Each dad gets a pint and a mannequin head to practice ponytails and plaits
09:35, 06 May 2026Updated 10:30, 06 May 2026
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Loads of dads enjoying their pints and practicing their ponytails with the help of Ciarán’s assistant.
Cork dads have been taking hairstyling lessons to learn how to do their little girls’ hair, and now the barber behind ‘Pints and Ponytails’ is expanding his project nationwide.
Ciarán O’Sullivan, who runs the ‘KiwiCutz’ barbershop and is known for cutting the hair of the Irish football team, got the idea for Pints and Ponytails after speaking with one of his regulars. The first event took place in a Cork city bar in March, and there have been three more sold-out events since.
The events are designed to help dads learn from a hair professional – and make friends with other fathers. Each father gets a pint, a mannequin head and a 90-minute lesson to practice basic styles. The hair-dressing gatherings have brought together two places for men to chat: the pub and the barbershop.
Ciarán O’Sullivan demonstrating hairstyles for the dads
Ciarán, 28, from Glengarriff, told Cork Beo: “A client of mine is a dad of two daughters and saw people doing something similar online in the US. That evening, I called my friends at SeventySeven, set up a meeting, and locked down a date.”
He says it’s not only a practical way for Dad to be involved in his girl’s routine, but it is a great way to bond. He said: “It’s now become a stage of like learn how to tie a shoelace – it’s that important for young families.”
Ciarán has been doing hair since he was 15, and he started at Wayne Lloyd’s in Ballydehob while still in school. He went on to open his own barbershop, Kiwicutz, on Friars Walk in December of 2018, which was very successful and helped build his clientele. But after Covid, which he said was ‘a disaster’ for the industry, he downsized to a private studio at Ballycureen Industrial Estate on the south side of the city.
Now, Ciarán is focusing on his own ‘Celtic Strand’ hair product brand and his new ‘Pints and Ponytails’ venture.
Ciarán showing the dads one of the nine different hairstyles he offers.
The events have gone down a treat with fathers across Cork, and now Ciarán is taking it nationwide. He’s running events in Limerick and all the way up to Enniskillen, Fermanagh, with plans for more in Galway and Dublin.
Tickets are selling fast, and at €30 per ticket, each dad will get a 90-minute lesson on nine different hairstyles, a pint, and videos sent out by Ciarán with demonstrations so they can practice more when they get home. Find tickets here.
Just from listening to the conversations had amongst the men who attend the gigs, Ciarán said: “They don’t have anything like this. There’s nowhere else that’s building a community of dads willing to learn something new.”
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The gigs are sometimes hosted before a popular sports event, such as a rugby or soccer match. This way, it’s likely that some of these dads would have been making their way to the pubs anyway. And by leaving home a little earlier, they can come back with new skills for their daughter’s hair.
“The reaction online is brilliant from the women’s side. They love seeing men enjoy something so wholesome.” One morning after an event the previous evening, the West Cork barber got sent a video from a proud wife watching her husband do her daughters’ hair for school. Ciarán said, “It was great to see.”
“We make it fun and enjoyable so they’re comfortable and open up about any questions or worries about their daughter’s hair.”
When asked about his plans for the future of the gigs, Ciaran said, “I’ve had loads of other venues contacting me- some pubs and some corporate companies looking to expand their diversity to include things for dads.
“There’s always going to be dads there, so I’ll definitely continue. And nowadays, with how progressive society is, the demand will always be there. Did I expect it to gain this much attention? Probably not, but you gotta roll with it.”