Our Story
Where It All Began
Conlan Oils began in July 1985 at the most unlikely of boardrooms — Peter and Marie Conlan’s kitchen table on Church Road in Athy. With plenty of determination, industry know-how, and a strong pot of tea, the foundations of the family business were laid.
Peter already had a solid background in the oil industry. In the early 1970s he worked as a sales representative for Amoco, travelling across Kildare, Dublin, Carlow and Laois selling lubricating oils and building relationships with customers along the way.
When Amoco left Ireland in 1977, Finol Oils was formed in Dublin. Peter joined them as their very first sales representative, calling on many of the same customers he had built relationships with over the years.
By 1985, Peter was offered a distributorship by Finol — and Conlan Oils was officially born.
A Family Affair
In 1986 the next chapter of the family story began when Peter and Marie’s son Adrian joined the company after completing a three-year Dairy Farm Management course.
The business grew steadily through the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1991 Conlan Oils became the authorised distributors for Maxol fuels in South Kildare, shortly after moving operations to the old cattle mart site in Athy.
Over time the Conlan name became known throughout the region for dependable service and quality fuel deliveries — often made in all kinds of weather!
A Bit of Luck… and Good Timing
In 1996 an opportunity came up to purchase one acre of the original four-acre cattle mart site. Peter and Adrian bought the land and began exploring what they could do with it.
At the time, the Irish property market was booming and planning permission for apartments seemed like the best way to make use of the site.
Meanwhile Adrian’s wife Brenda, who had retail experience from working in the UK, had her eye on something that could take the family business in a new direction — a shop & forecourt.
As luck would have it, a casual conversation between John Perry and local auctioneer Ken Crowe revealed that the Perry family might be willing to sell their filling station on the Dublin Road.
The only problem was finding the funds.
The solution? Auction the one-acre site with planning permission for 20 apartments.
The auction took place in the old Leinster Arms Hotel — and to everyone’s amazement, the hammer fell at an incredible £470,000. At the time it was believed to be the most expensive acre of land ever sold in the Athy area!
Needless to say, the plan worked.
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A New Home
In 1999 Adrian and Brenda purchased Perry’s Filling Station on the Dublin Road — a site that would become the long-term home of the Conlan business.
They run the shop and forecourt at the front, while behind the scenes Conlan Oils continues to expand its fuel and lubricant operations.
The Next Generation Takes the Wheel
In 2002 Adrian and Brenda bought out the remaining family shares and officially became the second generation to lead the business.
In October 2005 another milestone arrived when Conlans opened a brand new 3,000 sq ft retail store. It was the very first Centra store in Athy and quickly became a popular stop for locals.
Two years later, in 2007, the oil side of the business got its own purpose-built 10,000 sq ft facility to support the growing demand for fuel and lubricants.
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Remembering Peter
Sadly, in May 2009 Peter passed away suddenly while staying on his beloved boat. His entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to the business continue to shape Conlan Oils today.
The years following the 2008 economic crash were challenging for many businesses, and Conlan Oils was no exception. However, the company weathered the storm, made some tough decisions, and importantly managed to keep all staff employed.
Over the next decade the business continued to grow stronger.
The Petre Brand
In 2018 the company took another exciting step forward by launching its own lubricant brand — Petre.
The name is a small tribute to Peter himself, with a few letters rearranged to create the new brand.
Finol Oils, long-time partners of Conlan Oils, continue to supply high-quality Total lubricants which are packaged under the Petre brand.
The Third Generation
Like any good family business, the next generation has started to step in.
Daniel Conlan, Adrian and Brenda’s youngest son, now works full time in the company, continuing the family tradition that started around the kitchen table more than 40 years ago. But nothing like 'starting them young', their other children LesleyAnne & Andrew both served their time in the Centra & Oil business from their early teens.
Today
Today Conlan Oils is supported by a dedicated team across technical support, sales, logistics and operations.
The company still maintains its long-standing relationship with Finol Oils, supplying Total and Elf products, while also continuing to grow its own independent lubricant brand, Petre.
From a kitchen table in Athy to a thriving family business, Conlan Oils remains built on the same values it started with — hard work, good relationships, and looking after customers.
And that story is still being written.
