Kearys
Kearys Motor Group is Ireland's largest family-owned motor retail group, operating 13 dealerships in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, and Galway across nine new vehicle franchises plus used cars, leasing, and van rental, serving both individual consumers and enterprise fleet customers with approximately 400 employees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersCork, Ireland
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Kearys does
Kearys Motor Group is Ireland's largest family-owned motor retail group, operating 13 dealerships across four cities (Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Galway) and approximately 400 employees. The group carries nine new vehicle franchises spanning premium (BMW, MINI), volume European (Renault, Dacia), Korean (Hyundai), Japanese (Nissan), Chinese EV (BYD, XPENG), and motorcycle (BMW Motorrad) brands. Operating subsidiaries include Kearys Carstore (used car supermarket chain in four cities), We Buy Cars (online car-buying service), Kearys Leasing (business and personal leasing), and Kearys Van Rental. The company is controlled by the Keary family, with Bill Keary as Chairman and Brendan Keary as CEO.
Revenue is generated across five streams: new vehicle sales, used vehicle sales (Carstore, We Buy Cars), recurring service and maintenance (including pre-NCT inspections, Interim/Full/Major service plans from €179), vehicle finance and leasing (monthly subscription pricing starting at €353/month ex VAT for Hyundai Inster), and parts/accessories. The go-to-market is hybrid: a physical dealership and service-center network combined with an online sales platform, with the CEO stating over 40% of cars are now sold online. The customer base is split between individual consumers (primary) and enterprise/fleet customers (primary), including renewable energy operators (Ørsted, PV Generation), a professional rugby franchise (Munster Rugby), and distribution businesses (National Beauty Distribution).
Kearys has positioned itself as an early-mover in Irish EV retail, winning the inaugural SEAI EV Dealership Award for Cork in 2022 and securing BYD (2022) and XPENG (2023) franchises ahead of most Irish competitors. The group invests in brand marketing through community sports sponsorships (Munster Rugby, Cork Camogie, Cork GAA, Cork Constitution), brand ambassadors, and content marketing, and has accumulated multiple industry recognitions including SIMI Franchise Sales Operation of the Year 2022, Cork Chamber Best Marketing Award 2025, and Great Place to Work certification in 2024. Fleet electrification is a stated strategic priority, with partnerships across EV charging (WattCharger) and energy providers (Pinergy).
Kearys firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kearys
- Legal name
- Kearys Motor Group
- Website
- https://kearys.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Kearys Motor Group is Ireland's largest family-owned motor retail group, operating 13 dealerships in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, and Galway across nine new vehicle franchises plus used cars, leasing, and van rental, serving both individual consumers and enterprise fleet customers with approximately 400 employees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Kearys is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cork
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Kearys business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- New Vehicle Sales: Sale of new vehicles through franchise dealerships for multiple automotive brands including BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad, Hyundai, Renault, Dacia, Nissan, BYD, and XPENG
- Used Vehicle Sales: Sale of used vehicles through Carstore used car supermarkets and We Buy Cars online service
- Vehicle Servicing and Maintenance: Full aftersales care including pre-NCT testing, servicing, accessories and car parts. Services include Interim Service (6-month/10,000km), Full Service (12-month/20,000km), and Major Service (24-month/40,000km). Special offer pricing from €179.
- Vehicle Finance and Leasing: Kearys Leasing provides business car and van leasing with over 40 years proven track record in fleet management. Also offers car finance for individual customers.
- Parts Sales: Sale of automotive parts and accessories through service departments
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spring Service Special |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Interim Service |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full Service |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Major Service |
| Other | Monthly | Finance Offers |
| Subscription | Monthly | Vehicle Leasing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kearys product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kearys Motor Group is Ireland's largest family-owned automotive retail group, operating a network of franchise dealerships and used car supermarkets. The group sells new vehicles from multiple manufacturers, used cars through its Carstore banner, and offers vehicle leasing, financing, aftersales service, and a vehicle-purchase service, with more than 13 dealership locations across Cork, Dublin, Limerick, and Galway.
Product overview
Kearys Motor Group is Ireland's largest family-owned motor group operating a multi-brand dealership network across Cork, Dublin, Limerick, and Galway. The company offers new vehicles through nine franchises (BMW, BMW Motorrad, BYD, Dacia, Hyundai, Renault, MINI, Nissan, XPENG), a used car supermarket (Carstore), vehicle leasing (Kearys Leasing), car finance, and comprehensive aftersales services including servicing, maintenance, and pre-NCT inspections. The business model combines physical dealerships with online sales capabilities, supporting customers across the entire vehicle ownership lifecycle from purchase through financing to ongoing maintenance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- New Car Sales
- Carstore (Used Car Supermarkets)
- Kearys Leasing
- We Buy Cars
- Vehicle Financing
- Aftersales Service and Parts
- Nationwide Fleet Management
Companies that use Kearys
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Kearys technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kearys partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Munster RugbycoreOfficial three-year motor partnership commencing 2022-2023 season. Kearys provides fleet of 10 plug-in hybrid vehicles for players and Development Staff with view to changing to fully electric vehicles. Previously sponsored from 2016-2020 through Renault brand.
