Urney Chocolates

Urney Chocolates, commonly known as Urneys, is an Irish confectionery brand with roots in the Gallagher family's estate at Urney House in County Tyrone. The business began in 1919 when Eileen Gallagher, seeking to create local employment after the First World War, developed a small food enterprise based on the estate's fruit, berries, flowers and garden produce. After difficulties obtaining a commercial sugar allocation for jam production, she diversified into confectionery, initially making raspberry fudge in small quantities with domestic equipment. The enterprise expanded rapidly, employing around 20 people within its first year. The early business suffered two serious fires. The first destroyed Urney House in 1920, forcing the Gallaghers to construct a bungalow and dedicated factory. A second fire, combined with the commercial disadvantages of operating on the Northern Ireland side of the border, prompted a move to Tallaght, Dublin, in 1924. The new premises occupied a former First World War-era aerodrome. The family transferred machinery and offered relocation to its workforce; 25 female employees, a carpenter and two maintenance workers moved with the company. The Tallaght site eventually became both a factory and a major local employer, with housing and other facilities provided for staff. During the 1920s, Urney was presented as an Irish manufacturer using predominantly Irish supplies. Its position was stronger in the Irish Free State than in Northern Ireland, where sectarian and political tensions affected demand. Customs charges on chocolate entering the Irish Free State also made the original County Tyrone location commercially difficult. At Tallaght, the company overcame limited infrastructure and financing constraints by adapting production methods, including operating during cooler night hours before adequate refrigeration and electrical services were available. The Second World War created both logistical problems and commercial opportunities. Urney replaced pre-war cocoa supplies from West Africa with Brazilian cocoa and obtained glucose from Canada when European sources became inaccessible. It also supplied chocolate crumb, couverture and fondant to British confectioners during a period when Britain restricted imports from outside the sterling area. The company acquired and adapted second-hand equipment, expanded milk-chocolate and crumb production, and continued operating despite wartime rationing. In 1943, it was among companies found guilty of breaching Emergency regulations by selling excess sugar allocations to confectioners with smaller quotas. After the war, changing consumer tastes and the end of rationing weakened some of Urney's traditional advantages. The company sought new export customers, including importers in the United States, and supplied chocolate crumb to Lowney's of Massachusetts. Its domestic profile was supported by the advertising slogan “Anytime is Urney Time,” created in the 1950s. The business also diversified into turkey production on its Tallaght grounds, producing birds for the Irish market and supplying staff with meat and Christmas turkeys. Urney reached its greatest industrial scale in the 1950s and 1960s. Tommy Headon became business partner and managing director in 1958, while Redmond Gallagher became chairman. The company and its subsidiaries eventually employed almost 1,000 people and operated what was regarded as one of Europe's largest chocolate factories. Urney acquired Devlins of Cork Street, a Dublin toffee maker, in 1960 and took over the English confectionery company Murch of Burnley in 1961, relocating machinery from England to Tallaght. In 1963, W. R. Grace & Co. acquired a 50 percent interest and later obtained the remaining shares. The association also connected Urney with Van Houten's cocoa interests and expanded the potential distribution network. Rising sugar costs, competition from snack foods and changing corporate priorities contributed to decline in the late 1960s and 1970s. W. R. Grace sold the Urney/HB business to Unilever in 1973 as a going concern. Unilever valued the HB ice-cream business more highly than the chocolate operation and indicated that the Tallaght factory's future would eventually be reviewed. The factory closed in 1980. The Urney brand later passed through L.C. Confectionery Ltd. and is now handled by Hazelbrook Confectionery, based in County Kildare. The surviving brand is therefore a continuation of an historic Irish confectionery name rather than the original Tallaght manufacturing operation.

