The Sugar Tapes

The Sugar Tapes is a verbatim theatre project based on a series of recorded interviews made by a local Tipperary archivist and Artist Eddie Kenehan with former factory workers from Thurles Sugar Factory.

The factory was a mainstay industry of the town for over 60 years before it closed in 1989. Generations of workers had worked in the plant, some full-time and others working seasonally on the ‘Campaign’ -  the main harvesting period for beet. Numerous local farmers also produced the beet crop that was ultimately used to make sugar and a number of other by-products.

The factory had a significant impact on economic and social life across the region and its ultimate closure hit the area badly, particularly as other industries were slow to fill the gap.

The Sugar Tapes are to be made into a theatre/filmed work by The Source Arts Centre in Thurles, utilising the recordings and some new sessions with workers. The project will be completed in Autumn 2021.

This project has received funding from the Tipperary Creative Ireland Programme.

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