Limerick hairdresser plans to open for 'essential' clients 

Niall Colgan said he would see a select few of his clients, including those who have recently had chemotherapy and would not charge for the service

Hairdresser Niall Colgan intends to reopen his Limerick salon this week in defiance of Covid restrictions. Photograph: Press 22

A Limerick hairdresser has vowed to break Covid regulations and provide haircuts to clients he deems to be essential.

Niall Colgan, who owns and runs Niall Colgan Hairdressing on Limerick’s O'Callaghan Strand, announced he would be opening the doors to a select few clients and that he would not be charging for his service.

Under the current level-5 restrictions, all non-essential retail and services, including hairdressers, must stay shut as the country continues to battle Covid-19 outbreaks.

However, Mr Colgan said he would see a select few of his clients, including those who have recently had chemotherapy.

“Their hair is completely out of control and for their mental health, after everything they have been through, with illness, lockdown, and not been able to see people and so on –  they really want to have their hair cut,” Mr Colgan said.

He added he has another client who suffers from trichotillomania, an impulse-control disorder that can cause people to pull their hair out.

If I don’t cut her hair she is going to pull it out, and that is going to add to her mental health and anxiety issues. It’s either that or she gets the clippers and shaves off her hair.” 

The salon owner took to various social media accounts he runs to post a video, in which he addresses Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

“I am not anti-vaccine, I am not anti-lockdown. I just know when something is essential,” Mr Colgan said. 

Report me, or jail me, or stop me, or whatever you want to do, but there are, in some instances, hairdressing services which we deem essential, and they need to take place now.” 

Mr Colgan said he would restrict the number of people inside the business to two at a time, while following a number of safety protocols.

He also made reference to hairdressers currently working in the “shadow economy".

“The majority of people can hold off, and that’s all very well. And they will be looking forward to going to the salon when the time comes to reopen,” Mr Colgan said.

And then there are other clients, who have shadow economy hairdressers at their fingertips and they are making the choice to go to those." 

Mr Colgan said he and others in the industry have been “harping on” about this issue for some time.

“We’re sick to our teeth of it and there’s nothing that can be done about it, it’s just happening, and the suppliers are supplying them with product,” he added.

An Garda Síochána did not respond to a request for comment on this matter at time of going to print.