History
PHOTOS LEDP exhibition honours the legacy of KRUPS on the 25th anniversary of its closure
LEDP Krups exhibition – he exhibition was officially opened by His Excellency, the German Ambassador-Designate to Ireland Mr David Gill. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick
Krups and its impact and legacy on Limerick’s social and economic landscape is being remembered with an exhibition by Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP)
Former employees of Krups will take a trip down memory lane at the official opening of a unique exhibition honouring the legacy of Krups. Showcasing a collection of stories, artefacts, and memorabilia representing the rich history of the factory and Limerick’s economic development, the exhibition was officially opened by His Excellency, the German Ambassador-Designate to Ireland Mr David Gill.
The unique exhibition marks 25 years since the iconic Krups factory closed and the LEDP was formed in response to the challenges faced in the local community following closure.
The Krups Exhibition is a collaborative effort between the LEDP, Limerick Museum, Limerick City & County Council, and the University of Limerick’s Centre for Irish-German Studies and aims to remember and celebrate the contribution of Krups in Limerick which operated from 1964 until its closure in 1998, employing more than 1,200 people at its peak.
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Niall O’Callaghan of the LEDP told I Love Limerick, “We wanted to honour the legacy of the dedicated workforce and this exhibition, which has been brilliantly curated by our friends in the Limerick Museum, really does honour that legacy of Krups and, equally, celebrates 25 years of LEDP’s contribution to Limerick as well.”
Former employees of Krups are invited to take a nostalgic journey through the exhibition, which features a rich collection of stories, artifacts, and memorabilia from the factory’s operational years.
George Lee of the LEDP was at hand to show some of his favourite pieces of the exhibition, including some graffiti found on the walls of a tunnel in the building, but noting a bin used for transporting parts, George told Richard Lynch of I Love Limerick, “You can just imagine, even this building that we’re in now, the sound levels that would have been here in the day.
“Everything from the springs was actually made here. There was nothing brought in apart from metal, all the metal was bent, all of the injection molding was done. So this is symbolic of so much work that would have gone on between departments and things being moved over and back.”
Former Krups employee, Frank Harty, described the factory as playing a “huge part in Limerick” and that it was a great place to work for his 25 years with the company, working there until closing day when he “practically turned out the lights and closed the door”.
Frank told I Love Limerick, “It was a great employer for all the surrounding areas and the outlying areas. People would be working back at night and they’d get a taxi home to Bruff or somewhere; they really looked after the employees. It saw me through all my mortgage years with constant employment, you know, and great camaraderie amongst all the people socially interacting as Neighbours.”
Local historian, Sharon Slater said the company was more like a community during its time in Limerick, she told I Love Limerick, “People not just worked here, they lived here. They lived here, got to know each other, created bonds, created family, and that’s what this exhibition is about. It does tell the story of the factory itself. But it tells the human story of the people who worked here. Because that was the community.”
Matthew Potter of Limerick Museum said he, like many other Limerick people, had a personal attachment to Krups as his wife, Colette Treacy had worked there from 1978 until its closure.
He said, “We’d often discuss, Colette and I, wouldn’t it be lovely to put on an exhibition to mark Krups’ contribution to Limerick. And I was overjoyed then when the LEDP, Niall O’Callaghan and George Lee approached me with the idea of putting on an exhibition to mark the 25th anniversary of the Closure of Krups, as well as, of course, the 25th anniversary of the opening of the LEDP.”
The exhibition opens to the public from Friday, October 13 and will run up to Friday, October 25 at the LEDP campus, Roxborough. Admission is free, and former Krups employees will receive a complimentary lapel pin as a token of appreciation for their dedication.
Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick
About Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP)
Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) is the only independent, self-funded charity in Ireland that has been transforming Limerick through job creation, training, education, and enterprise development for the past 25 years. Located at the former Krups factory site in Roxboro, LEDP supports over 700 jobs and 2,000 training places on the Campus, as well as its own activities of Family Tree Crèche, Markets Field Stadium, Spark Hub hotdesking and its benevolent ‘Impact Fund’.
Pictures: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick
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