Urney Chocolates began in 1919 at Urney House, the Gallagher family home in County Tyrone. Eileen Gallagher had established a market garden and cottage food operation to create employment in the aftermath of the First World War. When she could not secure the sugar allocation needed for a commercial jam business, she entered confectionery manufacturing, making raspberry fudge with domestic equipment. The enterprise grew quickly, but a fire destroyed Urney House in 1920. The family rebuilt with a bungalow and small factory, and production resumed in 1921. The company was incorporated as a private limited business after the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Harry Gallagher became chairman and managing director, while Eileen served as a director. Although the business was located in Northern Ireland, its strongest market was south of the border. Sectarian hostility affected sales in Northern Ireland, and the Irish Free State's customs duty on imported chocolate added to the disadvantages of the County Tyrone location. Following a second factory fire, the Gallaghers moved the business to Tallaght, Dublin, in 1924. The Tallaght factory occupied a former military aerodrome. A portion of the original workforce relocated, and the company transported surviving machinery while acquiring additional equipment. The premises included accommodation for workers and later became a major centre of local employment. Infrastructure was initially limited: the company could not afford a freezing plant and operated much of its production at night to take advantage of cooler temperatures. Electricity was generated onsite from second-hand equipment until Tallaght received a broader electrical connection. The Gallaghers also developed gardens, orchards, beehives and livestock facilities around the factory. Wartime conditions forced significant changes. Cocoa was sourced from Brazil rather than West Africa, while glucose came from Canada in the form of a maize derivative. Shipping arrangements required cargo to be collected in Portugal and carried onward to Ireland by smaller vessels. At the same time, British restrictions on confectionery imports from outside the sterling area benefited Irish suppliers. Urney sold chocolate crumb, couverture and fondant to British confectioners, and invested in second-hand production and wrapping machinery. It adapted former distillery equipment for chocolate-ingredient production and expanded its ability to make milk chocolate blocks and crumb. The company continued operating during Irish wartime rationing, but in 1943 it was found guilty of contravening Emergency regulations by selling excess sugar supplies to confectioners with smaller entitlements. After the war, demand changed as consumers gained access to products that had previously been scarce. Urney diversified its export business, supplying wrapped sweets and small chocolate eggs to American importers and chocolate crumb to Lowney's in Massachusetts. Domestic advertising remained important, especially the slogan “Anytime is Urney Time,” developed in the 1950s. The firm also operated a substantial turkey enterprise on its grounds, which provided an additional source of revenue and benefits for employees. Urney's expansion accelerated in the late 1950s and 1960s. Tommy Headon joined as business partner and managing director in 1958, with Redmond Gallagher becoming chairman. By the 1960s, Urney and its subsidiaries employed almost 1,000 people. The company acquired Devlins of Cork Street in Dublin in 1960, retaining its toffee business and children's products, including sweet cigarettes sold with collectible cards. In 1961 it acquired Murch of Burnley and moved equipment from Lancashire to Tallaght. W. R. Grace & Co. acquired half of Urney in 1963 and later bought the remaining shares. The relationship brought connections to Van Houten's cocoa business and the possibility of broader international distribution. Grace also acquired HB Ice Cream in 1964. The loss of Tommy Headon in 1966, increasing sugar prices, competition from snack foods and the cost of preparing for European Economic Community membership placed pressure on the business. The Tallaght plant was modernised through a combination of company resources, borrowing and public support, but the company's long-term position weakened. Harry Gallagher died in 1975 and Eileen Gallagher in 1976; Redmond retired in 1977. W. R. Grace sold the Urney/HB operation to Unilever in 1973. Unilever's strategic interest centred more on HB ice cream than chocolate, and the Tallaght factory eventually closed in 1980. The brand later came under L.C. Confectionery Ltd. and is now handled by Hazelbrook Confectionery in County Kildare.

• 1980

  Tallaght factory closed

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  The historic manufacturing facility ceased operations.

• 1973

  Business sold to Unilever

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  W. R. Grace sold the Urney/HB operation to Unilever as a going concern.

• 1963

  W. R. Grace acquired a 50 percent interest

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  The investment connected Urney with the international cocoa and confectionery interests associated with W. R. Grace and Van Houten.

• 1961

  Murch of Burnley acquired

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  Urney took over the English confectionery company and moved its machinery to Tallaght.

• 1960

  Devlins acquired

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  Urney acquired Dublin toffee maker Devlins and retained its workforce and product lines.

• 1958

  Tommy Headon became managing director

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  Headon's appointment preceded a period of major industrial expansion.

• 1943

  Emergency regulations case

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  Urney was among companies found guilty of selling excess sugar allocations during wartime rationing.

• 1924

  Factory relocated to Tallaght

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  Urney moved its operations and part of its workforce from County Tyrone to a former aerodrome in Tallaght, Dublin.

• 1922

  Company reorganised as a private limited business

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  Harry Gallagher assumed the roles of chairman and managing director, with Eileen Gallagher as a director.

• 1920

  First factory fire

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  A fire destroyed Urney House and interrupted production.

• 1919

  Urney Chocolates founded

  [1]Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org

  Eileen and Harry Gallagher began confectionery production at Urney House in County Tyrone.

