PRESERVING TRADITIONS

Ireland’s William O Sullivan was born into the world of horses, and horses have featured in William’s life from day one. “Apparently, when we were on the way back from the hospital where I was born, my father took a little detour. We went via a horse fair and bought a horse there on the way home,” laughs the 42-year-old horseman from County Kerry, who is also a singer and multi-instrumentalist in the traditional Irish band The Killarneys.

Central theme

Horses continued to play a fundamental role throughout William’s upbringing. The family runs the Killarney Riding Stables, known locally as O’Sullivan’s, an enterprise established by William’s parents Donie and Noreen O’Sullivan in 1968.

The riding centre remains a thriving family business based just outside the picturesque town of Killarney. There are over 80 horses on site, most of which are used for trekking, taking some of the thousands of people who visit this beautiful corner of County Kerry out to enjoy the scenery.

At the same time as caring for these trekking horses and ponies, William has also trained some of his own