St. Patrick's Day From Ireland

The Brand ON! Show

Some brands chase trends. The best ones build legacies.

In this special St. Patrick’s Day episode, Brandon Coleman Jr goes to Ireland and explores the remarkable story of Molly Gallivan—a whiskey-making widow who turned adversity into opportunity during Ireland’s Great Famine. Her ingenuity and resilience laid the foundation for a brand that still thrives today, thanks to her descendants’ commitment to authenticity, storytelling, and unforgettable customer experiences. This is more than Molly’s history—it’s a masterclass in brand-building that stands the test of time.

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Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman Jr

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.brandoncolemanjr.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficial

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Connect and Follow Stephen O’Sullivan

Stephen O’Sullivan is the passionate steward of Molly Gallivan’s Cottage & Traditional Farm, dedicated to preserving his family’s legacy and sharing Ireland’s rich cultural history. In 1997, he and his wife, Frances, saved the historic cottage from development, transforming it into a thriving heritage destination. Through meticulous restoration and immersive experiences, Stephen has brought Molly Gallivan’s story to life, attracting international recognition while maintaining the site’s authenticity. Committed to sustainable tourism and storytelling, he ensures that every visitor steps into a living piece of Irish history, blending tradition, hospitality, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Website: https://mollygallivans.com/

Email: [email protected]

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Transcript (with chapter marks)

00:02:56 Origins of Molly Gallivan’s

Stephen O’Sullivan: While her children were still young, her husband passed away, so Molly had to come up with some means to support her family… she became famous for making her own whiskey. We call that Poitín. It's the original Irish whiskey made from potato.

00:04:48 Saving Molly Gallivan’s

Stephen O’Sullivan: At that time, there was a developer buying this property, and he wanted to knock down the cottage, and build two modern holiday homes here. So initially, we just bought it to save it and to protect it.

00:07:27 Restoring history

Stephen O’Sullivan: The first thing we did was, really, we preserved the cottage, the farm, and the broken down barn. We had to repair the thatch roof. It took maybe a year, 18 months of preparation.

00:10:24 Marketing Molly Gallivan’s

Stephen O’Sullivan: Well, we got our word out through, mainly through Fáilte Ireland Tourism Organization. At the start, we were very lucky to have Samantha Brown, from the travel channel, a very nice person in the program, which was aired in the state for many years.

00:11:45 Molly Gallivan’s is Brand ON!

Brandon Coleman Jr: We looked at your website, mollygallivans.com, and it is fantastic. You've done a great job. And it is, it is part of your culture. And one of the things my wife and I noticed about pulling up to the place, obviously the look, you just go, Wow. What a cool Irish brand, because that's what Ireland is known for, the stone cottages, the thatch roof, the fireplaces, all those warm things.

00:14:30 Molly Gallivan’s Customer Experience

Brandon Coleman Jr: That's the customer journey. The customer experience is fabulous, and you include everything from hiking trails, which give you some of the most breathtaking views in the world, and places to sit and warm up and have a drink.

00:19:05 Brand Perfection

Brandon Coleman Jr: It's hard. It takes work to strive for perfection, to be totally Brand ON!, to be Brand ON!, acclaimed is what we call it when you're over and above, searching for that perfection so you don't have a customer go out unhappy.