Monaghan's Cashmere: Unforgettable

Just off of Grafton Street on South Anne Street, Dublin’s iconic shopping district, you will find Monaghan’s Cashmere. Established 61 years ago by the now 96-year-old Tom Monaghan, the luxury knitwear and Cashmere specialist is one of Ireland’s longest-serving retailers, with three generations of family having worked there. In its lifetime, the business has weathered three recessions and most recently, the Covid-19 crisis - which forced the store to close its doors for the very first time. Usually serving customers visiting Dublin from around the world, lockdowns and travel restrictions meant the long-standing establishment has faced unprecedented challenges through the past year and a half. Now, the retailer is launching it’s first-ever Christmas campaign, produced by Banjoman Films, as it works to bounce back from this extremely tough period. Creatively devised and directed by Dermot Malone, the film moves away from the standard festive formula with a touching story inspired by Tom Monaghan himself. The film, which stars legendary Irish theatre actor Barry McGovern (Braveheart, The Tudors, Game of Thrones), follows an elderly man experiencing his first Christmas since his wife passed away. Living on a farm with just his beloved horse for company, he frequently has flashbacks to his late wife at various stages in their life. When his family arrives for Christmas, he struggles to share in their festive spirit, especially when his young granddaughter breaks a picture frame holding a photo of his wife, himself, and their horse. Unbeknownst to her Grandfather, however, the Granddaughter takes notice of the red cable jumper he was wearing in the picture, and when mischievously rifling through his belongings, finds it. Struggling with the emotions and past memories of his wife on Christmas Day, the protagonist goes to visit his horse in the stable - only to discover his granddaughter has left him a special gift in the horse box. Celebrated for their impactful, storyful Christmas films, Banjoman recently picked up Production Company of the Year at Kinsale Ireland - including three Gold and one Silver Shark for RTÉ’s 2020 ad for the Late Late Toy Show, ‘Let’s Make Christmas’. This win was in fact a catalyst for the project with Monaghan’s Cashmere. Director Dermot Malone wanted to find an Irish brand that had been hit hard by the lack of tourism and footfall in Dublin as a result of Coronavirus. Having been a big fan of Monaghan’s Cashmere throughout his life, Dermot approached Suzanne about creating the spot in a bid to drive more footfall this Christmas.