Old Carlow industries

 

By Dan Carbery

 

The recent closure of Carlow Sugar Factory after almost 70 years in production brings to mind other local industries of the past. Being a native of Carlow town I was born and grew up on Pembroke Road, a cul de sac off Burrin Street.

 

W. Drummond and Sons Ltd seed merchants and Walter Kehoe Poultry were two businesses on our small road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

W. Drummond & Sons advert. Photo Dan Carbery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walter Kehoe advert. Photo Dan Carbery

 

My mother’s family, the Governey’s owned and operated Corcoran and Co. Mineral Waters and Governey’s Boot Factory on Castle Hill.

 

Across the river Barrow beside the weir and lock was the Barrow Milling Co.  It had formerly been Shackletons Mills.  Steel Products Ltd. had a razor blade factory beside Thomas Thompson Steelworks. On the bank of the river near Montgomery St. was situated Joshua Watson Duty Free Maltings.  These buildings have recently been completely demolished and cleared to make way for a new development. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua Watson’s Duty Free, Barrow Track, Carlow. Photo Dan Carbery

 

 

South of Carlow town at Milford was The Tannery owned by Kennedy O’Brien and Sons Ltd.  It was housed in buildings formerly Alexander’s Flour Mills.

 

An article ‘This is Carlow’ by T. Walsh N.T., Secretary Old Carlow Society (Historical Society) in a programme for Muintir na Tire Rural Week at Knockbeg College 1948 gave a paragraph on Modern Carlow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover of Rural Week 1948 programme. Photo Dan Carbery

 

 

“Carlow at present is a thriving industrial town of eight thousand population.  The Sugar Factory first of its kind in Ireland is the largest concern.  No less important are Corcoran’s Mineral Waters, the Boot Factory, Steel Products Co., Barrow Flour Milling Co. and Clogrennane Lime Works.  A new Leather Tannery is being erected at Milford, about four miles from Carlow.”

 

The only one of the above industries that has survived is Clogrennane Limeworks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clogrennane Lime Works advert. Photo Dan Carbery.

 

The year 1948 was just after the Second World War (Emergency as it was called in Ireland) and all the above companies were hugely important to employment in Carlow.  It was many years before the establishment of Braun and Lapple factories on the Dublin Road.

 

Growing up in Carlow during 1940’s, I can recall clearly the industries mentioned in the programme.  There were others along the river Barrow, the Graiguecullen Corn and Coal Co at the bridge and further up the river Joshua Watson Duty Free Maltings already mentioned.

 

During the 1950’s came the Cold Rolling Mills and Belco Plastics on the Killeshin Road in Graiguecullen.  (The part of Carlow town on the west bank of the river).

 

Acknowledgements for assistance

‘Carloviana’ magazine of Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society (formerly Old Carlow Society).

Assistance received from:

Patrick F. Governey Jnr. on Corcoran’s Mineral Waters.

Liam O’Faolain on Cold Rolling Mills.

Jack Fleming on Barrow Milling Co.

Tom O’Brien on Milford Tannery.

John Hynes on Watson’s Duty Free.

Muintir na Tire Programme for Rural Week at Knockbeg 1948 for information Carlow industries and also some advertisements.

 

Dan Carbery is the Director of Carbery Construction and he is the former President of the Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society. The above article was submitted by Dan Carbery as part of the basic and advanced computer courses undertaken by him as part of the Cultural Exchange Project which was funded by the Interreg IIIA Programme.