Castlebar’s hat factory 80 years on
By Tom Gillespie
EIGHTY years ago today ( Saturday) a shrill chimney whistle sounded to announce the start of production at the Western Hats factory in Castlebar.
On Thursday, May Day, 1941, the sound of that whistle carried for an eight-mile radius and blew for a full hour.
For the following 45 years it blew in the morning to mark the commencement of work, the lunch break at 1 p.m., and finishing time in the evening.
Not alone did it sound for the 270 workers employed at the factory at the height of its production, it also acted as a timepiece for householders in earshot of the whistle, which was attached to the chimney that towered almost 300 feet above the factory.
Local historian Ernie Sweeney is a former employee of the hat factory where he worked for 15 years. He joined in 1965.
Checho-Slovakian workers, who were mainly Jewish, built the factory in what was Mrs. Alice Quinn’s field - a 90,000 square feet site - in 1939. During the Second World War they had to turn to Ireland for refuge.
One section of the town, now Blackfort, was known as ‘Little Jerusalem’ to the natives as these workers resided there.
Ernie took up he story: “The Jews were hard working, fair people but very ridged with their rules. They built a fine factory for its time. The original plan was for double the size, but the Second World War broke out. It was built to its present size as a result of cutbacks.
“The chimney was the first built on the metric system. The overall design made maximum use of daylight and saved electricity. Everything ran on natural sources - turf, water, steam and daylight.
“Two German workers built the chimney. When they finished they danced around the rim on top to show how good it was.”
The chimney was a landmark for Castlebar and its surroundings from the 1940s to the '80s.
Ernie continued: “Everyone set their meal times by the chimney whistle, which could be heard for an eight-mile radius.
“The boys and girls coming to work in the factory never saw running water, electric lights, telephones and they had never seen flush toilets. The people of McHale Road had flush toilets before they had them on the Main Street.
“The factory took six months to build. This was a tremendous achievement in the late ‘30s. The builders used cement blocks. The chimney stack took eight weeks to build and selected workers were sent to Belgium to train in hat making.
“I joined the staff in 1965 in the wool store and at that time the factory was in full production and going well. Pat Walsh (from the Three Bridges) and Paddy McEveney (Snugboro) worked in the wool store.
“Many others worked there such as Paddy Gilligan, Breege Feeney, Kate Walsh and Gertie Quinn (Snugboro).
“Andy Leonard was in charge of the hardening room. Andy was a very dedicated and conscientious worker. In this section Bridie O'Shaughnessy also worked.
“At the acid tank and spinning machines Jody Moylette and Frank Quinn worked there along with Tom Jennings (Moneen). Tom and Frank both looked after the hoods, along with Frank Quinn from Springfield. Pa Fallon was a superb worker and a great all-round man.
“From there you could go to the dye-house where Arthur Campbell, George Darker and Eddie Sweeney dyed the hoods all the colours of the rainbow.
“In the engineering department were Paddy Beirne and Jimmy Flynn. Over to the carpenters section was Michael Leonard. Jack Flanagan was the electrician.
“The boiler-room was managed by the legendary Chas Guthrie. The two boilers came from some battleship scrapped after the First World War. I was there when Chas Guthrie blew the steam whistle for the last time, it was a nostalgic moment.
“Dermot Lally and Peter Griffin cleaned the hoods. Pat Carney helped with the ‘blocking’ of the hats. Sean Murphy (Ballyglass) was an all-round man and looked after the cuts and bruises.
There was John Moylette (Three Bridges, Islandeady) and Tom Ketterick. Tom kept his section of the plant working like clockwork and he kept us all on our toes.
“In charge of the spinning and preparing of the hoods were Jack Kinsella, Sean McDonagh (Derrycoosh) and Tom Bourke (Aughadrina).
“Among those at the finishing department were Mary Boland, Frankie Ralph, Marian Salmon, Bridie McGowan, Nellie Philbin and many others. Michael Hynes was the 'Perry Como' of Western Hats and he was the star turn at all functions.
Pat Flanagan was in charge of the berets. Peggy Keane and Mrs. Tigue (Lavelle) put the finishing touches to the hats.
“The hats were sent to dispatches where Denis Sloyan and Tom Burke did the packing.
“The cap department started in 1967 with Ken McLoughlin in charge. Other people in this section were Mary Loftus, Kathleen Murray, Maisy Murray, Mary Duffy, Teresa Corley, Michael Walsh, Jackie Loftus, Peter Rice, Ena Moylette, Chrissie Griffin and Bridie Kinsella.
“The office staff was made up of Walter Porges, Dermot O'Dwyer, Frank Brennan, Maura Ryan and Brian Hoban Sr.
“Two great characters were Willie Deane and Mike Ainsworth. Willie had a splendid voice. Mike Ainsworth looked after the clock-in cards and was the caretaker.”
The factory got the contract to make berets for the Irish Army and later to provide the soccer international caps and towards the end produced tweed caps before it was taken over by the Rehab Group.