A former distillery and tobacco warehouse in Dundalk is to have a new life as a museum.
The building was donated by Carroll's, Irish Tobacco Company. Dundalk Town Clerk Paddy Tierney explains that the building was in good condition and materials were reused in converting it for use as a museum.
It began life as a distillery. It later became a tobacco warehouse. It's now to be a museum.
Five floors were reduced to three floors to give the museum extra height. Floorboards were turned and polished and the walls repointed. The building is now being fitted out to be a museum. While the museum can accommodate several displays, Dundalk's industrial past will take precedence.
Museum curator Carol Gleeson says that Dundalk is an excellent example of an Irish industrial town and the museum will reflect this.
Eighty-four year old Sadie McComish worked on a machine used for making twist tobacco that will now be at the museum. She is delighted to see that it will be on display for younger generations to see.
After being used for nearly 90 years with Dundalgan Press, a ticket machine is also going on display at the new museum.
A second building has also been bought and converted for use as a library. Librarian Ann Ward says that the mixture of old and new is a reflection of what the service is about.
Not alone are we a repository for things that are old but we also have to reflect things new and the changes in the different media.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 24 March 1994. The reporter is Alasdair Jackson.
