The Quinlan family are renowned in Kerry for the fresh fish that is landed at Caherciveen by their own fishing trawlers, and for a number of well run and successful related businesses. Fresh whitefish and shellfish is sourced from company trawlers and delivered daily to the shops and restaurants from their processing plant at Renard Point, just outside Caherciveen.
They operate four retail operations, the excellent Quinlan’s Fish Shops. One is in Caherciveen (just across the road from the famous Quinlan & Cooke Townhouse & Seafood Restaurant, which is owned and run by a family member), and others are at The Square, Killorglin (066 976 1860); The Mall, Tralee (066 712 3998); and Central Point, Deerpark, Killarney (064 663 9333).
Easy to spot with their jaunty sea blue livery, opening times of the shops vary but all offer the same high standard of fresh, sustainably caught fish, shellfish and seafood, along with outstanding service, including bespoke preparation. Helpful, well trained staff are happy to give recipes and advice on cooking, and cookery demonstrations are often held.
Freshly prepared convenience products are also offered, and wild smoked salmon is a speciality, when available; it is a popular purchase from the online shop - through which the company takes pride in offering smoked salmon internationally, and fresh deliveries of their full range throughout Ireland.
In 2017 Quinlan's bought another iconic Kerry smoked fish business, Kenmare Select , which was founded by the French chef, Rémy Benoit of the former Kenmare favourite, Remy's House restaurant, in 1991. Specialising in very high quality smoked salmon produced to a 'signature taste' that was created by Benoit through experimentation, the Kenmare Select Smoked Salmon range depends on many factors for its unique appeal - the use of seaweeds, dry-salting by hand, a long cold smoked and hand filleting which, in some cases, includes long-slicing by hand which is rarely seen. These premium products (Mild Smoked Salmon, Organic Smoked Salmon, and Herb Cured Salmon) are especiall highly regarded by leading chefs in Ireland and abroad.
Other related businesses operated by family members are the deservedly popular Quinlan’s Seafood Bars in Killarney (on High Street, opposite Quills Woollen Market), Tralee (The Mall), Kenmare (Main Street) and Cork city (Princes Street).
