A virtual launch of Creative Edenderry’s book “Shoes of Edenderry, Stories and Memories inspired by The Shoe Factory Era” will take place on Creative Edenderry’s Facebook page at 8pm this Friday, 19 March.
The book will be for sale from Saturday morning through local shops in Edenderry and surrounding villages (Purchase Price €10).
Ahead of Friday’s launch, Creative Edenderry approached Pauline McNamee (MA, HDip. Ed) requesting her to review Shoes of Edenderry.
“Pauline’s background in History and English gave her a clear insight into the publication’s inspiration,” said PRO Eithne Quinn.
“Her preview gives a warm, engaging, and informed opinion of Shoes of Edenderry.”
In her review, Pauline McNamee spoke of the importance of the factory to the people of Edenderry and surrounding areas, and the role it played in local life.
“From the moment I received my copy of Shoes of Edenderry, I travelled back in time to “a golden era in the history of Edenderry,” said Pauline.
“The images on the front cover of the ‘clicking knife’, ‘punch pliers’, ‘last’ and ‘hammer’ depict some of the tools used by the skilled workmen and women in the Shoe Factory. They act as a portal to a by-gone age. Once I turned the page and started reading, I was mesmerised by the unforgettable first-hand accounts. In a realistic, honest and well-rounded manner, these stories encapsulate the reality of the challenges and rewards experienced by the factory workers, past and present.”
“The genesis of Shoes of Edenderry was motivated by the desire to remember Edenderry Shoe Company’s legacy and provide an insight into the lives of people who have relocated to Edenderry to start a new life. However, it is much more than an assortment of personal recollections. The factory walls may not be able to talk. Yet, this valuable social history document preserves, for future generations, the stories of the hundreds of employees who clocked in and clocked out of Edenderry Shoe Company during the fifty-six years of its existence.”
