EVELYN CUNNINGHAM, BORN 1946, KILLYBEGS

This recording was compiled at the Maritime and Heritage Centre, former Donegal Carpets factory, in Killybegs. Evelyn Cunningham discusses her working life in this building which was used as a factory, set up in 1898. At one stage, thirty looms were housed here, from 3 ft. to 42 ft. wide in size. There was a long tradition of families of several generations finding employment at Donegal Carpets. Families from Crolly, Kilcar, Creeslough and Killybegs travelled to work here. Evelyn discusses her own working life. She left school at fifteen years of age and began work at the factory where other members of her family had previously worked. The challenges at work, the changing ownership of the company, the good years and the less good, the quality of the carpets produced, the markets and locations for the finished product and the pride in the work are all discussed. Commissioned carpets and rugs for individual clients were a major part of the work at the factory. Evelyn also describes an alternative source of employment in the area where hand knitting was undertaken in people’s homes for local factories.