O’Callaghan Brothers Ltd in Castleisland, Co. Kerry is a leading family-run construction firm that has earned an enviable reputation for delivering exceptional projects in the educational, commercial, healthcare and residential sectors.
Established in 2011 by brothers Ciaran and Aidan O’Callaghan, the company prides itself on honesty, integrity and professionalism. The brothers have a genuine passion for construction which shines through on each project undertaken, with every building stylishly crafted to the very highest standards, both structurally and aesthetically. O’Callaghan Brothers has become the contractor of choice for commercial, school, leisure, healthcare, retail and some residential projects throughout Munster.
Outstanding workmanship, value-for-money, an unwavering commitment to Health & Safety and working closely with clients to deliver total satisfaction are the hallmarks of the family business. From concept to completion, Ciaran and Aidan are with you every step of the way, ensuring that your new project is designed and built to your specific needs, and to the highest standard.
“We work closely with our clients and design teams to develop lasting relationships. We are trustworthy, honest, reliable and hard working,” Ciaran says.
The Co. Kerry contractor’s reputation for high-quality construction and ability to complete projects on time and within the agreed budget is borne out by the high volume of repeat business and referrals it receives from design teams and scores of satisfied customers.
By employing highly-skilled people, working closely with subcontractors, engineers and architects, and using only the very best building products, this fully-insured company is able to deliver projects that not only meet, but exceed expectations. Its professional, efficient and motivated team, who are always looking to improve in areas of technology, innovation and sustainability, is supported and supplemented by the same tried and trusted subcontractors, including Eleco Services, NOC Heating & Plumbing, Ger Corbett Blocklayer and John Kelly Groundworks. Its main suppliers include MD O’Shea’s Builders’ Merchants in Killarney and McGrath Quarries in Tulla, Co. Clare.
Before setting up the business, Ciaran and Aidan both received Honours Degrees in Construction Management from LIT and had worked as a site manager and site foreman respectively. Despite the country being in recession at the time, they identified a niche in the local market for a building contractor with a keen emphasis on top-quality work. Initially focusing on house extensions and other small projects, O’Callaghan Brothers has since grown to undertake much larger projects in the commercial, educational and healthcare sectors. These include a new purpose-built workshop for T Nolan’s Scania in Raheen Industrial Estate, Limerick, the new Derreen Community Complex in Killarney and new ASD units, mainstream classrooms and associated works at Killoughteen and Mahoonagh National Schools.
Another recently-completed project is the new state-of-the-art Castleisland Primary Care Centre. The Centre was built over three floors comprising a new lift shaft, extending upwards of an extra floor and roof, and a complete fitout of over 80 rooms ranging from clinics to offices. The project was completed on a live building, with the HSE operating on the ground floor until the contractor had the second and third floors complete. HSE staff then moved into the new section while renovation works to the ground floor were completed.
“Commercial and school projects now account for up to 80% of our workload,” Ciaran explains.
“It used to be 60 or 70% high-end, one-off residential projects, but we’re not doing as much of that work anymore. We took on our first school project a few years ago, and it just snowballed from there. Since then, we’ve earned a stellar name for ourselves in the education and commercial sectors.
“We’re currently putting the finishing touches to T Nolan’s new state-of-the-art workshop where they will be providing Scania truck sales, services and parts from. The facility includes four truck bays, offices, meeting rooms, stores and car parking. We’re also working on the new Derreen Community Complex which will cater for St Paul’s Basketball, Killarney Judo and Kerry Stars Special Olympics Sports Clubs.
“Ciaran Gallagher of BDB Consulting is the engineer on T Nolan’s Scania, while John Paul Coughlan of Coughlan Consulting Engineers is on the Killarney project. Needless to say, we enjoy an excellent working relationship with both parties.”
Both directors are imbued with a great work ethic and this is wholly apparent from viewing any of their completed projects.
“It’s all about a high-quality finish – you need that or you won’t get repeat work. Close attention to detail is vital and you need to be there on-site yourself, dealing with clients face-to-face,” Ciaran adds.
Indeed, the O’Callaghan brothers are on site all the time and make themselves readily available to clients before, during and after the construction phase.
While running a contracting business is obviously demanding and stressful, Ciaran admits he takes a lot of job satisfaction from his work: “When we are working on a high-end project and we bring that quality finish, that’s where we get the job satisfaction from. When you love what you do, you enjoy delivering a quality project.
“It’s always nice to see the buildings as we move about the region and to know that we completed those buildings to the very best of our ability.”
As O’Callaghan Brothers continues to go from strength to strength, Ciaran and Aidan would like to take this opportunity to thank their clients, suppliers and design teams for their continued support as well as their staff and subcontractors for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
O’Callaghan Brothers Ltd
Ballymacadam,
Castleisland,
Co. Kerry,
V92 X6K2.
Tel: 086 3582372 / 085 7302696
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ocallaghanbrothers.com
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, June 2025, Vol 11 No 6
featured, O’Callaghan Brothers
