Ann-Marie and Tara are still making the cut after 21 years

WHEN cousins Ann-Marie Lawler and Tara Sheehan open their doors for business on 2 August, it won’t just be for haircuts. The duo will be celebrating a remarkable milestone – 21 years in business together as Carlow town’s beloved and second-oldest barbers, marking their achievement with treats, refreshments and a tipple or two for customers.

“We’ll have balloons, teas, coffees, drinks, sandwiches, treats for the kids and things like that. And we’re going to have a little bar in the corner for those who can have a drink if they’re not driving,” explains Ann-Marie, anticipating more socialising than actual haircuts on their special day.

Their journey began when Tara, who had caught the barbering bug while working at David Bradshaw’s, invited her cousin to join her new venture. “A few months after opening, she asked me to join her. I was nervous because I didn’t want us to fall out. I went on holiday, thought about it, said yes and never looked back,” recalls Ann-Marie.

That leap of faith has paid off spectacularly. In 21 years of working together, the cousins have remained good friends and business partners, a testament to both their personal bond and professional compatibility.

“We’ve been together from day one, since we were nippers. It’s a great achievement that we’ve never fallen out,” says Tara with a laugh, adding of her cousin: “She’s the best in the world. I don’t think I would do this with anyone else.” 

What sets this barber shop apart is the incredible loyalty of its customer base. Their oldest regular customer is 95 years’ old and has been coming since they opened. At the other end of the spectrum, they regularly welcome babies from nine months’ old for their first trims.

“I remember kids that would have come in and been sitting on their parents’ knee, getting their hair cut, and now they’re bringing in their kids,” says Ann-Marie, reflecting on the multigenerational families they now serve.

This customer loyalty runs so deep that many have followed the cousins from their very first jobs to their current well-established business, now the second longest-running barber business in Carlow town.

For Ann-Marie and Tara, barbering extends far beyond cutting hair. They’ve become confidantes, therapists and genuine friends to their customers.

“We’re definitely therapists at the end of the day,” Ann-Marie observes. “Men are easy to talk to; they’ll just talk about anything. They could talk about something personal; they could talk about an illness – they’re a lot more open than you’d expect.” 

This deeper connection means the cousins often carry their customers’ stories home with them. “You have the laughs and you have the tears and then, to be honest, you have customers where you go home at night and you’re thinking of them because they’re going through a hard time. And I’ve cried over customers, you know what I mean? They’re more than customers at the end of the day,” Ann-Marie shares.

Their care extends beyond the shop itself. When elderly or unwell customers can’t make it in, the cousins offer house calls.

“If they rang and said they couldn’t make it in, I’d say, look, we’ll call to your house on the way home. That’s never a problem,” explains Tara.

The pair have thrived in what was traditionally a male-dominated business. Ann-Marie recalls the early days when attitudes were different: “I remember approaching a customer in his 50s and he said ‘you’re not cutting my hair. You’re a woman’.” 

Times have changed dramatically. “Over the years, I feel that men almost prefer women to cut their hair because it’s not just a haircut, it can be therapeutic, a place to talk,” she explains.

Their success has been recognised not just by customers but by their supportive landlords Peter and Kay Byrne, who stood by them during the challenging Covid-19 period. When they reopened after lockdown, queues stretched down Tullow Street and the shop operated 12-hour days for three weeks to meet the pent-up demand.

“It was 9am to 9pm for three weeks solid,” recalls Tara.

Keeping up with trends comes naturally to the pair. Tara, a self-confessed soccer fanatic, easily keeps track of footballer-inspired styles, while both stay up to date with social media influences. The ‘burst fade’ is apparently the current trend, though their philosophy remains refreshingly individual.

“I like people being different and being themselves, not just following the leader. I’m always, like, ‘do your own thing.’ Don’t be getting a haircut just because someone else has it,” says Ann-Marie, whose favourite cut remains the classic mullet, while Tara prefers to keep an open mind.

After 21 years, both cousins remain passionate about their work. 

Ann-Marie, who has wanted to be a hairdresser since she was five years’ old, has no plans to slow down. “Oh God, yeah. I see myself doing this in five or ten years’ time.” 

For Tara, the secret to their longevity is simple: “It’s not about just trying to make money out of it or anything. You obviously want to pay the bills, of course. But once you enjoy waking up in the morning, and you don’t mind getting out of bed to go to work, I think that’s the right job for you.” 

As they prepare for their anniversary celebration on 2 August, with goodie bags and prizes for customers, Ann-Marie and Tara represent something special in today’s fast-paced world: a business built on genuine relationships, community care and the simple but profound act of helping people look and feel their best, one haircut at a time.