22-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
A trip down memory lane for popular publican as he pays a visit to his first workplace 61 years on
A lot has changed since then not least in Philip's life but also in the tourism industry and of course in the popular Killarney Hotel.
61 years later Philip took a trip down memory lane as he revisited the popular Killarney Hotel for a few days holiday with his wife Maureen recently.
"It is more than 60 years ago since I worked there so Maureen and myself stayed there for old-times sake,' he said.
"A lot has changed since I was there.'
But Philip can still recall his first introduction to the world of work.
"I was getting paid two pounds. It was my first wage,' he said.
"I was doing the washing up and then I moved to the dining room and the bar.'
The Castlerosse Hotel was built in 1960 by Beatrice Grosvenor, the last member of the Browne family remaining in Killarney. The Brownes has the titles of Baron Castlerosse, Viscount Kenmare and the male line continued until Gerald, the 7th Earl died in 1952 without a male heir.
Lady Grosvenor was the niece of the 6th and 7th Earl and she developed what was then known as the Castlerosse Drive-In Motel on the original site of Royal Victoria Hotel in front of the Lower Lake.
The hotel was officially opened by Mr. Jack Lynch TD Minister for Industry and Commerce and is the first hotel in Killarney to have a swimming pool.
Just a few short years later Philip O'Sullivan was among the staff there.
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The hotel has been completely revamped over the years and today is known as the Castlerosse Park Resort.
Philip worked there for 10 years and loved the experience and in those years he also managed two stints in New York furthering his skills.
The popular well-known publican from Cahersiveen learned the ropes of the tourism trade while working in the Castlerosse and it was skills that served him well as he went on to buy his own pub in 1974 after he returned from New York.
This pub -The Shebeen – marked 50 years in business last year and Philip and his family celebrated this success.
Fifty years later he is still behind the counter every single day. In fact, the well-known barman has never taken a day off – except during Covid- though he made a slight exception for a trip down memory lane.