Historically positioned as an Irish-made confectionery brand emphasizing domestic production, freshness and local employment. In its later period, Urney also functioned as a large-scale industrial supplier of chocolate crumb and other confectionery ingredients, with export activity in Britain and North America.

• Chocolate

  Milk chocolate blocks

  Milk chocolate blocks became an important part of Urney's industrial range, particularly after the company acquired and adapted second-hand production equipment during the Second World War. The business later expanded block production as part of its broader Tallaght manufacturing operation.

• Chocolate ingredient

  Chocolate crumb

  Urney manufactured chocolate crumb for use by other confectioners. Wartime demand made this a particularly important product, and the company exported crumb to British manufacturers and later supplied Lowney's in the United States.

• Confectionery

  Wrapped assorted sweets

  Wrapped assorted sweets formed part of Urney's post-war diversification strategy. The products were supplied to American importers as the company sought to compensate for changing consumer preferences in Ireland and Britain.

• Seasonal confectionery

  Solid chocolate eggs

  Small solid chocolate eggs were among the products exported by Urney to the United States through import partners during the post-war period.

• Children's confectionery

  Devlins sweet cigarettes

  Following the acquisition of Devlins, Urney retained its children's sweet-cigarette product, which was packaged with collectible cigarette cards. The line illustrates the breadth of the company's confectionery portfolio in the mid-twentieth century.

• 1943

  Breach of wartime sugar controls

  Urney was among companies found guilty of contravening Ireland's wartime Emergency regulations by selling surplus sugar supplies to confectioners whose allocations were smaller. The case occurred during rationing, when sugar access was tightly controlled.

  Source

Read more

• 1950Anytime is Urney Time

  Ireland

  Advertising executive Pat O'Rorke created the slogan “Anytime is Urney Time” for Urney during the 1950s. It became one of the brand's best-known advertising expressions and acquired a lasting popular association in Ireland.

  Outcome. The slogan was widely remembered and later described as having cult status in Ireland.

  Source

• 1973

  Sale of the Urney/HB business to UnileverM&A

  Background

  W. R. Grace sold the combined business as a going concern during a period of rising costs, increased snack competition and corporate consolidation.

  Action taken

  Unilever acquired the operation, including the Urney chocolate factory and HB ice-cream interests.

  Aftermath

  Unilever's stronger interest in ice cream than chocolate contributed to uncertainty over the Tallaght factory, which closed in 1980.

  Source

• 1963

  W. R. Grace investmentM&A

  Background

  Urney sought greater scale and access to international cocoa and distribution networks.

  Action taken

  W. R. Grace & Co. acquired a 50 percent interest and later obtained the remaining shares.

  Aftermath

  Urney became part of a larger corporate structure associated with Van Houten and other food businesses, although the chocolate operation later became strategically less important to its owners.

  Source

• 1961

  Acquisition of Murch of BurnleyM&A

  Background

  Urney was expanding its manufacturing capacity and preparing for a more integrated confectionery operation.

  Action taken

  The company acquired the English confectionery firm and dismantled and transferred its machinery to Tallaght.

  Aftermath

  The move concentrated additional production assets at the Irish factory.

  Source

• 1960

  Acquisition of DevlinsM&A

  Background

  Devlins was an established Dublin toffee and children's confectionery manufacturer.

  Action taken

  Urney acquired the business while retaining its premises, employees and selected products.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition broadened Urney's portfolio beyond chocolate and added established children's confectionery lines.

  Source

• 1939

  Wartime supply-chain substitutionStrategy

  Background

  The war disrupted Urney's normal sources of cocoa and glucose and created shipping risks in the Atlantic.

  Action taken

  Urney sourced cocoa from Brazil, glucose from Canada and transported supplies through Portugal before onward shipment to Ireland.

  Aftermath

  The company continued production and benefited from British restrictions on confectionery imports from outside the sterling area.

  Source

• 1924

  Relocation from County Tyrone to TallaghtStrategy

  Background

  A second factory fire, customs charges on chocolate entering the Irish Free State and the company's stronger southern market made the original County Tyrone site increasingly difficult to operate.

  Action taken

  The Gallaghers moved production, machinery and a portion of the workforce to a former aerodrome in Tallaght, Dublin.

  Aftermath

  Tallaght became the company's principal manufacturing base and eventually one of the largest chocolate-production sites in Europe.

  Source

1. 1Urney Chocolatesen.wikipedia.org