Tears and memories flow as workers depart

THE fog that never really lifted in Mallow yesterday symbolised the gloom that enveloped the region over the closure of the sugar factory.

It was a particularly emotive day for the work force as the clock ticked towards 3pm and the ending of the final work shift in one of the country’s iconic industries.

Mallow sugar factory was a bedrock of the community’s economic base, and an infectious way of life for most of the workers.

They had shared long winter processing campaigns together, enjoyed a camaraderie that is rapidly disappearing from industry and forged enduring personal friendships.

The memories flowed and tears welled in the eyes of some as they prepared to leave the factory they had helped to shape for a challenging new future that sadly never came to pass.

Within the complex itself, there was little movement. Blackbirds sang their hearts out on nearby trees.

A man cycled through the almost deserted grounds which had been a hive of activity until recently.

SIPTU branch secretary Liam Lucey, a worker-director, said most employees had left early. They wanted to preserve their dignity.

Greencore Sugar chief executive Dr Sean Brady said it was a sad day for all who have been associated with the Irish sugar industry down through the years. He paid tribute to the staff and growers and all others who have worked so hard to make the company the success it was.

“It was not for want of effort on the part of all involved that we have had to cease production.

“Indeed, if goodwill and effort were all that were required we would be looking forward to many more campaigns,” he said.

“Unfortunately, events entirely beyond our control have led to the cessation of activity at the plant today.”

A group of beet growers, who had gathered outside the factory to witness the formal end of the sugar beet industry, said they want to ensure that the plant is not dismantled by Greencore.

They called for a breathing space so that an independent study can be carried out on the feasibility of converting the factory to the production of energy from beet and a range of other farm crops.

A mechanism to allow this to happen without interfering with the EU restructuring compensation package available to growers, contractors and Greencore is also being sought.

However, beet growers in other parts of the country are concerned that the actions of their southern colleagues will weaken the growers’ case for compensation, and bitter divisions have emerged.

As the arguments over redundancy and compensation continued, the closure deadline came and went, with few people around to observe it.

They too departed in a soft summer mist wondering if the sprawling site would be sold off by Greencore for housing development or acquired by private enterprise and turned into a centre for bio-fuel production to meet the challenges of a new era.