This item was published in
the Carloviana Vol. 1.
No 4.
New Series.
Dec. 1955.
p.18.
Corcoran’s and Governey’s
Two
firms long associated with Carlow town
Corcoran’s
Mineral Water Factory was founded in 1827 by Mr. Corcoran, who had
nine children. Seven were swept off during an epidemic: of scarlatina.
Of the survivors one became a. Vincentian priest, and his sister
married the late Mr. Michael Governey.
The modern mineral water factory was then an
unpretentious house {the present grocery shop) amongst another of
others with their gardens cluttered by hen-houses and pigsties,
huddled around the base of the Castle.
“BLACK HUXTER”
The place had rather an unsavoury reputation
to, as the lane to the river “Skinners Lane” who used at least one
notorious character, to wit, “The Black Huxter.
Carlow’s first Gas
Works was also down in this area. In the garden of Mr.
Corcoran’s
house there was a large chestnut tree and two spring wells supplied,
and still do, the water for the minerals. These were manufactured
under the spreading branches of the chestnut tree.
As the houses in the adjoining area became
vacant, they were purchased, and bit by bit the present fine factory
emerged.
FRONTAGE
The original home of Mr. Corcoran was
re-constructed and raised; old members of the firm say the stones came
from Sletty. This three-story building is now the grocery and spirit
store with private apartments above it.
The adjoining house, now used as Offices, was
formerly the home of the Misses Kelly, whose people had long been
engaged in the corn-buying business.
These ladies were highly cultured and much
travelled; one of them wrote an entertaining novel with Carlow,
Killeshin and Clogrennane as its principal background. They went to
live in Tramore, and the last of them died there about fifteen years
ago.
JOHN HOROHAN
It would only be right to mention Mr. James
Horohan, who surely holds a record for long service in the one
employment. He has been sixty-nine years in the Mineral Water Factory
and is still at work. Michael Farrell is another man who has had a
long association with it. Pat Griffin (R.I.P.) of Staplestown Road was
one of the earliest employees, and the late Mr. Michael Penter of
Graiguecullen was there for very many years. There are numerous
others, of course, who deserve honourable mentions.
BOOT FACTORY
In the first years of the century, Mr. Governey
attended an Exhibition in Cork City. Anxious to create more industry
in Carlow, he conceived the idea of a Boot Factory.
He came back full of enthusiasm for his
project, and a site being available a few yards from his Mineral Water
Factory, Governey’s Boot Factory was opened in 1903. Two English men,
Messrs Dodge Brothers, were engaged to teach the craft to the workers,
and before long the new factory was sending its wares all over the
country and achieving a reputation for quality and durability.
Production was at first confined to strong boots for farmworkers and
country ware, but when Mr. Samuel Bassford, another Englishman. came
as Manager, he extended the plant to produce lighter qualities.
Mr. Governey took a prominent part in local
affairs. When the Poor Clares came to Carlow and took up their
residences in what is now Miss. Foley’s on the Bridge, the first
Mother Abbess has left it on record in her diary that Mrs. Governey
(nee Corcoran) was their first visitor and she did not come empty
handed.
Mr Governey later purchased and presented to
them the site of their present Convent and the adjoining ground where
St. Clare’s Church now stands.
In 1912 Mr. Governey reorganised the local
Fire Brigade, putting Mr. John Sweeney, who was working in the Boot
Factory, in charge. The Brigade was then jointly composed of Mr.
Governey’s employees and those of Messer’s. Shackleton’s Mills.
Source:
Carloviana Vol. 1 =. No 4. Dec. 1955.
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