St. Francis Abbey Brewery to close

ottostreet

in December 2013, after 300 years of brewing in the city.

Sad news altogether.

Being reported on KCLR, don't have a link yet.

Captain Havoc

Diageo announced this a while back, I think it's sad personally as my father, my grandfather (worked there 70 years) and my great-grandfather worked there.

Lapin

Sad news.

Do they still brew Smithwicks there ?

I assume it all moving to St James' Gate from December.

Progress.

Captain Havoc

Lapin wrote: »

Sad news.

Do they still brew Smithwicks there ?

I assume it all moving to St James' Gate from December.

Progress.

They were to open a super-brewery in Leixlip

Sky King

They are investing money into St James's gate instead.

Smithwick's is currently brewed in Louth.

Lord ButterSlip

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0112/diageo.html

"This announcement represents a huge vote of confidence in the Irish economy by a world-leading company, creates very welcome construction jobs, and secures Diageo's brewing operations in Ireland for decades," said Minister Richard Bruton.

Yeah, nice job forgetting about Kilkenny and Louth. What a fool.

road_high

Lord ButterSlip wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0112/diageo.html



Yeah, nice job forgetting about Kilkenny and Louth. What a fool.

Absolutely. Disgraceful. Spinning a very negative story as "positive" for political gain.
Reminds of Mary Coughlan a few years back when she was Minister welcoming the new super brewery in Leixlip at the expense of Dundalk and Kilkenny. Phil Hogan's inexplicably quite as well. He was jumping up and down last time this was announced. Go figure!
More manufacturing jobs down the drain. Will the staff have to move to or commute to Dublin?

Sky King

It will be sad to see it close - it's been at the heart of our town for 300 years. I wonder what will become of the site?

I love that brewery smell you get around the town from time to time - whatever it is that causes it.... making grain mash or whatever. Lovely!

Lump

Well I assume they cant sell the site with the original abbey on it, so at least that will remain, I'd imagine they'll sell the land they can then give the abbey area to the county, who will turn it into a tourist attraction.

10green bottles

Sad day I'm from Dundalk and i for one will miss the brewery,and the lovely smell*.In our case,the smell was from the hop mash that went on to make Harp,Bud and a few other,mostly lager brews.The buildings/brewery should be ok under the listed buildings act but that is sweet fa consalation

*to some,the smell was not as nice as i thought it was

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=945

PhilipMarlowe

Sky King wrote: »

It will be sad to see it close - it's been at the heart of our town for 300 years. I wonder what will become of the site?

A Dunnes Stores obviously... oh, and a road that will get you from Joe's takeaway to the world's end a bit quicker too.

SillyMcCarthy

mfitzy wrote: »

Will the staff have to move to or commute to Dublin?

I would assume that staff are already in these jobs in Dublin.
Terrible news for both communities. Where will it end?
Terrible to think of a business that was in a community for
years just closing. I worked in Waterford C' for many years
& it isn't easy on the other side.

Best wishes & luck to all affected!

Dave_Kilkenny

Lapin wrote: »

Sad news.

Do they still brew Smithwicks there ?

I assume it all moving to St James' Gate from December.

Progress.

Noting but budweiser being made there.

Lord Derpington

Dave_Kilkenny wrote: »

Noting but budweiser being made there.

Not true, i went on the tour there back in August.
In the vats at the time, they had Smithwick's Pale Ale, Smithwick's and Budweiser

Threadhead

Yup, it's mostly Budweiser but they still brew Smithwicks and Pale Ale, albeit on a smaller scale.

As a heritage attraction, it's absolutely priceless to Kilkenny. I also think that Diageo will see the potential in the site, especially in terms of history and location. This coupled with St. Francis Abbey being located there will hopefully help ensure that whatever comes of it will be hugely positive for Kilkenny.

I would hope that at the very least some provision is being made for a museum and a micro brewery on the site.

Dozen Wicked Words

Threadhead wrote: »

Yup, it's mostly Budweiser but they still brew Smithwicks and Pale Ale, albeit on a smaller scale.

As a heritage attraction, it's absolutely priceless to Kilkenny. I also think that Diageo will see the potential in the site, especially in terms of history and location. This coupled with St. Francis Abbey being located there will hopefully help ensure that whatever comes of it will be hugely positive for Kilkenny.

I would hope that at the very least some provision is being made for a museum and a micro brewery on the site.

Such a shame for the workers at the brewery but that would be a terrific idea, and would probably a relatively low risk way of a continuous profit for Diageo, as well as a profit from the sale of the majority of the old site.

pegasus1

Kilkenny porterhouse? Yes please!

Captain Havoc

pegasus1 wrote: »

Kilkenny porterhouse alehouse? Yes please!

FTFY

pegasus1

Captain Havoc wrote: »

FTFY

Hah! I prefer a steak with my beer tyvm!;)

Lord ButterSlip

I was wondering how long before Dunnes came up. Ha

Malcolm Noonan said to try keep the touristy bit going with a micro brewery for Smithwicks.

The abbey belongs to Diagio aswell they can sell it or do what they like (within planning restrictions obv.).

Threadhead

It's a massive heritage site for Kilkenny, and heritage sites of that quality are hard to come by. I don't think Diageo are going to squander it, especially with how well it's maintained.

What we've potentially got with the right infrastructure and development is a whole new area right in the medieval heart of the city and at the riverside. It could be a huge deal.

hi5

And if we could get Dunnes to a more suitable location on the edge of town with ample free parking,think what you could do.
The Dunnes building would make a great art gallery/exhibition centre.
The market yard car park site and the brewery site would be a massive and priceless boom to the town.

Captain Havoc

They could put something like this in there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peeP5mF-JsU

road_high

Sad day as the old brewing tradition came to an end today in the City after 300 years :mad:
Was fairly inevitable but still was such a part of Kilkenny for generation. Here's Diageo hold true to their word and a vibrant Visitor Experience and Smithwicks Centre are re-instated as part of the site re-development. And hopefully onward and upward to better things for Kilkenny and the site.

drunkmonkey

Perfect place to set up a craft brewery, doubt Diageo would let anyone near it though.

Sulla Felix

Lump wrote: »

then give the abbey area to the county, who will turn it into a tourist attraction.

Haha, doubt that. They'll want a bit of wedge for it!

foxcoverteddy

Definitely something should be done to save the brewing in Kilkenny, even Bulmers would be better than nothing.
What about a petition, provided the county manager agreed, and get a name with Kilkenny, come on drinkers insist on Kilkenny brew and boycott al the rest.

road_high

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Definitely something should be done to save the brewing in Kilkenny, even Bulmers would be better than nothing.
What about a petition, provided the county manager agreed, and get a name with Kilkenny, come on drinkers insist on Kilkenny brew and boycott al the rest.

Yea maybe in la la land. Diageo are a huge multinational, profit driven not sentiment driven. Bulmers have trouble enough without taking on an obsolete brewing site in Kilkenny. It's very sad and unfortunate but Kilkenny has to
move on now and look at the positives of the site re-development.
Smithwicks itself has not even been brewed in Kilkenny far as I know, was in Dundalk.

Sky King

Bulmers are owned by C&C Tennants who are also a huge multinational

road_high

Apparently brewing again on a temporary basis. St James gate in Dublin not ready yet.