Sugar Factory Public Meeting

Tremendous gathering in Carlow - Extraordinary Enthusiasm

The tremendous gathering of people at the public meeting held at Hay Market Carlow on Friday, 24th July and was worthy of the great occasion. A casual visitor to the town in the forenoon, could not, but notice that something important was on foot. Because of the large number of people from the districts of Carlow and the surrounding counties. Who sauntered about the main streets waiting to witness some important event. Chars-a-banc, motor cars and all kinds of travelling devices poured into the town and by twelve o’clock the streets were filled with town people and country folk. Here and there women and men were to be met wearing black, yellow and crimson tricolour of Belgium, and at Hay Market, a large platform was erected over which the Belgian and Irish flags were hoisted. All the business establishments were closed from 1 till 3 o’clock and many of the country folk arrived in town wearing the Belgian tri-colour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poster advertising the Public Meeting to be held at Carlow’s Town Hall. Photo Carlow County Museum, ccm 83-339.

For half-an-hour before the meeting started, a huge throng, probably the largest ever seen in Carlow, filled Hay-Market. All eyes were reinvested on the platform, and the arrival of his Lordship the most Rev. Dr. Foley was the signal of a tremendous outburst of clapping that lasted several minutes. It was the first time his Lordship had ever stood on a public platform and addressed a public meeting and his presence undoubtedly put heart into the people and added to the enthusiasm.

The farming community was of course, particularly well represented but the business community was also there in its muster from every town and village, not alone in Carlow but in Leix, West Wicklow, Kildare, Kilkenny and Wexford. A very gratifying telling was the interest taken by the workers into the proceedings. They probably more than any other section were in high spirits, owing to the  opportunity which was about to be afforded of starting a great and thriving industry in their midst.

Extract from the Nationalist and Leinster Times, 1st August, 192

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying advert to the poster that appeared in the Nationalist and Leinster Times of 18th July 1925.