Seamus O’Connor (b. 1931)

Track 1: Joined Tullamore Dew in 1946 when he was sixteen, his first position being ‘cage boy’, which involved bringing the bottles to the labellers. Later moved to the bond store; recalled events of daily life in Tullamore during those years. Track 2: Described the use of the different buildings in the complex; anecdotes about B. Daly’s, the grainstores. Recalled the orders coming in to the bond stores; the security needed for the bond stores; the Customs and Excise representative who checked all products for dispatch. Recalled the manager in those days, John Donovan, and the assistant manager, Robert Hyland. The majority of staff at this time were female and he recalls the banter among employees. Track 3: He was employed by Williams’s for sixteen years, one of 200 staff. The importance of the grainstore, which gave employment to many local farmers. Recalled Pat Horan, the grainstore manager. Track 4: Recalled that a number of marriages took place among employees of Williams’s. Memories of the cooper, Tommy Dunne, who made the barrels for the company. His membership of the St Columcille Pipe Band, whose leader was Mike Shelley. Track 5: Memories of the major activity in the grainstores during harvest time. Recalled the manual bottling and labelling of the product prior to automation. Track 6: His interest in music and his move into the music business.