476 THE BREWING INDUSTRY IN IRELAND. 



which is purchased at their stores in Queen's County and Wexford, and the 

 balance on the Dubhn Corn Exchange. They malt about 30,000 barrels 

 a year. About 200 persons are employed in the brewery, which is capable 

 of turning out 100,000 Hhds. annually. In addition to the home trade, the 

 firm exported 21,419 Hhds. last year according to the statistics published. 

 They have stores in Manchester and Bristol, and many agents throughout 

 the country both in England and Ireland. 



The Cork Collection District. 



The second largest Collection District is that of Cork, which contains 

 four independent breweries, where 596,223 bushels of malt were brewed in 

 the year ended 30th September, 1901. The City of Cork has always been 

 a great home of the brewing industry, and now contains two large breweries. 

 A stranger landing in Cork, and driving through the city, is met on all sides 

 by the names Murphy, and Beamish and Crawford, and it would seem that 

 both these breweries have been fortunate enough to secure property in a 

 large number of licensed houses, in the City of Cork, and indeed all over the 

 South of Ireland. 



The Lady's Well Brewery, as Messrs. James J. Murphy and Co., Ltd., 

 designate their premises, is situated in Leitrim-street, 

 Lady's Well at the north side of the city, and is overlooked by the 

 Brewery. old Steeple of Shandon, famous for its bells. The 



buildings are irregular and picturesque, and cover 

 over four acres. Close by is the ancient well from which the Brewery takes 

 its name. The business was established in 1856 by Messrs. James J., 

 William J., Jerome J., and Francis J. Miirphy, and was turned into a private 

 Limited Company in 1883. It has a capital of iJ'500,000, divided thus, 

 ;;^300,ooo in Ordinary Shares, i^ 100,000 five per cent. Debentures, and 

 ;^ 1 00,000 four per cent. Debentures, which, considering the size of the 

 brewery, the extensive trade attached to it, and the large interest in licensed 

 property which they control, mu.st be much under the value of the concern, 

 but as the family hold all the shares in their own hands this is immaterial. 

 Some twelve years ago the brewery was remodelled and the plant renewed, 

 and last year Messrs. Jas. J. Murphy and Co., Ltd., acquired the St. Finbarr's 

 Brewery, Cork (Sir John Arnott's) and the Riverstown Ale Brewery and 

 Maltings. They have closed and dismantled both these breweries, but are 

 working the malt houses. The licensed property of Messrs. J. A. Arnott 

 and Co., Ltd., in the City of Cork was very large and turned out a valuable 

 adjunct to the trade of Lady's Well Brewery, which now stands high up m 

 the sale returns of the breweries of the United Kingdom. For many years 

 Messrs. Murphy and Co. have been competing successfully for the English 

 trade, notably in the Midlands and in the South. They were awarded 

 Gold Medals for " highest excellence " at the Brewers' Exhibitions in 

 Dublin in 1892, and in Manchester three years later. Only heps and malt 

 are used ; and the Company who now annually malt over 40,000 barrels of 

 Irish barley, have done much to promote barley growing in their neighbour- 

 hood. They have a fine electric installation, electricity being largely used 

 in the brewing for motive power. About 200 persons are employed in the 

 brewery and cooperage, irrespective of clerks and travellers. 



The local support given to Murphy's Brewery was well repaid by Mr. Tames 

 J. Murphy at the time of the failure of the Munster Bank. When the Share- 



