Remembering the 'factory'

We Byrne kids knew it as the 'factory', writes Brian Byrne.

It was in the building at the back of the yard in the family pub, over which was the 'loft' where coffins were stored, and the Boxing Club had space for training and a ring to spar in. At the far end of the loft was the book-keeper Miss Dowling's office. A lonely kind of a location, but she seemed reasonably happy there. Later the position was taken by Miss Young, who had worked similarly over in the hardware office for Grandad, for decades it seemed. She was eventually moved to a more observational spot in the street corner room of the family home, Moyola, where had originally been the forge around which the house was built.

But to us the 'factory' was the most curious and interesting place when it was in action. That was sporadic, but when the machinery was running it became a different environment to being merely a store and a sorting space for crates and bottles.

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