Celebrating 10 years in business, Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries Ltd is a leading NSAI-certified supplier of top-quality limestone products to the construction, agricultural and forestry sectors.
Located just outside Clonmel in Co. Tipperary, Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries was established in May 2015 and has since earned an enviable reputation for supplying all grades of crushed stone to a wide and varied customer-base. Its prices are consistently monitored to ensure that customers have the confidence in knowing that they are dealing with one of the most competitive suppliers in the region.
The company is run by Paschal O’Shea and his partner Deirdre Kent who are joined by a small but dedicated team.
They are also supported by their 21-year-old son Larry, who is Motorsport Ireland media officer and has his own burgeoning social media business, and 13-year-old twins Conor and Martin. Paschal is also a motorsport enthusiast, being the current vice-chairman of Carrick-on-Suir Motor Club.
Paschal and Deirdre have combined their vast experience and knowledge of the quarry industry to make Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries the thriving operation it is today. They haven’t looked back since acquiring the 15-acre limestone quarry along with its plant from Cemex after they exited the Irish market a decade ago.
“My background is in plant hire, construction and farming,” Paschal explains.
“I worked for Roadstone many years ago as a fitter and had a plant hire and construction business after that. We worked practically full-time for Tirlán (then Glanbia) for 10 years and were responsible for building all of their CountryLife stores around the country.
“Deirdre has lots of experience in the quarry business from working with her father Noel Kent of Kent Quarries. It has been a busy 10 years for us. The first year was quiet enough, but it has been all-go since 2016 when the economy really started to pick up again. We’ve shifted 350,000 tonnes of clay to allow for more quarrying.”
Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries’ broad range of road and construction aggregates are renowned for their consistency and quality. The most popular products are SR 21 and Clause 503. SR 21 is a well-graded granular fill which is used mostly for house building. Clause 503 stone is a washed, graded and round stone used for pipe bedding and drainage. All products are manufactured in accordance with EN standards and National Road Authority specifications. Extensive testing is conducted both in house and through external laboratories to ensure conformity.
The production of SR 21 material is the mainstay of the business. There are four different material gradings – T0 Struc, T1 Struc, T2 Perm and T3 Blind. T0 Struc is suitably graded structural unbound granular fill hardcore material (0-125 mm) for use at depths greater than 900mm below the radon barrier. T1 Struc is structural unbound granular fill hardcore material. It is an all-graded aggregate (0-40mm) to facilitate placing and compactability.
T2 Perm is suitably graded gas permeable unbound fill hardcore material (4//40mm) to facilitate the free movement of gas radon within the hardcore layer where a radon sump is required. T3 Blind is fine aggregate (0/4mm) for blinding the top surface of the supporting granular fill material (T1 or T2) immediately below the DPM / radon barrier.
“We’re currently supplying SR 21 to a 50-unit housing development being carried out by Manozo Construction in Carrick-on-Suir. We’re also supplying material to Shareridge Civil Engineering on a job they are doing in Portlaw and MSD whose plant in Ballydine is only 500m from our weighbridge. We also supply a lot of roadmaking and drainage materials to the forestry and agri sectors.”
Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries is able to offer a fast and reliable delivery service with its four DAF tipper lorries. The immaculately-turned out trucks are manned by professional and courteous drivers who enjoy a great rapport with customers. Back at the quarry, there is an array of plant and machinery in use, including Doosan loaders, Hitachi excavators and an Extec C12 mobile crusher.
As Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries continues to go from strength to strength, Paschal and Deirdre would like to take this opportunity to thank their clients and suppliers for their continued support as well as their crew for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
“We’re very grateful for all the support we have received. Deirdre runs the office and puts a huge emphasis on customer service,” Paschal concludes.
Here’s to the next 10 years!
Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries Ltd
Ballydine,
Kilsheelan,
Clonmel,
Co. Tipperary.
Telephone: 052 613 9304 / 086 389 4159
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, Summer 2025, Vol 11 No 7
featured, Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries
