News
Kerry hairdressing group to expand with retail offerings

A hairdressing group with its roots firmly in Killorglin and Killarney has launched its first in-house developed and own brand retail range.
The multi-award winning Sean Taaffe Group has just launched Sean Taaffe Professional.
The first product, the ST Moisture Spray Leave-In Conditioner, will be available from May 28 from selected retailers nationwide, in salon and online on www.seantaaffe.com. Priced at €19.95, the ST Moisture Spray Leave-In Conditioner is a game changer in the management, styling and condition of hair. It is the result of three years of extensive development, testing and research, advanced hair science and also harvesting the knowledge of 35 years practical salon experience.
Sean Taaffe is recognised as one of Ireland’s leading hairdressing professionals and industry entrepreneurs. He also has an international profile teaching worldwide, most recently in India during which time he gave 11 seminars in 11 cities to over 1,100 delegates in 11 days! The Sean Taaffe Professional range will be launched in India this Autumn.
“Over my 35 years hairdressing I’ve seen many products come and go and I’ve always had an interest in the products we use as these can make our job much easier and in turn, make the clients hair much healthier and easy to manage,” said founder Sean Taffe.
“When Covid hit and all our salons were closed I turned my attention to creating products that I felt were either missing in the market or could be better. There was a niche in the market for a really good leave-in conditioner spray, as currently there were many leave-in creams available which can be heavy on hair and very few high quality sprays. I partnered with a leading pharmaceutical development company to work on developing the perfect leave-in conditioning spray. Initially we planned on creating a lightweight conditioning spray that would hydrate amazingly but be suitable for all hair types. However, over the course over extensive testing, we found that one formulation could not be suitable for all hair types, as fine hair and thick coarse hair have such varying needs in terms of quantities of the hydrating agents, so we committed ourselves to developing two products that would meet the needs of different hair types. Over the course of intensive 18 months of ongoing refinements and extensive testing across our entire team of 50, we are proud to introduce the ST Moisture Spray Leave-In Conditioner as the first product in the range and know that hair professionals and clients will see the dramatic difference it makes towards improving the condition, texture and management of hair.”
Sean Taaffe Hair and Beauty was established as a one man operation by Sean Taaffe in his native Killorglin in 1989. Always at the forefront of industry innovation and education, as well as a focus on excellence in customer service, the Company has continued to experience exponential growth and now has locations in Killarney, Tralee and Killorglin, with a team of 50 talented professionals. The Sean Taaffe Group also host international training courses in both their Tralee academy and also in their flagship Killarney salon.
News
Fassbender ready for second Le Mans appearance
Local Hollywood A-lister Michael Fassbender is in the final preparation stages for his second appearance at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. The iconic endurance race is celebrating its […]

Local Hollywood A-lister Michael Fassbender is in the final preparation stages for his second appearance at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The iconic endurance race is celebrating its 100th edition next weekend.
The Fossa star has already arrived in the famous French twon where he is involved in a week-long series of engagements including drivers’ parades, autograph sessions and more serious appointments like car safety checks, practice and qualifying.
Like last year, when he finished 16th in the LMGTE Am class, Fassbender has been entered in to the event by the German Proton Competition team with Estonian Martin Rump and the Austrian Richard Lietz.
Fassbender dreams of following the trajectory of fellow Hollywood actors Patrick Dempsey who was second in LMGTE Am class in 2016 and Paul Newman who finished second overall in 1979.
News
Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]

Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.
Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.
The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.
Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.
Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.
She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.
“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”
In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.
In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.
last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.
During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.
This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.