Cork Shoe Company / Youngline - A Brief History

Old Cork Shoe Company/Youngline site
Pouladuff Road , Togher

Togher has a rich history of enterprise and manufacturing and the present day site which houses Cork University Press and others is no exception. The former market garden land was transformed in July 1961 when Paul Duggan opened the brand new Cork Shoe Company on the corner of Tramore Road and Pouladuff Road. Paul Duggan had founded the business in an attic above Marlboro Street in 1947 with 9 employees before moving to Drinan Street and ultimately settling in Togher. The new plant was over 22,000 sq.ft. An extension in 1963 brought it up to 52,000 sq.ft. By then there were 200 employees making 18,000 pairs of slippers and leather shoes. The Cork Rubber & Plastic Manufacturing Co. was set up in 1963 ( to provide rubber soling ) adjoining the site and provided an extra 150 jobs to the locality. Initially the employees attire was very formal with the men for the most part wearing shirt and tie and all employees male and female either wore white or brown work overcoats. As time wore on , the dress became less formal and more casual as employees simply wore their own clothes. It provided employment not only to Togher locals but many of the residents of neighboring Ballyphehane. Sadly the business went into receivership in 1975 and the factory was sold to Youngline Shoe Company. It should be noted that Paul Duggan was the Godfather of Togher native Katie Rowland who still resides locally while Paul moved to the Lough to retire. Sadly he passed away on July 13th 2012 , peacefully at the Mercy University Hospital and is buried in St. Joseph's cemetery.

Paul Duggan founder Cork Shoe Company 1940

Cork Shoe Company 1966

Cork Shoe Company employees 1960s

Helen O'Sullivan ( nee Molloy ) : " I worked there in 1968 when I was 14. I lasted one day. They gave me a brush bigger than myself to sweep the floor. I never went back! "

Katie Rowland : " The owner Paul Duggan is my Godfather! "

Marty Noonan : " Worked in Cork Shoe when the Golden Eagles showband played there in 1968. "

Noreen Kenny : " My mam worked there for years for Mr. Duggan and also in Drinan St. where Mr. Duggan started off. My sister Marie worked there too. A lovely man. "

Mary Sheehan : " I worked there from when I was 14 until I was 21. A great place , especially my boss the late Michael Sheehan. "

The following photographs are courtesy of Mick Dineen and give a window into the interior of the factory back in the 1960s showing the employees at work and the various departments. Machinists , floor staff and packing all combined on the open shop floor. This was a time when the only item of uniform was a white overcoat.

Helen Hurley : " I worked in Cork Shoe and left in 1966 to get married. My late husband Jim Hurley worked in Drinan Street before they moved to Pouladuff Road. He left after a strike in 1970 but went on to work in Youngline and worked until he had to give up due to ill health. Here are photos of outings in the 1960s and dinner dance. "

Youngline Shoe Company opened for business in Togher in 1975 taking over the site of the former Cork Shoe Company. Like its predecessor it barely lasted a decade and a half before closing its doors in 1990. In the interim it again provided employment for many Togher men and women. It gained the nickname of the " Slipper Factory " and still to the present day is remembered fondly by its ex-employees as " a great place to work ".

Youngline Bus Outing circa 1978/79

Vivienne Byrne : " I worked in youngline for three years 1979 to 1982. I loved it. My boss was John Froggit. I remember all the people I worked with. They were the old days. We would be running the slippers through the machine's eying up the fellas. I remember I was in love with a fella called Leslie Ring. I'm sure he didn't even notice me. "

Patricia Morey McCarthy : " Worked in Youngline for a few years. Loved it. "

Paul Molly of Togher Square : " I worked in " The Vulks " which was the vulcanizing department where the slippers were put together. You would put the uppers onto a last and then fill a hot mold with rubber and basically melt them together. "

The following photographs were kindly supplied by Paul Molloy and show the staff in the early 1980s where they would work both day and night shifts. A fascinating piece of local history of a bygone age.

 Paul Molly at work in " The Vulks "