An intriguing parcel arrived in my postbox last week from my good friend John Haire of Strabane. I was pleasantly surprised to find a book about the history of the parish of Urney. Urney parish consists of townlands from counties Tyrone and Donegal and it was where Urney Chocolates first began trading in 1919. Leafing through the book I came upon the chapter "Urney Chocolates, Sweet Success" written by John's brother William. It details the history of the factory from its inception to its closure.
There is a lovely anecdote about factory founder Eileen Gallagher in her role of traveling saleswoman during the factory's early years. Eileen noticed that one shop down the country was placing large orders for Urney produce. She asked the shopkeeper how the customers liked the sweets only to get the reply "The farmers find them great in their tea as sugar is still rationed." Probably not the answer Eileen had hoped for! Luckily, this lack of appreciation for her efforts as confectioner did not dampen her spirits too much and the business went from strength to strength.
The publication, titled Urney, History, People, Place (ISBN: 978-0-9568891-0-2) covers all aspects of parish life from remarkable individuals that came from the area to religion, farming and industry. Published by Doneyloop Youth Club and edited by Daniel McMenamin, many authors have contributed to the publication resulting in a valuable and engaging local history resource. Thank you John!
If you go into The Book Centre in Wexford town you will now find Sweet Memories, the Story of Urney Chocolates on their 'Local Interest' shelves. I am delighted to say that the shop have kindly agreed to stock the book where it retails at the same price of €15. The Book Centre have always supported local authors and Wexford certainly has more than it's fair share of literary talent. There is an impressive range of local interest/history books on display in the shop. I always find great gifts here for relatives living abroad. So if happen to be on the Main Street in Wexford, do pop in. Customers are encouraged not just to browse but to make themselves at home; to sit and read, enjoy a coffee and biscuit in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Today I collected the Urney Chocolates exhibition from Tallaght Library. Sile, from Local Studies Department, had carefully packed and padded the display boards, prints, sweet tins and boxes ready for transit back to Wexford. The exhibition, having spent the last seven months touring the libraries of South Dublin, is now looking forward to visiting new venues. All invitations welcome!
Incidentally, not only do the libraries of South Dublin house physical copies of Sweet Memories, The Story of Urney Chocolates, the book is also available for lending as a digital download from their website. The advancement of technology never ceases to amaze me.....
A fine crowd turned up for our Wexford book launch in D'Lush Café last Saturday. The café is just the perfect setting for an intimate gathering and the D'Lush staff worked tirelessly to keep folk fed and watered. Linda's delicious chocolate brownies were a huge hit and, I suspect, the main attraction! It was a great opportunity for everyone to catch up with old friends. Mayor Joe Ryan introduced the book with a warm and well-considered speech. Having grown up in Dublin, Joe was well familiar with Urney Chocolates. He fondly reflected on the lure of the infamous Two and Two bar and noted the factory's significance in Irish industrial history. A terrific night. Thanks to everyone for all the support. And special thanks to Zeno for being both photographer and financial controller on the night. Who said men can't multi-task!
Valentine's Day is fast approaching and many of us have chocolate on our minds. That makes it the perfect time of year to have our rescheduled "Sweet Memories" book launch. The Mayor, Joe Ryan, will launch the book on Saturday 12th Feb in D'Lush Café in Wexford Arts Centre at 7pm, prior to the Maeve Higgins show. There will be delectable home-made chocolate brownies and hot beverages served on the evening. For anyone looking to spoil their loved-one on Valentine's Day, a selection of mouth-wateringly delicious, chocolate goodies, lovingly crafted by Linda of D'Lush, will be available for sale. Linda honed her chocolate-making skills in Holland before returning to Wexford to set up the popular eatery- a favourite spot for both sweet-tooths and lovers of wholesome, healthy fare. And of course I'll be there on the 12th to sign copies of "Sweet memories- the Story of Urney Chocolates". Look forward to seeing you.
Can you believe it's 2011 already? Last year seemed to unravel in the blink of an eye. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into reading the books I got for Christmas. "Chocolate Wars: From Cadbury to Kraft: 200 years of Sweet Success and Bitter Rivalry" is first on my list. Written by a descendant of the Cadbury chocolate dynasty, Deborah Cadbury tells the engaging story of the Cadbury's chocolate factory from its inception to its recent takeover by Kraft. All the major English Chocolate brands such as Fry's and Rowntree's were started by Quaker families and the devout religious values that infiltrated their factories have long since given way to modern commerce. The world's chocolate industry is now dominated by just four multi-nationals; Kraft, Nestlé, Mars and Ferrero. Deborah, an acclaimed historian and documentary maker, details this fascinating journey in her book.
Incidently, Urney Chocolates founder Harry Gallagher also had Quaker roots. His mother, Harriet Thomas, came from a County Cork Quaker family. Harry certainly empathized with the Quaker ideal of caring for workers and he devoted much of his time creating a pleasant and safe environment for his employees. The Urney factory became known locally as the factory in a garden- just as the Cadbury factory had many years before in Victorian England.
Due to adverse weather conditions the Sweet Memories, the Story of Urney Chocolates book launch will be postponed until further notice. Provided conditions do not deteriorate much further, I will be in Greenacres tomorrow, Saturday 4th to inform people of the change in schedule. I will also be available to sign books from 12pm til 3pm should anyone brave the elements and make it into Wexford town. A new launch date will be rescheduled shortly. Watch this space......In the meanwhile, keep warm....
I'm a graphic designer and illustrator with chocolate making in my ancestry. This blog helped me keep track of progress on the "Sweet Memories" project. Many people have kindly given me time, inspiration and personal anecdotes that have been instrumental in creating the project to date. Many thanks to you!
www.karennolandesign.ie
www.mizzwinkens.com
