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Marie Meets: “Ciarraí Abú and a bodhrán to prove It” – A day at Variety Sounds with Pat O’Connor
By Marie Caroll-O'Sullivan
If you ever want to experience a masterclass in charm, wit, and the universal power of music, walk through the doors of Variety Sounds in Killarney. Better yet, walk in on a day when Kerry have just claimed the Sam Maguire and Pat O’Connor is holding a bodhrán that reads ‘Ciarraí Abú’. I did just that!
Pat is celebrating two big milestones this year. He is celebrating 75 glorious years on planet Earth and 45 years at the helm of this musical mecca. And if there was ever a shop that sounded like its owner, it's this one: warm, lively, unpredictable, and stocked to the ceiling with stories.
We sat, well, we stood, mostly, because customers came and went like tides and talked about the early days. “I opened in 1980,” Pat began, “and the first sound in the shop wasn't a guitar or a banjo – it was the hum of car stereos.”
Now, when Pat says car stereos, he doesn’t mean Bluetooth and Spotify. He means the eight-track monsters you could hear before you saw them, followed by the four-track, where you'd have to turn the tape mid-journey physically. “It was grand,” Pat said, grinning, “until Sharp brought out the auto-reverse. Then things got very smooth.”
Cue the twinkle in his eye.
“You see Marie,” Pat said, lowering his voice like a man about to reveal the secret to life itself, “I know from personal experience the convenience auto-reverse brought to motoring.” And with that, he chuckled like a man who knew exactly how to cue up a romantic mixtape without ever interrupting the mood. “You’re cruisin’ with a lady friend, and just as you’re impressing her with ‘The Power of Love,’ you don't have to fumble for the tape awkwardly. No, Sharp has you covered. Just sit back and let love – and the music – play on.”
Sharp. The true unsung hero of courtship.
The conversation bounced, much like Pat himself, from nostalgia to modern-day hustle. “We moved onto CDs, of course. They flew out the door. Still do, would you believe?” And of course, musical instruments soon found their way in, from tin whistles and guitars, to accordions, ukuleles, and everything in between.
As we chatted, people wandered in and out. Tourists, children, seasoned musicians, curious passers-by. No two alike. But each one received the same greeting: “Welcome to Killarney!” followed by an offer of help that was tailored, thoughtful, and sometimes bilingual. It was like watching a DJ mix styles, rhythms, and generations — all in the form of customer service.
“Do you play anything yourself, Pat?” I asked during a lull.
He paused. “I used to play the button accordion and the harmonica,” he said, “but enough said. I’m better at selling them now.” He burst out laughing. I did too. A man who knows his strengths.
And he’s not in it alone either. Murt, his right-hand man, is what Pat calls a “very valued member of the team”. More customers in and out. Picture Pat juggling guitar strings, giving advice on amps, and somehow knowing exactly where everything was in his Aladdin’s cave of sound.
I shared a story about my daughter Clodagh, and the red guitar that shimmered in the window like it was made for her. Pat and Murt helped her buy it bit by bit, busking until it was hers. That support? It wasn’t just financial. It was emotional. Encouragement dressed up as commerce. “We do trade-ins too,” Pat reminded me. “So, if she ever wants to trade in or needs a repair, tell her she’s always welcome back.”
And she’s not the only one. Musicians of every calibre have walked through these doors – Peyton Taylor (check out Variety Sounds Instagram for a 'live' at Variety Sounds from Peyton, she's class), Tommy Fleming, Ronny Drew, The Wolfe Tones, and more. Pat tells me he once just missed comedian Tommy Tiernan due to a coffee break that ran a few minutes too long. “Back in five minutes,” he explained. “Unfortunately, the poor man wasn't on my clock!”
And it’s not just locals and big names who’ve taken notice. Variety Sounds has also caught the international eye. Pat has been featured in Lonely Planet and some New York publication he can’t quite recall. “I’m brutal at remembering those things,” he admitted, waving the thought away. “They said lovely stuff, though!” You’d think these clippings would be proudly displayed, framed and hanging behind the counter. Not a single one graces the walls. “Ah sure look,” Pat says, “the customers coming back in is the best review I could ask for.”
Of course, Pat’s flair for innovation didn’t stop at stereo systems. When the mobile phone entered Irish life in the early ‘90s, he was there, selling “Ready to Go” 088 mobiles. “It took me a month to sell the first one,” he laughed. “And then another six weeks for the connection paperwork to go through. Imagine trying that today!” One customer even traded in a musical instrument to buy a phone, which Pat says left the Vodafone CEO gobsmacked at a marketing meeting in Dublin. Naturally.
As our conversation wound down, I asked Pat what he loved most about his job.
He didn’t hesitate.
“It’s the people. Always the people. Seeing someone buy their first tin whistle and come back years later for a concertina, that’s pure joy. I’ve made friends for life. And you know what? Over the 45 years, I always ask visitors their thoughts on Killarney. Not one complaint. Not one. Isn’t that fantastic?”
It really is, I agreed.
If you're on College Street, call by to see the bodhrán that says ‘Ciarraí Abú’, and ask him to tell you about the Sharp auto-reverse. You'll come for the gear, sure but you’ll stay for the stories, the warmth, and the tunes that somehow follow you out the door.
Happy 75th Pat. And happy 45th to Variety Sounds. A shop, a time capsule, a beating heart to the rhythm of Killarney.
