Killybegs Klipper barber ‘a cut above the rest’ on Late Late ‘taking care of business’ Show 

Gary Byrne was one of the big hits of Friday night’s Late Late Show, which focused on the theme of ‘Taking care of Business’.

His mobile barbershop was one of just 16 selected from over 2,000 businesses in Ireland to take part in their annual ‘taking care of business’ show on RTÉ, but it nearly didn’t happen.

He told donegallive.ie:

“I got the call from a Late Late Show researcher who asked if I would be able to make it up for the show the following week. I was unsure at first as I had appointments already filled for the day of the show.

“But good sense prevailed, so when speaking with my family they told me to just reschedule the appointments and to go for it as it was a great opportunity to showcase the business.” 

Gary travelled up to Dublin with his sister Rachel who is a SNA in St Catherine's Vocational school, which was great as she was off for the Halloween break.

Some of the Killybegs Klipper products that Gary also supplied to his growing customer base  

“We got to RTE studios at 2pm and were briefed on how the filming would take place. Around 7.30pm we started rehearsals and Ryan appeared to meet us. Our segment was pre recorded an hour before the live TV show.

During the interview, host Ryan Tubridy had asked him why he had started the business and how he came up with the idea of being mobile?

“I told him that overnight in 2020 I lost two jobs, one being a barber and also as a musician. So I decided I wanted to start up my own business when I had the time.

Gary touches base at the RTE studios in Donnybrook, home of the Late Late Show 

“It was when researching the local area I realised there weren't any barber shops in a lot of the rural towns and villages in south west Donegal. So I decided I'd go the mobile route and take the service to those areas. 

He also explained that he had developed his own product range due to not being able to launch the business when another lockdown hit.

He explained to donegallive.ie:

Ryan Tubridy tests out the barber shop chair  

“I got the idea in summer of 2020, working alongside a company in Meath that converts food trucks. With it being lockdown I couldn't physically travel to them so it was all done over whatsapp where I would draw different designs and builds and they would work on it as close to what my plan was. It was during the build process when I started working on my own products with an English company. I got my first box delivered November 2020 and they sold out over Christmas 2020 and have been popular ever since.

Gallery: Jazz at the Parish Hall Kilcar with the Paul McIntyre Quartet

Enjoyable evening had by all in west Donegal

“When I got the van back then in January 2021 another lockdown was announced and I had to wait until May to officially start the business.

“So I had to wait until May 2021 to officially launch the business 

“I've had a steady clientele since, thank God and have travelled to Glenties, Carrick, Kilcar and Killybegs.”