Kells Archaeological & Historical Society
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COLM MULVANY (born 1925) Colm
lives at |
Interview with Colm Mulvany
DC:
This is Danny Cusack Im here in
CM:
Well I went to work with my father. He was the supervisor
in the building of the brewery. I went to work with him to serve
my time with him. You know at the building of the brewery.
And then when it was finished, when it was opened, I was offered
the job so I took the job in the brewery.
DC
And this was about 1941 42
CM
I was at the bottling
DC
At the bottling,
CM
Thats where I started, you know. And then I worked at
that for maybe a year or so. And then I was an apprentice
brewer
DC
So you moved from being a bottler to an apprentice brewer. And
would you say in a couple of words what your work entailed, what
you like had to do on a daily basis.
CM
What I had to do?
DC
Yeah
CM
well we started work at eight in the morning and we worked till
six. That was a long day. We had a half day I think
on Saturday. There was no full day on Saturday that time.
DC
The bottling and the apprentice brewer, did you find that easy
work? Or was it difficult work.
CM
It was in kind of a way, because you know like the beer was so
frothy. Whether it was in my blood or what, I was the only
one that could take the bottle of the siphon without it foaming
over. So thats why I was stuck with that.
DC
You had a deft hand.
CM
Well yeah, nobody could touch it only me. Because you know
beer, especially when it is being bottled, it foams up very, very
quickly you know.
DC
Now, not everyone because the brewery is so long gone from Kells
now, hardly anyone will know where it was so, am I correct in
saying it was down leather alley there.
CM
Usher, Ushers auctioneering or whatever.
DC
Thats where it was
CM
Yeah, leather alley it was called.
DC
So it was down where Oliver Ushers business is at the
moment.
CM
yeah thats right.
DC
Was it a large building or was it a small building?
CM
Well it was small, well it was only a start, you know. At
that time Lager was very new in this country you know
and
nobody was drinking it you know
.Guinness and ale were the
only two drinks that were common. You know. Lager was new
and people got it very hard to get into it you know. The
main suppliers were Finlars in
DC
So it seemed to be geared towards people who had money to spend
and willing to break old habits. Your average fellow in the
bar or pub would kind of stick with his ale or his Guinness
Wouldnt he.
CM
Now there is more Lager drink that Guinness really.
DC
Thats all changed hasnt it.
CM
That time is was new.
DC
It was a novelty.
CM
The only country was
DC
So as far as you were concerned, it was Fitzsimons??... to get
the licence, it was the sound of the death now really of the
brewery.
CM
It was really.
DC
I heard somewhere I dont know if there is any truth in it
that there was s bit of politics involved in the licence
CM
There was politics involved. You see James Fitzsimons was a
Councillor you know. He was Fianna Fail. He had some kind
of a row with Fianna Fail and he turned Fine Gael., there was
politics involved.
DC
And of course it was 1945 and Dev. was in power at that time.
If you fell out with Fianna Fail you had no chance.
CM
Lamass was the minister for finance I think that time.
DC
So it was politics that killed off the brewery really.
CM
At that time it employed about 12 to 14 you know. But they
had great plans for it you know. They were going to build a
brewery outside the town beside the
DC
Who knows what it would have done for Kells if it had of gone
ahead.
CM
It was the greatest tragedy that ever happened to Kells and I can
tell you that. Where would it be today? There would
be hundreds employed there. Now that there is more Lager
drank now. And it was a lovely drink.
DC
Did you get to drink much of it
.Or sample it?
CM
Id say we often came out of it drunk! But that was
stopped. We were young at the time I was only 15 or 16.
But that was stopped.
DC
You and your mates had a bit of a tipple... sure why not.
CM
Well we used to sneak them out you know.
DC
It would be a bit of a dare
CM
Ah it was the greatest tragedy what ever happened Kells. There
is no shadow of a doubt about that. And James Fitzsimons
along with the shoe factory he was the next biggest employer.
There was 12 or 14 in the brewery. The bakery, there was
four bakers, there was six or maybe eight men delivering the
bread out in all directions you know. He had a grocers shop
and there was four or six employed there.
DC
Yeah he was a big employer in Kells. Between the brewery
the bakery and the groceries outside of the shoe factory. The
bakery lasted a bit longer of course. That eventually went
too. Was it a good firm to work for?
CM
Of yeah it was of course. I enjoyed it for the first few
years. We often went down and
nothing and we were getting
a wage for doing nothing. He done his best to keep it open.
DC
So you wouldnt blame him?