WEEK 14
Felicity’s Summer in Killarney
Previously: Here on Dundag it was far easier to relax than anywhere else. They had a picnic blanket, some cold drinks and what felt like all the time in the world.
“I can’t believe I leave on Monday” Felicity said tiredly.
“Neither can I. This summer has flown. Tell me you have plans to come back sometime soon though? I don’t think Sheila and I can be as good of a mischief-making duo as me and you.”
Felicity had already spoken with her parents about her return to Killarney. “I’d like to come back for Halloween. Who knows, with my apprenticeship you may be seeing a lot more of me.”
Felicity glanced at Jack, who was looking far out over the lake. “That wouldn’t be so bad.” He paused. “There’s loads of things to do in Kerry around Halloween. There are countless events and festivals in the surrounding towns and parishes.”
“That would be nice. I love Halloween, it would be great to see how ye do it down here.” A few years ago she and her friends had run a school scare event in Dublin, for TYs and above only. It had been some of the best fun they’d had in school together.
“It’s going to be really strange not having you just around the corner anymore. I’ve gotten so used to showing up at Sheila’s and you being there.”
Knowing that her friends were going to miss her so much made Felicity’s chest twist. She knew that Auntie Sheila wasn’t looking forward to her leaving either. “At least I’ll be back soon. You’ll be seeing me off of the train before you can blink.”
“Yeah, I can’t wait.”
A few hours passed before Felicity and Jack returned to Hedgerow Place. Jack dropped her off at the door, promising to meet her at the bus station tomorrow to see her off. Felicity trudged towards the door morosely.
Auntie Sheila met her on the other side with a sad smile. “Hopefully you’ll be back soon poppet. I suppose for now you should probably pack.”
Felicity nodded and made her way upstairs. She entered the spare room , her room now, really. Auntie Sheila had offered her it permanently if she were to get her apprenticeship. That would be a dream come true, to live in Killarney and have something as exciting as an apprenticeship to work on.
Felicity packed slowly. She let herself daydream about what her life could look like, and how easy it would be to sink into it. Thoughts of coming back here, to a room that was fully hers circled around her head. Felicity looked around her room as she slowly progressed towards fitting her whole summer into just the two small suitcases and backpack that she had come to Killarney with.
It felt like her experiences were too big, too meaningful to pack away with her. Too much had happened this summer to pack it all away. The only solace, Felicity thought, was that she had to go so that she could come back again.
The Bus
Now she was standing once more at Killarney Bus Station, waiting to get the Expressway back to Cork before the next leg to Dublin. Auntie Sheila and Jack both stood nearby waiting to see her off.
Felicity had spent the last few days packing, reminiscing on her time in Killarney as if it were years ago, and had not started a mere three months previously. The adventures she’d had and the friends she made were all so different from what she knew in Dublin. It almost felt like going back to the city was going back to a different world, a different life.
“You have to stay in touch,” Jack said with a frown. “And I will hold you to your promise to come back at Halloween. We have to go to some of the Halloween events. I know it’s a trek down but it will be faster by train.”
Felicity didn’t know why her parents had booked her a bus down and back and not the train, but she was almost thankful for the extra travel time on the way back. It would take all of it and more to acclimatise back into her old life.
When the bus arrived, Jack helped her stow her luggage in the undercarriage. It was with a heavy heart and tearful eyes that she hugged them both goodbye. Felicity promised both to them and to herself that she would be back for Halloween, even if she didn’t get her apprenticeship, she would make the time around her college schedule to visit. God, she should have applied for college in Killarney. If only she had known what it was like when she was filling out her CAO.
Felicity trudged up the steps onto the bus. She hadn’t missed how cramped the seats were. The train would undoubtedly be the better option for her return.
She turned and waved at Jack and Auntie Sheila as the bus pulled out of its berth. She could see Auntie Sheila smiling up at her. Something her aunt had told her the night before swirled around in her head. “It doesn’t matter that you’re leaving now,” she had said, “because you’ve been to Killarney once, and now there will always be a home for you here.”
Summer in Killarney had been transformative, to say the least. The bus went around the Daly’s roundabout and travelled down the hill towards Cork. Felicity looked longingly at the turn to Woodlawn Road as they trundled by. Killarney, and Auntie Sheila’s little house on Hedgerow Place, had snuck its way into her heart. Felicity was going to miss it. She couldn’t wait to come back again.
Frustration mounts over morning gridlock at Coolcorcoran
Mounting traffic gridlock at the Coolcorcoran junction onto the N22 Killarney Bypass is causing daily delays for commuters, with local motorists calling on Killarney Municipal District and elected representatives to take immediate action.
Early morning traffic coming from the Tralee side has become severely backed up past BG Motors during the peak 8.15am commute.
Motorists attempting to enter the bypass from the Coolcorcoran side face long queues and increasing frustration as they struggle to join the main road.
Local drivers point to a specific design issue at the exit, where a raised kerb and a section of unused footpath prevent left-turning vehicles from merging smoothly into the traffic flow.
Road users are requesting a simple layout modification to resolve the bottleneck: converting the exit to left-turn only, removing the kerb obstruction, and directing driver traffic to loop via a U-turn at the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre roundabout. Similar left-turn measures were previously implemented at the nearby Lewis Road junction to improve safety and traffic flow.
The request comes as broader plans for the N22 bypass upgrade and new link road infrastructure remain under progression by Kerry County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
Motorists wishing to share their views on local road issues can email info@killarneyadvertiser.ie.
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