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EchoLive.ie, 14 Nov
After 75 years, Shanahan’s Nurseries and Garden Centre in Clonakilty is
set to close just before Christmas. Barry Kingston, nephew of the
founder, tells CHRIS DUNNE why he is hanging up his spade after 42
years there - and why he decided never to go down the coffee shop and
scented candles route
Pastures new for boss of Cork garden centre
From left, Barry Kingston, Mary Kingston, and staff member at
Shanahan’s, Eric Dineen
Chris Dunne
EVEN though Barry Kingston, second generation proprietor of Shanahan’s
Nurseries and Garden Centre in Clonakilty, is hanging up his spade
after 42 years in the business, he still has some pearls of wisdom
about his passion.
“Keep gardening,” he says, “it is the greatest healing a person can
get.”
The business is closing down for good on December 22 - truly the end of
a horticultural era for Cork.
Barry and I head off to walk the three acres of garden where his late
uncle and founder of Shanahan’s Nurseries, Barry G. Shanahan, could
often be seen accompanied by his dog, Paudie. Barry G., who opened the
garden centre 75 years ago was a talented man.
“He was an avid fan and composer of poetry and could be found writing
down verses on any spare scrap of paper from time to time,” says Barry.
“He was very religious, and he taught me all I know. I listened and
learned from him.
People coming here often encountered my uncle walking the grounds with
his dog with a smile on his face and he was always eager to help the
home gardener bring colour and life back to their own little patch of
Eden.
Barry G was a natural gardener.
“He started Shanahan’s Nurseries in the 1960s,” says Barry. “He was
born in Clonakilty, and he left school early to begin an occupation
selling bedding plants, and he later started selling tomato plants as
well.
“As time passed, and his business grew successful, Barry added trees
and shrubs to his stock as well as a wide variety of flowers and other
plants.”
Author Alice Taylor, who lives in Inishshannon, was a friend of Barry
G’s.
“Barry was a once-off creation and his wonderful garden was an
extension of himself,” she says. “His little poems, like himself and
his garden centre, was a blessing.”
Barry G gave good advice. “If you want to sell, go where the people
are, but if you have what the people want, the people will beat a path
to your door. Many of us beat a path to Barry’s gate!” says Alice.
“A lifetime of knowledge was beyond that gate. Barry was always on hand
to advise and guide on the wisdom of choice.”
His nephew took a wise decision as a young boy. “I started following in
my late uncle’s footsteps in the early days of my boyhood,” says Barry.
He taught me everything I know about gardening.
Barry, who completed courses at the National Botanical Gardens of
Ireland, has developed into an expert horticulturist, setting him up to
fill his uncle’s wellingtons.
“My uncle was a natural gardener,” says Barry. “He gave his life to it.
He tutored me since I was 10 years old. I came here straight from
school. I loved it. I started here at the age of 16 and I have been
here ever since.”
Mary Kingston, Barry’s wife, joined Shanahan’s Nurseries in 2008 after
a tenure of 23 years at the Renascreena Post Office, finishing her
tenure there as Postmistress.
“I’m not a great gardener,” Mary admits. She has another talent. “I do
the books!” she says.
“It takes a partnership to run the business,” says Barry.
Does she help Barry in the garden of their home in Renascreena?
“We have a big garden,” she says. “Barry mostly looks after it.”
So, with Barry retiring, the Kingston plot will be a garden of
paradise?
“I’m not sure about that,” says Barry laughing.
We think it’s time to step back while we still have our health. And we
are young enough to enjoy quality time. We have no big plans, maybe do
a bit of travelling.
Barry likes getting his hands dirty.
“I will always garden. I couldn’t just stop after working decades
here.”
Barry and Mary, who have two grown-up children, Brendan and Annie, have
no regrets about their lives and careers.
“It has been wonderful,” says Barry who is a man for all seasons, the
son of a farmer.
“We’ve had good years and we’ve had bad years. Our customers were
always very loyal, and we built up a great relationship with the
locals. They were our life-blood over the years.”
Staff member Eric Dineen says: “There is never a day that I can’t say
this is beautiful. I love being among the plants and shrubs, the birds,
the foxes and the butterflies.”
Eric came a long way from South Africa to Clonakilty.
“I’m a graphic designer by profession,” he says. “In 2010, there was a
crisis, there was no work. I came in here and talked to Barry, who gave
me a job on trial. I’ve been here ever since.”
Eric fell in love with the beautiful processes taking place all around
him. “It’s the best job I ever had!” he says.
Barry G had a special relationship with a Taoiseach.
“Himself and Jack Lynch were good friends,” says Barry.
“The former Taoiseach often visited here, and Barry G gave him good
advice about how to lay out his garden and what to grow in his garden.
There are Christmas cards still here in the office sent by Jack Lynch
to my uncle. He liked dealing with him.
Barry has planted gardens all over Cork.
“Yes, I enjoyed designing gardens and laying them out. I got great
satisfaction from that,” he says.
The sense of job satisfaction will be missed.
“Well, it is the end of an era if you like,” says Barry.
“Our kids weren’t interested in taking on the garden centre so that is
another reason we are retiring. I’ll miss the routine, but look, I have
no injuries and I am hale and hearty.”
There are other good reasons influencing the Kingston’s retirement.
“We’ll have summers off after 40 years!” says Barry. “I can bury the
phone!”
The apple never fell far from the tree.
“The place hasn’t changed at all since my uncle was here,” says Barry.
“People often asked why we didn’t open a coffee shop. We made a
conscious decision not to. It’s not about the coffee; it’s about the
flowers, the shrubs, the trees, the pots. And we weren’t going down the
scented candle road.”
Barry and his wife Mary are taking a new road now.
“My uncle wrote a poem, A Blessing,” says Barry.
Can he quote a couple of lines ?
“May you never be afraid of growing old. Count the seasons, not the
years. May each of the four seasons bring you something new, wonderful
and beautiful.”
No doubt each of the seasons will bring something new, wonderful and
beautiful for the Kingstons after a fruitful career in the gardening
business.
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