FORMER employees of Bass Ireland Ltd whose brewery was based on the Glen Road are reaching out to former workers to take part in a project with National Museums NI to collect stories about the company.
The project is aiming to gather former employees of the large brewery, which closed at the site in 2004, to get in touch for a project which will record what it was like to work in what was then, the North’s only brewery.
The brewery, which produced Tennents and Bass, was situated at the Glen Road site from 1960, making use of the natural spring water in the area. Known previously as Ulster Brewing, in 1974 its name was changed to Bass Ireland Ltd, with the company employing around 500 people.
John Shanks, former HR Director for Production of Bass Ireland, said the idea to record their testimonies of working in the brewery came about over a pint with former colleagues Liam Kelly, who was a Senior Shop Steward and who wrote a book on Bass Ireland, and Joe Morrissey, who worked as a Senior Steward in Distribution.
“I was talking with Joe and Liam and we were talking about another former place I worked. Courtaulds in Carrickfergus had recently made a documentary about what it was like to work there, and we all thought what a great idea it would be if we could do the same with Bass. We approached the National Museums in Cultra and it took off from there.
"They were very supportive and said it would be important to preserve what it was like to work there, as it’s been closed now for 18 years, and those of us who used to work there are getting on, we’re a dying breed! The stories and the craic in the place was mighty, and it would be a shame if we didn’t get to record it all.”
John said they would like former employees to come forward if they have previously worked for Bass, and filming and recording will take place in Cultra at the beginning of 2023. John, Liam and Joe have set up an email address – mountainbrewery@mail.com
There is also a Facebook page ‘Old Photos of Bass Ireland Ltd Glen Rd’ which posts photos of life in the brewery from years past, and will also post updates about the project.
