Can you shed light on this ship bringing glucose to Donegal’s Oatfield factory?

A photo showing a ship delivering glucose for the world-famous Oatfield sweets factory in Letterkenny has been shared.

And Donegal County Museum is hoping to find out a little bit more about the vessel and its origins, and to identify the port to which the delivery is being made. 

The photo was shared as part of Donegal County Museum’s Hidden Heritage Series, and it is believed to be from March 1953.

A spokesperson said: “The caption reads 'Unloading of Glucose at Letterkenny Port'. 

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“Glucose was shipped from around the world to make sweets at the Oatfield Factory in Letterkenny.

“Can anyone identify whether this is the port in Letterkenny or out at the Thorn Pier? 

“Also, are any eagle-eyed viewers able to identify the vessel and where it is from?”

The photo was kindly donated to Donegal County Museum by the former manager at the Oatfield factory. 

The Oatfield factory was synonymous with Letterkenny from when the sod was turned in 1930 until its closure in May 2012. The factory produced a range of boiled sweets and toffees, and was perhaps best known for Emerald Toffees, a delicious chewy toffee coated in chocolate and wrapped in Emerald green. Oatfield Emeralds were the ultimate treat for many a child - and adult - in Donegal, and were particularly popular as a Christmas confectionery of choice.

Having opened with six employees in the early 1930s, Oatfield had 80 workers at its peak. By the time it closed in 2012, there were 17 employees who were given their notice as operations were transferred to England. 

Having operated for eight decades, the factory is woven into the social and economic fabric of Letterkenny, with generations of families having been employed there. It was also a popular and highly anticipated destination for school tours where countless schoolchildren had the opportunity to see the magic happen as the various ingredients came together to produce their favourite sweets.

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Anyone who can shed light on the vessel and port shown in the photo is invited to contact Donegal County Museum via Facebook, by emailing museum@donegalcoco.ie or by phoning 074 912 4613. And indeed, people are welcome to drop into the museum on Letterkenny’s High Road to share information.