- Cork CamogiecoreThree-year sponsorship deal making it one of the largest sponsorships in the sport. Supports Cork Camogie Senior, Intermediate, Minor and U16 teams. Includes Under 16 and Under 14 Club Championships. Sponsorship renewed until 2027.
- Cork GAAcoreOfficial Van Partner of Cork GAA. Provides six new Renault Trafic Sport Kit Vans for Senior, Minor and Under 20 Hurling and Football teams. Second year of partnership in 2022.
- PinergycoreCross-partnership with Pinergy (energy partners) and Kearys to accelerate Munster Rugby's fleet electrification journey and create roadmap for sustainable transport.
- Munster RugbycoreThree-year motor partnership renewed, providing vehicles for players, team management, and operations. 30+ car fleet.
- Cork Constitution Rugby ClubminorTitle sponsorship of Cork Constitution FC for 2023-2024 season.
- Keith BarryminorBrand Ambassador - mentalist and brain hacker who conducted motivational sessions for Cork Camogie teams.
- Jack CrowleyminorMunster Rugby player and Kearys Brand Ambassador.
- Paul McGrathminorFootball legend and Kearys Hyundai Brand Ambassador.
- ØrstedcoreExclusive fleet provider since 2024 with 17 fleet vehicles leased directly from Kearys for offshore wind and solar projects across Ireland.
- PV Generation LtdcoreFleet of nearly 60 vehicles for nationwide solar installation service since 2017.
- National Beauty Distributioncore360-degree fleet support for beauty distribution business.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kearys competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Marshall Motor Group: UK multi-brand franchised dealer group representing volume and premium brands. Comparable multi-franchise retail model across a wide geographic footprint; relevant scale and EV franchise positioning benchmark.
- Pendragon plc: Former UK-listed multi-brand motor group with franchised dealerships and used vehicle operations. Comparable multi-brand franchise + used car (Evans Halshaw) model despite recent corporate restructuring.
- Vertu Motors plc: UK-listed multi-brand motor group operating a national network of franchised dealerships. Public market comparable for scale, multi-franchise strategy, and aftersales monetisation, though operating in Great Britain rather than Ireland.
Direct peers
- Blackwater Motors Group: Multi-brand car and commercial vehicle dealer group based in the Munster region of Ireland, representing several of the same franchises as Kearys (Renault, Mazda, Toyota). Direct regional competitor in Cork and the south of Ireland.
- Donnelly Group: Large family-owned Northern Ireland motor group representing multiple franchises across new and used vehicles. Comparable multi-brand, multi-city dealership model with similar scale of operations.
- Johnson & Perrott Motor Group: Established Cork/Dublin-based multi-brand motor group representing several franchises. Comparable regional multi-brand dealer competing in the same Munster/Leinster catchment as Kearys.
- Pierse Motors: Long-running Irish family-owned multi-brand motor group with dealerships in Dublin. Directly comparable multi-franchise retail and aftersales model targeting the same Irish consumer market.
- Boland Motors: Irish family-owned multi-brand motor group representing Hyundai and Renault (overlapping with Kearys's franchise portfolio) across multiple locations in southeast Ireland. Comparable family-run, multi-franchise operating model.
- Frank Keane Group: Long-established Dublin-based BMW and MINI franchise dealer group. Direct competitor for BMW/MINI retail and servicing in the greater Dublin area, operating similar premium franchise model.
Broad incumbents
- Inchcape plc: Global automotive distributor and retailer operating multi-brand franchise networks across multiple continents. Broader incumbent providing a useful valuation and capital-allocation benchmark for multi-OEM franchise strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kearys social profiles
Digital presenceKearys compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Kearys financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kearys leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Kearys subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Kearys funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kearys M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kearys
What does Kearys do?
Kearys Motor Group is Ireland's largest family-owned automotive retail group, operating a network of franchise dealerships and used car supermarkets. The group sells new vehicles from multiple manufacturers, used cars through its Carstore banner, and offers vehicle leasing, financing, aftersales service, and a vehicle-purchase service, with more than 13 dealership locations across Cork, Dublin, Limerick, and Galway.
Is Kearys a public or private company?
Kearys is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kearys founded?
Kearys was founded in 1986. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Kearys based?
Kearys is headquartered in Cork, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Kearys make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. New Vehicle Sales are the primary driver. The others are used Vehicle Sales, vehicle Servicing and Maintenance, vehicle Finance and Leasing and parts Sales.
Who are Kearys's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Marshall Motor Group, Pendragon plc and Vertu Motors plc. Direct peers are Blackwater Motors Group, Donnelly Group, Johnson & Perrott Motor Group, Pierse Motors, Boland Motors and Frank Keane Group. Inchcape plc is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Kearys have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kearys.