Going to the creamery became part of our heritage after the first creameries were established in Ireland in the 1800s. these earky creameries were privately owned by a class of businessmen known as "Gombeen men" who were out to make a quick profit.
However, the first farmer-owned co-operative creameries were established in the late 1800s and early 1900s.These co-ops were owned by farmer shareholders and became so successful that they were eventually able to take over the private creameries. At their peak in the mid 20th century, the total number of creameries reached almost 200 central creameries and 500 branches.
John A. Quish uniquely recalls his experiences as a creamery manager with some of the country's leading dairy businesses. Among them were the Hughes Brothers, whose brand 'HB Icecream' is one of the most popular in Ireland, and Mitchelstown Creameries which, for almost fifty years, was the countries biggest co-op. John laments the closure of the creamery network which has resulted in a social rift that has brought about a cultural bereavement.
