Limerick Voice spoke with vendors who discussed their passion for music and the increased interest in record collecting
By Taylor Mulligan
The Limerick Record and CD market was held on a cold, rainy October Monday, but a steady flow of music enthusiasts showed little care for the weather.
Loudspeakers blared songs from one of the vendors’ stands as music collectors gathered around to browse through their surplus of options.
Limerick Voice spoke with vendors who shared their passion for music and the experiences that brought them into the world of record collecting.
Brian O’Kelly of Comet Records was present at the market and expressed his delight at the second wind of vinyl.
Mr O’Kelly stated that “I’ve seen an increase in the collection of vinyl the last five years or so. Every Christmas you see people who have gotten new record players, and so we do quite well after Christmas.
“It will never get back to what it was, but if it even gets back to 10% of what it was. I think this year the official record sales were the highest in decades, so it’s good for us here.
Vinyl records sales have exploded in the last decade, with Golden Discs even noting that they now account for 40 to 50% of their revenue.
“When vinyl gets too expensive it’s very bad, it kind of kills the whole vibe,” O’Kelly adds.
“Here, you can actually pick up two or three second hand albums for the same price as one new.”
Due to this spike in popularity, new vinyl records can now be found in many stores including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, music shops, and at record fairs. However, one vendor at the fair mentioned his preference for original records, untampered by modern methods of editing.
This appreciation has spread to all ages, as the number of record fairs such as those held in The Milk Market is steadily increasing.
O’Kelly noted that fairs are held all over the country and that people have an option to attend “maybe 60 over the year.”
