Ned O’Shea is a legend in Kerry and he has made his mark in Dublin as well. O’Shea’s Merchant, known well as the Kerryman’s pub, was first bought by Ned in 1985. Ned quickly made use of the land in front of the building, holding set dancing sessions at the cross roads until the traffic jams they caused, and the bad weather, prompted him to build what is now the Merchant Bar.
Ned was in a show band in his younger years and is a national squeezebox champion. He has played with many of the legends in Irish music and has played host to many of these stars over the years. Ned retired in 2010 and since then, John and Maura O’Shea have continued to run the family business, continuing the tradition of rousing music, Kerry food and the warmest of Irish welcomes to all who enter the door at O’Shea’s.