Irish Brands No Longer With Us

TheScribbler

It is amazing how quickly things change. Today Ireland is awash with international brands that shape the way we live. Back in the post war years many of the brands were of Irish manufacture. Anyone care to share a few memories of times past?

I will kick start this by mentioning Blackthorn football boots from Dundalk, Castlebrand cookware from Nenagh and Solus lightbulbs from Bray. Anyone else what to contribute to this?

Jip

Solus still exist don't they?

TheScribbler

You may be right but they aren't making lightbulbs to my knowledge

smilerf

the immediate from dublin.
they only had 1 album before they broke up in 07 but it is pure class
amazing live too
i was lucky to see them twice

phill106

smilerf wrote: »

the immediate from dublin.
they only had 1 album before they broke up in 07 but it is pure class
amazing live too
i was lucky to see them twice

have another cup of coffee, its bRands not bands
waterford crystal anyone?

allanb49

Think he said bRands not bands lol, sparkles ice pops know hb still do ice creams but the sugar ones i miss

smilerf

haha specsavers here i come!!

TheScribbler

Nice one. Perhaps he has had a long day! Indeed yes Waterford Crystal. Arklow Pottery come to that (before it was owned by the Japanese). We also had several carpet brands - Navan and Youghal for example. Carrolls cigarettes too

vektarman

Maguire and paterson the matchmakers, and no they weren't a dating agency..:)

lil'bug

pear sparkles were the best

TheScribbler

M&P used to manufacture around Smithfield somewhere. They were absorbed into Swedish Match who switched manufacturing abroad. The major M&P braqnds like Care, Friendly Match and Bo Peep are still around and were acquired by Belfast based SHS Group that also own a stack of food and drink brands like Shloer and WKP. Sadly there is no match manufacturing at all in either Ireland or GB but at least the brands are still around.

Fuzzy Clam

Are we including international brands manufactured in Ireland?

If so. iirc, Kelloggs up till the 80's. I prefered them then too.

TheScribbler

Frankly I was thinking only of locally grown brands that were designed and manufactured in Ireland. Think of names like Urney, Cleeves, Findlaters, Foxford Rugs, Blarney Yarns, Crannock Furniture, Rosses Tonic Water etc and you will seek what I am driving at

trad

Bolands biscuits

TheScribbler

Excellent example. They were absorbed into Irish busicuits as a joint venture with Jacobs who ultimately bought them out. Sadly the Bolands name is long gone. Remember the Billy Boland bars/biscuits? They were a bit like Penguins.

TheScribbler

Anyone remember Greenhills towels and tableware. Our house was full of it.

Ann22

Did you mean 'Cara' matches Scribbler?
Does Shield soap still exist? It was lovely. Remember Lifebuoy soap? My uncle used to use it. My cousin found a piece of it on the worktop once, thought it was a piece of corned beef and popped it into her mouth:D.

murf313

TheScribbler wrote: »

It is amazing how quickly things change. Today Ireland is awash with international brands that shape the way we live. Back in the post war years many of the brands were of Irish manufacture. Anyone care to share a few memories of times past?

I will kick start this by mentioning Blackthorn football boots from Dundalk, Castlebrand cookware from Nenagh and Solus lightbulbs from Bray. Anyone else what to contribute to this?

blackthorn manufactured the armies boots up until a few years ago!

branie

Yellowpack (quinnsworth)

gipi

H Williams the supermarket - was bought by Albert Gubay who in turn was bought by Quinnsworth....who in turn was bought by Tesco!

vektarman

Swastika laundry. If we include bakeries I'm thinking of Kennedys and Butterkrust. Great thread BTW.

Amalgam

The Irish 'Leaf' sweet company? I know there's an international one, but isn't that different?

I miss golf ball shaped chewing gums.. [retro sniff]

Ruu_Old

The copy books in Irish schools (the ones with a footballer, hurler, rugby player, etc) on the front. Did Aisling make those as well?

TheScribbler

Ann22, you are quite right I meant Cara. I'm all thumbs today

TheScribbler

Vaktarman, RUU & Amalgam brilliant contrubutions. Downes Butterkrust I remember that very well and the Aisling copy books, now that does take me back. Browne & Nolan also used to do those copy books that were designed help improve one's writing. They used to carry public service messages on the back covers (like washing hands etc) and had conversion tables printed on the rear covers sometimes

GerardKeating

gipi wrote: »

H Williams the supermarket - was bought by Albert Gubay who in turn was bought by Quinnsworth....who in turn was bought by Tesco!

No, Gubay had "3 Guys" which was bought by Quinnworth.

When H Williams went, it was bought by some invester (Pascal something) the biggest 3 or 4 stores went to Quinnsworth, the rest went to Musgraves and became SuperValu...

mental07

K.V.I.

Amalgam

GerardKeating wrote: »

No, Gubay had "3 Guys" which was bought by Quinnworth.

When H Williams went, it was bought by some invester (Pascal something) the biggest 3 or 4 stores went to Quinnsworth, the rest went to Musgraves and became SuperValu...

People tend to think the 'pallet' retail idea was a Lidl or Aldi creation. 3 Guys out in Ballybrack had it.. it was like walking into a barn, untiled floors and a corrugated roof.. stock straight from a pallet. It's a Tesco now.

