Champion beard owner takes remarks on the chin but says interest is growing

“Walking down the street, I’ve been called Jesus, Rasputin, Fagan, ZZ Tops, even Forty Coats, it depends on the generation,” says John McNally, the face of beards in Ireland.

Don’t expect the current national champion to bristle at this, though. He’s well used to taking such comments on the chin.

McNally, from Bray, Co Wicklow, is finishing a PhD in law at University College Cork, meaning he did not have to travel far for the first official meeting of the Irish Beard and Moustache Association, held in the Rebel city at the weekend.

“We have over 300 members, and like their beards, numbers are growing. We like to knit together as a community,” joked John, a founding member of the association.

“Our goal is to promote the wearing of beards and moustaches, as well as a sense of camaraderie.”

He claimed his title at the association’s inaugural festival, held in Corofin, Co Clare, last May.

“I won because I had the most substantial beard. I plan to defend the title next May, but I hope and expect to have more competition this year. We are not surprised at the growing interest. Definitely, men are more inclined to go unshaven these days. I think it is a fashion. Even male models are sporting beards and companies associated with shaving have issued profit warnings,” he declared.

John has sported a beard for 10 years, but shaved it twice for charity. The current beard is at least five years old. The 30-year-old has no hesitation in citing “laziness” for his beard.

“It gives me an extra few minutes in bed, plus I’ll save a fortune when the water charges come in.”

As for close shaves with the opposite sex... “It depends on the girl. Usually, I get a positive response, but some are terrified of it, which is termed pogonophobia, while others just find it unattractive. There was one girl I might have considered shaving it for, but that’s passed now.

“However, we do have the Ladies Appreciation of Beards in Ireland Association. If you look at the acronym, rest assured, we did not come up with that name,” said John, who swears by an apricot-oil beard tonic produced by the Carrigtwohill-based Dr K Soap Company.

Such is the association’s success, it is thinking big.

“One of our founding members came 13th in the full-beard category at the world championships in Germany last summer. The ultimate goal is to bring the world championships to Ireland, maybe within the next three or four years.”

Their veneration of hair comes in all forms, as their next meeting in Dublin on Feb 20 will take in a gig by a band called The Beards.

“We are also inviting clean-shaven guys, in the hope the fashion for facial hair will grow on them,” said John.