A renowned Belfast hairstylist has been honoured for his dedication and contribution to the industry at a prestigious all-Ireland award ceremony.
"My mother was always very encouraging and would have said when I was 12 or 13 that I should think about becoming a hairdresser which is quite unusual back in the late 70s for a mum to say to her young son." "I worked in Zakks on Bradbury Place which was like Studio 54 for hairdressing back then. It was great because there was no bigotry or prejudice or political divides - it was a really eclectic atmosphere where people from all sides of the community came to have their hair done or work," he said.
Paul added: "The nomination itself came really out of the blue and I didn't expect it at all - I am like everyone else at the moment, just trying to keep our business afloat and keep people in jobs. It was a real blast of positivity and I felt really very humbled by it. This was the first time the event had been held in person since 2019 and Paul said being able to celebrate with colleagues from all over the country was a momentous occasion.