Amalgam

McKennas Electrical. They had one of their well known branches out in Deansgrange, South Dublin.

uch

Phoenix Ale

Jip

TheScribbler wrote: »

You may be right but they aren't making lightbulbs to my knowledge

http://www.solus.ie/products.htm

GerardKeating

Amalgam wrote: »

People tend to think the 'pallet' retail idea was a Lidl or Aldi creation. 3 Guys out in Ballybrack had it.. it was like walking into a barn, untiled floors and a corrugated roof.. stock straight from a pallet. It's a Tesco now.

Maybe in Ireland, but the ALDI brand dates from the early 60's and LIDL discount stores from the early 70's...

pauro 76

Been an exile for years, but are Homestead still going?

admiralofthefleet

pauro 76 wrote: »

Been an exile for years, but are Homestead still going?

yeah, i use some of their stuff in work

kvi and yellow pack would be two brands that are gone

mental07

Leaf......they were based in Leixlip and made chewing gum/sweets of some description?

fend

TheScribbler wrote: »

You may be right but they aren't making lightbulbs to my knowledge

Yeah they are... Dunnes Stock em

Up Tipp

Trigger Bars , HB Chocolate ? (Vague Memory) Valley Ice CREAM, Peggy's Leg !

TheScribbler

Uch, yes indeed Phoenix Ale. It had that lovely logo too. Letts Brewery in Waterford also produced Killians Red Beer (ale). It closed many years ago but is brewed now in the US as a red lagar for the US market.

TheScribbler

HB Chocolate was a rebranding of Urney carried out by Unilever when the acquired both HB & Urney from W D Grace. The rebranding didn't work and while the HB name has been retained for ice cream, Urney was dropped. Ureny is now back being manufactured as a specialist brand by LC Confectionery of Newbridge. They also acquired the Hadji Bey and Cleeves brands and are currently under relaunch.

TheScribbler

I also remember Valley but I seem to recall they were perhaps better known for their amazing variety of novelty ice creams and ice lollies - weird names & lurid packaging.

Bearhunter

TheScribbler wrote: »

Uch, yes indeed Phoenix Ale. It had that lovely logo too. Letts Brewery in Waterford also produced Killians Red Beer (ale). It closed many years ago but is brewed now in the US as a red lagar for the US market.

Letts was in Enniscorthy in Wexford, not Waterford. They also did minerals, but their market share was gobbled up by town rival Donohoe's. Actually, there's a brand that's long gone - Donohoe's Big Brother and little sister range of minerals. Mmm, nostalgia...

crosstownk

Irish Shipping. It was brand in it's own right.

powerfarmer

TheScribbler wrote: »

I also remember Valley but I seem to recall they were perhaps better known for their amazing variety of novelty ice creams and ice lollies - weird names & lurid packaging.

Production at Valley ceased around 1998 (their factory was in Thurles) But there was an attempt to restart production around 2000/2001, it never happened and I worked on dismantling the plant shortly after.

As for brands that are now gone:
Three Counties cheese , Buttercup spread,Royal Tara Cream Liquor, Top Table cheese and Ham escalopes.

TheScribbler

Powerfarmer, as I suggested in another thread you know your ice creams but I suspect you are very well versed in the history of many dairy products

Firetrap

I remember the Valley ice-cream - it was yuck and tasted really cheap and nasty. There was a Silver Pail dairies brand as well but I don't know if they still exist.

Another brand that's disappeared is Dew Lemonade which was made in Tullamore I think.

TheScribbler

The Killians Red brand (formerly Letts Ale) is now heavily marketed in America by Coors as an 'Irish Lager' (heaven preserve us). They originally brewed it as an ale but it didn't take off. Today they use George Letts, a member of the Letts family to present their advertising to give the feel authenticity of 'ould' Ireland:

http://www.georgekillians.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbeBzrCsuhg&NR=1
http://www.expotv.com/videos/reviews/10/118/KILLIAN27SIRISHREDPREMIUMLAGER/89716

newman10

Switzers on Grafton St.

Great memories of seeing the Christmas Windows in the dour 80's :D:D

TheScribbler

Newman your memory is one that is shared by a lot of people. The idea of theming Christmas window displays with spectacular displays was originally pioneered in America by Macys of New York, who also developed the whole modern myth of the red suited Santa Clause and his reindeers that we have applied down the years. In fact the idea of a red suit, as opposed to the traditional European St Nicholas being depicted in green or brown in Victorian times, was initiated by Coca Cola who sponsored Macys windows. Red was Coke's house colours.

Anyway I digress. The concept of breathtaking displays was first introduced to Ireland by Brown Thomas. Under the management of John McGuire in the 1930s, they appointed the young Irish artist Norah McGuinness to develop stylish window displays that reflected the passing seasons. The first such display quite literally stoppeed the traffic in Grafton Street. Switzers quickly followed suit.

Such dramatic displays are less used today as it is an expensive and time consuming job, and many of the department stores Christmas displays pale into significance compared to those of the past. Today the tradition is still carried out by Macys (under new ownership) in America, but is also very evident in London's top department stores like Harrods and Selfriges.

L1011

mental07 wrote: »

Leaf......they were based in Leixlip and made chewing gum/sweets of some description?

Kilcock. Became Zed Candy and I think they've fecked off somewhere else at this stage. Made Chewits at one stage anyway, remember the free Chewits being taken off some UK magazines here during the BSE crisis cause they had gelatin in them - despite being made in Ireland!

carchaeologist

Why the sad face TheScribbler?
Sad for modern ireland or sad for old ireland?

TheScribbler

Actually I didn't think it was sad at all. I thought it was more contemplative. Anyway I rather like the colour. I will look for a suitable avatar instead - watch this space!