When Lombardstown Co-op Creamery became a famouse superstore

While the Lombardstown Co- Operative Creamery was founded in 1890 it actually commenced operations in 1891.

It was the first co-operative creamery to be built in County Cork and was pipped by Dromcollogher by a little over one week to be the first in Ireland.

The creamery put Lombardstown on the map throughout the country and, indeed, in parts of England also. In fact, it was discussed in the British Parliament in 1921.

It grew to be one of the most important co-operative creameries in Ireland and employed up to 80 people at its height. There were so many processes established in the creamery that it could be classed as an industrial estate before such ventures became common. It could also boast that there was nothing that could be bought in a provincial town that could not be supplied by the creamery stores, making it a ‘one stop shop’ ever before the phrase was invented.

The Lombardstown creamery was amalgamated with Ballyclough on 1/1/1967. Ballyclough Co-op was established in 1908 and merged with Mitchelstown Co-op in 1990 to form Dairygold.

In 2015, the community in Lombardstown unveiled a colourful mural paying tribute to the creamery. The mural, which dominates a wall in the village, is accompanied by information boards that highlight the agricultural heritage of the area and its influence on successive generations and the development of Lombardstown.

The building still stands today operating as a hardware store and fertiliser depot for Dairygold.

Lombardstown Community Council will be publishing a book on the creamery’s illustrious history, later this year, when a commemorative plaque will also be unveiled.

Farmers queueing up to deliver their milk in 1958.

Lombardstown creamery staff outing to Ballybunion, July 1, 1951.

Staff and customers outside the co-op ‘superstore’ in 1958.