Hairy moments as family unites for record

It was a case of close cuts for nine Meath brothers who reunited for the first time in two years in a Guinness world record attempt.

The Morris Brothers — who range in age from 47 to 70 — travelled from as far as Canada and England to their home in Carnaross, Kells, to rid themselves of their beards, especially grown for the charity event.

Bill and Tom landed from Canada with razor-sharp wit to ask if they needed to pay tax to import the newly-grown body hair.

Pat flew in from London, while Jimmy travelled the short distance from Dublin’s Blanchardstown. The remaining Morris brothers, Fin, Hughie, Joe, Tom, and Ownie, all live in Carnaross and surrounding areas.

Hundreds turned out at the Carnaross Inn to support the event, in which more than €16,000 was raised for the Niall Mellon Township Trust.

Organiser Joe Morris will travel to Kenya with the trust in October where they hope to build some schools. The window and door glazier said: “It was an amazing night. We only aimed to raise €4,000 and it looks like we quadrupled that target.” It will be Joe’s sixth time abroad as a volunteer with the Trust.

He added: “Our two nephews also got up on the night and got their heads shaved, so you could say there were more than a few hairy moments for our family on the night.”

Along with their two sisters, the Morris family shared their clean-shaven image with relatives and friends the following day at the wedding of their niece, Ciara McArdle, to Richie McCarthy in Carnaross.

Now the brothers will send off photos of the event for judges to see if they will qualify for a new Guinness World record.

Joe laughed: “I think everyone is happy the beards are gone, especially our wives.”