Fatherly Advice at Opening of Business in 1954 recalled at 70th Anniversary at Divanes

The Volkswagen Beetle’s golden era gets pride of place in the Stanley Divane Pavilion with one of the last in the line delivered to Castleisland in 1977 with custodians and brothers, John (left) and Denis Divane at the 70th anniversary celebrations on Friday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of Divanes Kerry at the Stanley Divane Pavilion on Friday morning were: Tommy Martin (left) with Denis Divane and Joe Hartnett. Tommy’s father Joe worked at Divanes as Volkswagen Gold Pin winning storeman for a 60 year span from 1958 to 2018. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Courtney Roche representing The Forge Restaurant keeping the guests happy at the 70th celebrations at Divanes Kerry on Friday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Brosna, Co. Kerry resident, South Wales native, Grahan Parry (centre right) described himself as the proud owner of a VW Polo 6.6.24 at the 70th celebrations at Divanes Kerry on Friday morning. Mr. Parry is pictured here with from left: Alan Bateson, Director Volkswagen Ireland; Paul Hunt, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Brand Director; John Divane, Divanes Kerry; Jerome Flynn, Sales Divanes Kerry and Denis Divane MD Divanes Kerry. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Micheál O’Shea, KPH Construction, Kenmare (centre) with John Vahey, Divanes Kerry Brand Manager (left) and Jerome Flynn, Sales Divanes Kerry celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of Divanes at the Stanley Divane Pavilion on Friday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Alan Bateson, Director Volkswagen Ireland and Divanes Kerry office staff member, Maria Brosnan at the 70th anniversary celebrations on Killarney Road on Friday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Denis (centre) and John Divane (centre left) pictured at the Stanley Divane Pavilion on Friday on the occasion of the company’s 70th anniversary of its founding. Included are from left: Alan Bateson, Director Volkswagen Ireland; John and Denis with Paul Hunt, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Brand Director and John Vahey. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Stan Divane, Divanes Kerry (centre left) with guests, from left: Lisa Horgan, An Ríocht Health and Leisure; Micheál Walsh, Walsh ColourPrint and Teresa Landers, Principal Castleisland Community College at the 70th celebrations at Divanes on Friday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Fashion you can buy, but style you’re born with it. What else could you say about how Divanes Castleisland go about their business with that vein of style running through every thing they do.

The long established Killarney Road business has celebrated many milestones since Stanley Divane opened his garage there on Christmas Eve 1954.

Milestones are and have been meticulously marked and minded at every opportunity down the years through features on the run of in-house calendars and, on Friday last, with a gathering at the now Stanley Divane Pavilion across the road from where it all began in ’54.

Nugget of Fatherly Advice

With a nugget of fatherly advice to guide him, Stanley knuckled down to business and soon forged links with VW – links that have been tempered to endure to this day.

On Friday at their Killarney Road headquarters Divanes celebrated the 70^th anniversary of that Christmas Eve 1954 launch of its continuing existence with a gathering of management, staff, friends and neighbours and VW Ireland top brass.

With the style he possess, the kind that can’t be bought, Denis Divane looked no further that his immediate locality for the touches that make him and the business unique.

Catering by The Forge / Mugs by Delia

The catering was done by The Forge and Courtney Roche filled an efficient, ambassadorial role for the Market Cross / Back of the Forge based restaurant throughout the busy morning.

And coffee mugs, set apart by their town of origin and castle outline, were commissioned from the Upper Main Street based Delia’s Pottery for the visiting guests.

The advice that Stanley Divane got from his father as he was about to take that giant leap was: “Mind what’s going on in your own field and don’t be looking over the ditch at what the other fella is doing.”

Mind your own business – in other words. He did and, signs on, the business that carries his name is still going strong to this day 70 years on.

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