78 PROFILE 878| | PSA LCV BUYERS’ GUIDE 2021
In the late 1970’s, Sean O’Shea from Ballyheigue, County Kerry bought an eight seater Ford Transit and started what is now the well-known, Tralee based O’Shea’s of Kerry. Sadly, Sean passed away in 2018, but not before he saw his son John and grandsons Jonathan and Cathal continue to develop a thriving operation. As the O’Shea family grew the business, they knew that for the firm to make any real progress they needed population mass and therefore moved the operation to Tralee in the early 1990s. Like all bus and coach operators, there is a need for steady work to keep the assets moving. Very few operators have become successful without relying on school runs, bingo trips and factory shuttles and O’Shea’s were no different, being heavily involved in these types of service. The moving to Tralee proved successful in this regard. Although the local trips may not have ceased completely, the work now being carried out by O’Shea’s has evolved. Tralee is known the world over for the annual ‘Rose of Tralee’ festival, which the locals refer to it as ‘The Festival’. Working on events like this brings great profile to the company. For example, during the festival week, a coach bearing the O’Shea’s livery could appear on
FLEETBUS&COACH| SUMMER 2021
O’Shea’s of Kerry – Welcome Aboard!
a newspaper or TV station anywhere around the world. Tralee and County Kerry in general are destinations that nearly every tourist will visit during their time in Ireland. Over the years, O’Shea’s have built up an extensive tour business, with clients such as Kleemann Reisen and Abbey Tours, while many tour companies rely on their expertise and professionalism. Business relationships like these are built over time and on mutual trust. Obviously, this international tour business is an important source of work, bring nationalities from all over the world on day trips and extended tours on O’Shea’s coaches, but tourism is of course seasonal, so a strong local business is also important. For O’Shea’s, one of the largest schools in Munster, the Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School, with 1,300 students, is a very important client during the school term, taking pupils to various sporting and social events. ‘Whether your passion is to golf, sight-see, or just simply relax, O’Shea’s of
Kerry private custom Irish tours provide the best way of experiencing all the beauty and splendour that Ireland has to offer from the comfort and safety of your own chauffeured vehicle’ Tralee is a large terminus for both Bus Éireann and Irish Rail and O’Shea’s provide a vital and efficient back-up service when breakdowns, line repairs and other busy periods occur for the national carrier at different times of the year. Other significant work undertaken came from one of their long term customers which organised a large conference in London some years ago. O’Shea’s supplied coaches with drivers for the event. Another example of the flexibility and high profile of the company, they were rewarded with a request to supply coaches for the G7 Summit, hosted by the British Government in Cornwall. Jonathan stated that it was a proud moment to be asked to source 30 vehicles from operators in the Munster area for the event. Seven units were supplied in-house, with others obtained from fellow operators around the province. There was a specific requirement for the vehicles, being less than 8m, due of the narrow roads at the venue and that only unbranded buses were allowed. Jonathan is confident that this exposure and experience will lead to more opportunities. When operating a range of vehicles of different sizes and capacity, it is difficult to remain with one manufacturer. That said, O’Shea’s has selected VDL as its preferred option for its coach operations.
