T. C. Beirne & Co.

T.C. Beirne opened a small  branch of his Brisbane department stores in Ipswich in August 1893. The Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser of Saturday 2 September 1893 described the location as "nearly opposite" the North Australian Hotel in Nicholas Street, Ipswich. The store was described as a "cash drapery" with a tailor. There was also millinery, hosiery, gloves, men's and boys' wear. Woolworths and Lowes stood on the site of the original store from 1987- 1 January 2017.

In 1902 new bigger premises for T.C. Beirne were constructed on the corner of Nicholas and Union Streets, designed by Robin Dods. In later years Waltons would inhabit the T.C. Beirne building before it was demolished in 1985/86  for the development of the Ipswich Mall. The new Ipswich City Council administration building  at 1 Nicholas Street (opening June 2021) now stands on this site.

Beirnes was a family business and in 1919 Mick Beirne moved to Ipswich to manage the Ipswich store. Mick's 3 sons (Tom, Leo and Bernard) all worked for the firm.

William Mather of Mathers Shoes worked for Beirnes following his World War I service and before opening his own business in Ipswich.