Humphrys genealogy

Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.


My ancestors - O'Mara - Contents


  Mungret St, Limerick

Roches St, Limerick

The site today

O'Mara's logos and ads

O'Mara's London office

Donnelly's bacon factory, Dublin



O'Mara's bacon company, Limerick



O'Mara's bacon factory, Roches St, Limerick.
Photo would be late 1980s (when it closed down).
Junction of Roches St and Anne St.
Anne St to the LHS goes down to Thomas St in the background.
Photo courtesy of Tony Punch.
See full size.




O'Mara's bacon company, the source of generations of O'Mara family wealth.
Founded by James O'Mara in his house in Mungret St, Limerick, in 1839.
James is in Mungret St in 1850.
"James O'Mara", Mungret St, is listed under "provision dealers" in [Slater's, 1856, p.310].

James moved some time in 1856-1862 to Roches St, centre of new town, Limerick.
A dedicated factory was set up near top of Roches St.
The business is listed as "James O'Mara", "provision merchant", Roches St, in [Directory of Cork & Munster, 1867].
James and his sons Stephen O'Mara and Jack O'Mara built up the business over the 19th century into a great success.

Jim O'Mara was agent for O'Mara's in London from at least 1886 until he died 1893.
Jack O'Mara went to Russia to organise O'Maras setting up the Russian Bacon Company in 1891. Jack stayed in Russia for several years.
From 1891 to 1903, O'Maras imported bacon from the Russian Bacon Company, Gryazi, Russia, into London.

James O'Mara was agent for O'Mara's in London from 1893 to 1914.
[Modern Ireland, 1899] describes Stephen O'Mara as then head of the company, says "nearly 100" people then employed at Roches St.
Stephen O'Mara bought bacon factory in Palmerston, Ontario, Canada. DIB thinks this was 1901.
Joe O'Mara went out to run it. Opened 1904.
Stephen O'Mara purchased Donnelly's bacon factory, Dublin, 1906.

Jack O'Mara was manager of O'Mara bacon factory before his death 1919.
Stephen O'Mara was Managing Director of O'Mara Ltd as at 1923.
He founded bacon factory in Claremorris, Co.Mayo, 1930.
He founded bacon factory in Letterkenny, Co.Donegal.
Marcus O'Sullivan managed the Limerick factory c. late 1930s.

In 1938 the family business went public.
Bacon Company of Ireland formed, with Jack O'Mara as Managing Director, and subsidiaries the 3 bacon factories:

  1. O'Mara's bacon factory, Roches St, Limerick city.
  2. Bacon factory, Claremorris, Co.Mayo.
  3. Bacon factory, Letterkenny, Co.Donegal.
Marcus O'Sullivan was running the bacon factory in Claremorris, Co.Mayo, as at 1942.
Stephen O'Mara was Chairman of Bacon Company of Ireland at time of his death 1959.
Mickey O'Mara became Managing Director of Bacon Company of Ireland 1970.

In March 1986, the old O'Mara factory in Limerick finally closed, after nearly 150 years. The offices were retained for a short time for use by the Bacon Company of Ireland.
In late 1986 the Bacon Company of Ireland merged with other companies to form Irish Country Bacon. Merger proposed in Nov 1986.
Mickey O'Mara stopped involvement.
The offices on Roches St closed 1987.
In 1988 or 1989 the O'Mara factory was demolished, and the site sold. It became a car park.
The site is now the multi-storey car park, covering most of the block bounded by Roches St, Anne St and Roche's Row.





The date "1839" marked on the factory.
Detail of image above.



Location of O'Mara's bacon factory, Roches St, Limerick (the block between Anne St and Roche's Row, see red cross).
From 1887 to 1913 map.
See modern map.



A wonderful drawing of O'Maras in its heyday.
From a letterhead in or shortly after 1908.
See larger and full size.



Item in The Irish Times, 28 Aug 1912.
Part of a feature on Irish companies exhibiting at the RDS Horse Show.
Says O'Mara's may be "the most important bacon factory in the British Isles".



1947 aerial view showing Roches St (running along diagonally, lower down on picture).
O'Maras would be the RHS building with the chimney.
See wider.
From Britain from Above. Non-commercial use.
Also just about visible in another 1947 photo.



1952 aerial view showing Thomas St (LHS) and Roches St (RHS).
O'Maras is building in centre with the chimney.
From Britain from Above. Non-commercial use.



Close-up shows "O MARA" written at Thomas St end.
Also visible in another 1952 photo and another 1952 photo.



1953 view of Limerick. Looking N. Tait's Clock in mid-foreground.
O'Maras is back centre, with the chimney.
From Sean Curtin.
Printed in [Guiry, 2016, p.120].



O'Mara's bacon factory, Roches St, Limerick.
Photo 1978.
Junction of Roches St and Anne St. Looking down Anne St towards Thomas St in the background.

  

Striking workers at O'Maras, think shortly before it closed in 1986.
From Tony Punch.
Printed in [Guiry, 2016, p.92].



Picture of O'Mara's on front page of Limerick Leader, 8 Mar 1986.



O'Maras, think in 1980s.
From Tony Punch.
Printed in [Guiry, 2016, p.31].



O'Maras being demolished, would be 1988 or 1989.
From Tony Punch.
Printed in [Guiry, 2016, p.131].


  


  

Mungret St, Limerick

  

  

Roches St, Limerick

  

  

O'Mara's, Limerick - the site today

  

  

O'Mara's logos and ads

  

  

O'Mara's London office

  

  

Donnelly's bacon factory, Dublin

  

  

References

  


Sources yet to be consulted

  


"The English beef, the Welshman sheep,
The Scotchman haggis gnaws;
The Esquimo holds walrus fat
Between his greasy paws;
The Frenchman nibbles froggies' legs;
New Yorker's gobble clams,
But Irishmen who know what's what
Stick to O'Mara's Hams.
"

- Verse in booklet of O'Mara's centenary dinner, Savoy restaurant, Limerick, 11 Feb 1939.
The dinner included port from 1889 and cognac from 1839.





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