Pastures new for boss of Cork garden centre

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.