The 1916 signatories of Kilkenny Creamery Co-op rules honoured

When, in the middle of the last century, Richard Teehan took over as manager of the Tullaroan branch of the Kilkenny-Tullaroan Co-op creamery, he was asked by Phil Hogan (grandfather of EU Commissioner for Trade, Phil Hogan) how many gallons of milk, the Gaffneys, his neighbours, had brought to the creamery. He didn’t divulge any information.
The story was related by the chairman of the Kilkenny-Tullaroan committee of Glanbia Ireland, Michael Rice at the unveiling of a plaque to mark the formal establishment of the creamery in 1916 which closed down in 1994.
Commissioner Hogan loved the story and spoke about the importance of place and how his family had brought milk to the creamery by donkey, horse, tractor and by car.
“I was most anxious to be here and I feel we don’t do enough for the great people who went before us and events like this reflect where we come from and are important and give us a grounding on what’s important in life,” Commissioner Hogan said.
He was delighted to be asked to perform the unveiling of the plaque to mark the formal establishment of the creamery in 1916 which brought it and Tullaroan together.
Palmerstown farmer, Jim Manning recalled bringing milk from his family farm, located behind Dicksboro GAA Club and remembered the queue of carts down the road and the banter between the farmers as they waited with their churns.
Michael Rice who acted as MC, read out the names of the farmers who signed the rule book on April 14, 1916 to establish the Kilkenny Co-operative Creamery Limited.
They were: Kieran White, Richard Guilfoyle, Patrick Long, Deerpark; Michael Leahy, Deerpark; Thomas Nolan, Outrath; John Delahunty, Keatingstown; Thomas Kenny, Palmerstown and Michael Ryan, Palmerstown.
He pointed out that Tullaroan had registered a year earlier and the names who signed the rules for that co-operative creamery were; Lawrence Coogan, James Dillon, William Fennelly, Thomas Martin, Henry J Meagher, William Purtill, Edmond Tehan and Patrick Tehan.
Ger Doheny, board member of Glanbia Plc said everyone around Tullaroan was extremely proud of Phil Hogan, the work he was doing on behalf of the EU and the fact he made time to do the unveiling.
Martin Keane, chairman of Glanbia Plc spoke about the importance of place and the part played by generations before us.
The event was held at Thomas’s Square, site of Kilkenny Foods which makes Avonmore soup.
At the end of the speeches local resident, Podge Keane came forward with a milk bottle from Kilkenny Creamery in the early 1970s which he said had belonged to Mrs Peggy Bambrick.