CM
Oh god no and I doubt if there is a half dozen people in the town
who knows about James Fitzsimons.
DC
What happened to him after that do you know? He stayed
around the town didnt he?
CM
Who
DC
James Fitzsimons.
CM
Well he went into bad health and died a young man
Didnt he. And then his son he was doing the brewing; he was
killed in a car crash. And Godfrey he was a chemist but he
wasnt connected with the brewery. And Colm of course
he was kind of an outcast.
DC
So that put an end to that. They werent going to keep
it on anyway or try and resurrect it. So all in all you
were there for about four or five years.
CM
Well when I left it I went back to the trade. You know. There
was no future in it you know. Absolutely no future.
DC
So it closed down about 1946
CM
Well I couldnt tell you cause I was gone out of it. They
give up brewing and then the started bottling for Guinness and
other drinks.
DC
And the bottling was there for a while longer.
CM
If it had of taken off I would have a great future because I
would be at the brewing. I would probably be head brewer.
DC
Yes you probably would. So you went back to your own trade.
CM
Yes back to my own trade.
DC
Which was what?
CM
Carpenter
DC
Carpentry and worked at that for the rest of your life?
CM
Yeah, well that time when the brewery opened, it was during the
war and there was very little work in that line.
DC
You were just there for four or five years that time.
CM
Six years
DC
Yeah six years. There wasnt any major industrial dispute or
sort of trouble.
CM
Oh god no, not at all. There was no such thing as unions
that time.
DC
They werent heard of.
CM
They werent heard of as right.
DC
So you just knuckled down at that was it.
CM
Ah the wages werent great. I had thirty five shillings.
Thats what I started on. Another fellow Gerry Skelly
he was bottling with me. We were the highest paid in it.
All the rest were only a pound a week.
DC
Is that all and you were a pound and fifteen. So you were better
off.
CM
A lot better off, at that time it was good enough really.
DC
Of course it was. You were grateful for it. Because
most families at that time were grateful for what the boys and
girls brought back, you know. Once they had left school.
CM
He brought a fellow from
DC
What was his failing or downfall? Why did you say he made a
hames of it?
CM
Well he just faded away and went back to
DC
Oh right and nothing more was heard of him. You say it was
sent to Carlow and Finlars and the Gresham and that did no one in
the town
.
CM
Oh yeah in the pub, of they supported it alright. They did.
Give them their due. Every pub in the town stocked it.
DC
Well that was something anyway.
CM
Well it was local. It caught on a bit in the town you know.
I think it was eight pence, 8 pennies for a bottle.
DC
It doesnt mean anything to me now?
CM
Do you not drink?
DC
Oh I do. Eight pence and someone of my age
it
doesnt mean anything you know
CM
Compare eight pence a bottle that time to a bottle of Lager now.
Its the best part of a fiver.
DC
More in a nightclub. And a pint of Lager would be
4.00. Some comparison
.So it was popular enough
around the town then.
CM
Ah it was. There was a lot of; at the latter end of it they
were selling it at four pence a bottle. Just to get rid of the
stock.
Dc
You mentioned Gerry Skelly and Michael Campbell of course. Were
there any interesting characters or interesting people who worked
with you, who would have stood out?
CM
There was Robbie Fox; he was a bit of a character you know.
Do you want the names of them?
DC
If you can remember them that would be great.
CM
Well there is Paddy Donagh, do you know Michael Donagh he is a
school teacher?
DC
I know of him, yes
CM
His father, he was brewing and Kit Rourke, Podger Rourkes
father. There was Robbie Fox, Joe Black, Joe Dolan, Eddie
Dolan, and Gerry Dolan.
DC
All the Dolans.
CM
Gerry Dolan, Gerry Skelly, Pauric Brady. Healy I forget his
first name. Michael Campbell, Christy Rourke, Hughie
Murray. Thats about all.
DC
Thats good. Its good to have those names
because if you havent given them now they might have never
been recorded. So thats good. So you would have
got to know one and other fairly well. Did ye socialise
much together at a Christmas party or an annual party? Anything
like that happen.
CM
That was unheard of that time. Ah we used to drink. Yeah
the relationships with the workers were pretty good really.
Ah you would get the odd jealousy kind of thing
you know.
When I was promoted to head brewing there was a bit of jealousy
you know.
DC
As there would be as you would expect.
CM
There shouldnt have been, you know. Not that it made any
difference; there was no increase in wages you know.
