Champagne bottles pop as Offaly businessman closes his doors

CHAMPAGNE bottles popped and car dismantler Liam Condron got the surprise of his life when he was shutting down his business.

The Killeigh native's two daughters Sarah and Katie kept the bubbly a secret from their father in advance of his decision to cease trading in Cappincur after 36 years.

“I was surprised, of course. I was down there trying to pull an engine out!” remarked Liam afterwards.

They had to come up with some ruse to take him away from his work so one of his employees got involved.

“John was shouting, 'You're wanted up here, you're wanted up here',” said Liam.

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He suspected his daughters were up to something. “I remember for my 50^th [birthday] Daddy came in with bottles of Budweiser.”

On this occasion it was champagne: “We have moved up in the world now.”

Liam, who is now 59, started his own car dismantling business during Italia 90 and just like the Boys in Green, it has has been a team effort to keep the show on the road.

“Thank you so much to everybody. I'm 36 years in this yard,” he reflected. “I wouldn't have got to where I am without friends, family and two longest longstanding workers John and Matthew, I want to thank them. Those two are with me over 20 years.

“I want to thank my daughter Sarah, she's worked with me for two or three years; and Katie, she's worked with me for a couple of years; and I want to thank Carmel who's helped me through the years.

“And Mammy and Daddy [Rita and Tom], only for them I wouldn't have got to where I am.”

It all began when Liam Condron served his time at Hurst's in Killeigh on International tractors before he moved to O'Sullivan's, Rhode where he worked as a tractor mechanic.

“That's where I got my education and I want to say that. And Lord of mercy on Tim O'Sullivan.”

His parents played a key role in Liam developing his trade and business acumen, especially his mother “with her blue book”.

While working for O'Sullivan's he also laboured at night in the workshop at home on the farm in Killeenmore.

“I worked for Tim for two years and Mammy used to take the details at home and when I'd get home at night I'd be pulling out engines and gear boxes and Daddy used to help me,” Liam details.

“I actually went to Tim one day and said I need a three-day week and he gave me the three-day week and he said I'll never stop anyone from getting on.

“Then I started here and that's it. We got there, we done the years at it.”

The final shutdown of Condron Dismantlers took place on the anniversary of Liam's father's death and he thought that was an appropriate time to close the curtains on that chapter of his life.

Though the dismantling operation is no more, Liam is staying in the motor trade and will now be concentrating on vehicle recovery.