Jim’s wife Attracta began by relating memories of her father, Richard Norris, from the village of Lamogue. He was the manager of the old creamery in Kilkenny city and was involved in award winning butter making. Cheese making was also recalled. Jim’s vivid memories of the old shops, shopkeepers and the premises of the town created a picture of how Kilkenny’s trading was conducted in the past. He spoke at length about his own family’s tailoring business. Amazingly his ancestors were stonemasons who came to the city to be involved in the building of the church.
The conversation started in the Burke home, where Jim showed me some of the old family shop ledgers, and spoke about the Palatines, in Castle Grange, Kilcooley. The interview continued with a visit to the site of the old Kilkenny Creamery, which Attracta had not visited since her father Richard Norris was manager. We toured the grounds and spoke to the Glanbia manager, John Cahill, who showed us old photographs of the place as it was, and old ledgers belonging to the former creamery.
Keywords: Kilkenny city, creamery, butter making, cheese making, businesses, tailor, stonemason, Palatines, Castle Grange, drapery business, family business
