Cork hairdresser leaves his business in the capable hands of a little girl

ONE of Cork’s best-known hairdressers left his business in the capable hands of a four-year-old girl after learning of her dream to become a hairdresser.

Joseph Byrne, who owns Joseph’s Hair Salon in Glasheen, was so touched by the story of Ciara Jane and her family he decided to give her a day to remember.

Ciara Jane’s family heartbreak dates back to before she was born. In a previous interview with The Echo her mum Susan O’Sullivan had spoken of losing her husband to a series of heart attacks while pregnant with their second child, Ciara Jane.

Just months after his death, Susan was faced with the hurdle of having their newborn undergo surgery without him by her side. 

Their older daughter, Aoife — now six — had previously endured open-heart surgery.

Almost five years on from the tragedy Susan has been raising Ciara Jane and Aoife single-handedly.

She recently watched on proudly as Ciara Jane catered for clients of Joseph’s Hairdressers in Glasheen. 

Joseph greeted Ciara Jane on arrival with a hairdressing kit he had put together himself that included a doll and hair accessories.

“She was full of beans and was bringing over clients to the washbasin and back. At one point she realised her client didn’t have a towel so she went to take one from my shoulders.”

The Blarney child had customers charmed as she washed and blowdried hair.

“One of the girls working in the salon had beautiful red hair which she was running her fingers through,” Susan said. 

“Ciara Jane is now convinced that girl was Anna from Frozen,” she added.

Ciara Jane has been practising her new skills on some dolls at home. 

“She’s been brushing her doll’s hair and having full-blown conversations with her — exactly the way a hairdresser would,” Susan laughed.