DC
It was human nature I suppose, Jealousy. But generally you all
got on well like a big happy family, so to speak. There was
nothing organised by way of annual events?
CM
No not that I can remember, I cant think of anything.
Ah sure it was struggling from the word go. Maybe
the first two or three years was pretty good. We were
nearly bottle every day you know. 500 gallons a day which
was pretty good you know. Then he opened a depot in
DC
I know where
CM
It was Hatch lane.
DC
Yeah of
CM
In what way now?
DC
Ah funny incidents you mentioned there were funny characters.
Did they pull and tricks or was there any sad incidents or
accidents?
CM
No there was no accidents really. Not that I know of.
I lost a bit of my finger, Gerry Skelly he was bottling and I was
corking. We used to take turns at it. He was a bit of a
character, he would be chitter- bugging and singing and
that
. The corking machine used to stop and I put my finger
out to relieve the cork and he put a bottle under it and caught
my finger. It took a slice of my finger. Well its
healed up again
DC
Yeah you can see the difference alright.
CM
Well thats the only incidents that I can remember
DC
Thats some memento from the Regal Brewery.
CM
What all this in aid of anyway
Dc
Its the Kells Historical Society, we are just trying to
collect as many memories as we can of people who worked in the
old trades in Kells like the Tara Shoe factory , the brewery, the
bakery and so on
that are now gone. Just to get those
memories recorded and up on the computer and printed out so that
people can read in years to come. You know so it is not all lost
CM
That would be interesting I suppose. Some people would like to
know the heritage of their town
DC
It would interest some people, not everyone perhaps. If we
dont do it then no one will do it.
CM
Are you employed by the state?
DC
No Im employed by the Historical society, but Im paid
by FAS. Twenty hours a week for twelve months.
CM
Are you living in Kells?
DC
Yeah Im living up in
CM
So you have connections here?
DC
Well I would be friendly with people like Rex Lee, Joe Rourke and
a few others.
CM
Rex is a great man with the art; I do a bit of art
DC
Do you, Is that your handy-work? I have probably seen your
work up in the
CM
Thats not finished yet
DC
Youre still working on it
CM
Thats the parochial house, beside the church
DC
I recognise it alright. Art must run in the Mulvanys
blood. There is a couple of other Mulvanys around the
town, John and a few others.
CM
Strange enough we are not related. I have a lot of
relations my side. But Val Mulvany he is not related.
DC
So all the Mulvanys must be artistic.
CM
Well we are all natives really.
DC
Its a popular name around Kells.
CM
My father was born here in 1872
DC
In Kells
CM
Yeah,
DC
Its very quite extraordinary altogether. So
youre keeping up all the traditions of the Mulvanys
in
CM
I got married and I lived in
DC
thats not bad
CM
Then they decided to leave, it was a big loss to me. My
wife was a nurse, you know. She is dead now. Twenty tree
years this year. Im on my own since.
DC
Do you have family around?
CM
Geraldine is here, she is my niece,
DC
Yeah she often serves me down there in the shop. I was told
that you do often be in the shop in the morning.
CM
Thats right yeah I used to do it.
.. An hour or so
just to give her a break. The recession is hitting her very
badly.
DC
Id say it is
CM
She used to have a turnover of 14, 1500 a day now she is not
doing that in a month. Its extraordinary. She
is stranded left right and centre. She got a bill for 2000
for rates a few weeks ago. They are been penalised small
business.
DC
yeah its ok if you got the money coming in.
CM
Yeah its ok if you got the money coming in alright.
DC
Its not easy. It will be sometime yet before the tide
is turned.
CM
The only thing is she is able to do it on her own like. You
has no overheads much really. She has no rent to pay.
Thats a big item you know.
DC
There was a younger woman who helped me the other day when I was
enquiring after you
CM
Theresa?
DC
Theresa, yeah thats right
CM
`Yeah she was telling me about you.
DC
She was very helpful.
CM
Theresa is great you know
she is a real Kells woman, she
likes the history of Kells and she can go back a lot
DC
Can she, well you need people like that.
CM
All the Olohans were home birds you know.
DC
Its amazing I have interviewed a good few people over
twenty, some of them have a great memory, a great feel for Kells
a great loyalty to Kells
CM
Did you know Jack Olohan?
DC
I did yes up in the Railway Bar.
CM
He could tell you plenty of yarns about Kells
DC
Id say he could, some of them probably lies but sure yarns
all the same.
CM
Well Kells was noted for characters
DC
Plenty of them around by the sounds of it.
DC:
Thats it then.
THE END