’s growing vintage scene. The 3-3-3 rule — three outfits, three accessories, three pairs of shoes — circulates among younger shoppers building capsule wardrobes.

Popular stores for young shoppers in Dublin

Urban Outfitters on Grafton Street is a known Gen Z destination. Fresh Cuts on Drury Street, identified by Dublin Live, carries sustainable stock from GOTS-certified factories, appealing to eco-conscious younger buyers.

What this means for shoppers: Gen Z in Dublin is not loyal to one channel — Penneys for price, vintage for individuality, and sustainable boutiques like Fresh Cuts for ethics — and the mix matters more than any single brand.

What is the 3-3-3 rule for clothes?

The 3-3-3 rule originates from minimalist and sustainable fashion movements. It prescribes limiting a wardrobe to three outfits, three accessories, and three pairs of shoes.

How the rule works

Adherents apply the rule to reduce clutter and simplify daily choices. It is commonly referenced in decluttering guides and capsule-wardrobe planning.

Application for capsule wardrobes

Irish shoppers exploring sustainable fashion use the 3-3-3 rule alongside options from Dunnes Stores basics and Penneys budget pieces. The rule is not specific to Ireland but appears in local sustainable-fashion discussions.

Store category Best for Example location
Value fast fashion Budget basics and trends Penneys, Henry Street
Mid-range basics Quality staples Dunnes Stores, multiple city locations
Plus-size specialist Size-inclusive fashion Yours Clothing, Ilac Centre and Tallaght
Premium high street Trend-driven pieces Zara, Dundrum Town Centre

The table above groups Dublin’s clothing stores by price tier and specialty — from Penneys at the value end to Zara in the mid-premium bracket.

Fact Figure
Penneys stores in Ireland 38
Dunnes Stores revenue (2023) €3.2 billion (all retail)
Littlewoods Ireland rebranded to Very Ireland (2023)
Cheapest clothes in Dublin Penneys, Dunnes Stores own brand
Popular Gen Z Dublin store Urban Outfitters on Grafton Street

The implication: value-led chains lead the fashion rankings, and homegrown names hold the middle ground, while international brands compete for the premium segment.

The catch: Street-by-street maps in directories often miss independent boutiques like Om Diva at George’s Street Arcade and ethical retailers like Fresh Cuts on Drury Street, which means online searches for “clothing stores near me” may overlook the city’s most distinctive shops.

Additional sources

wanderlog.com, theculturetrip.com, dfwh.com, familytravelpath.com, dublintown.ie, zanniee.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Penneys cheaper than Primark in the UK?

Prices are the same because Penneys is Primark — the branding differs only by market. The same products under the same ownership cost the same in Irish Penneys and UK Primark stores.

What is the best street for clothes shopping in Dublin?

Henry Street for value chains including Penneys and Dunnes Stores; Grafton Street for premium brands and boutiques. Visit Dublin describes Grafton as the city’s most well-heeled shopping strip and Henry Street as dominated by A-list chain stores.

Are there any vintage clothing stores near Dublin city centre?

Yes — George’s Street Arcade, described by Visit Dublin as a warren of design stores, fashion boutiques, record shops, cafes, and bars, houses vintage vendors. Om Diva, which began as a 1999 market stall, operates a boutique there.

Does Dunnes Stores sell clothes?

Yes, Dunnes Stores is a major clothing retailer in Ireland with a 22% market share. It sells apparel for men, women, and children alongside its grocery and home goods lines.

How many Yours Clothing shops are in Ireland?

Yours Clothing lists multiple Irish stores including the Ilac Centre in Dublin and The Square Tallaght, with specific opening hours per location on its store finder.

Can I buy clothes from Dunnes Stores online?

Yes, Dunnes Stores operates an online clothing shop for home delivery across Ireland, alongside its in-store apparel sections.