Wondering if anyone else has ancestors from Oylegate who worked for Powers' Distillery? The men would work for the distillery in Dublin during the winter and go home to their families to fish on the River Slaney during the summer. My grandfather Frank Brien (1914-1969) did this, as did his father John (1876-1955).
The employees used to be given bottles of unfiltered whiskey for free, and my dad remembers his dad filtering this whiskey in the bath and then selling it cheaply to neighbours in Dublin to make a bit of money. He also kept some of it for himself - he very rarely drank, but when he did he would take a small glass of very good whiskey. My dad says he remembers his dad coming home while my Nanny was making the Christmas pudding one year and realising she had used in it whiskey from a bottle that was worth about £200 (Irish punts), dad says this is the only time he ever heard his dad swear!
My dad was only 11 when his dad died, so any memories he has of him are very precious.
Attached is a photo taken in the distillery in 1969, it is the last photo taken of my grandfather before he died. The man on the far right is my grandfather and the man second from left is his best friend, Johnny Ryan, who died last year aged 90.
I would love to see any other photos or hear stories people have about the distillery.
Liz
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