Co Wicklow man to share passion for explosives/munitions factory on 130th anniversary
The second of two talks hosted by Michael, who describes himself as 'a person with an interest in history for whom Kynoch is my passion', the free event will focus on the positive and negative effects of the factory on the Arklow community.
Using his in-depth knowledge, Michael will discuss how Kynoch changed the fabric of the Arklow society, including socio-economic effects and the growth of the seaside town.
'The first talk was just to give a bit of a background on how and why Kynoch came to Arklow, and it got a great response, with about 50 people in attendance on the night,' Michael said.
'The Maritime Museum received a lot of requests for a second talk, so I was delighted to climb on board.
'I'll start with a quick synopsis of the first talk and then discuss the positives and negatives of the factory and its social impact.
'One hundred and thirty years ago, where the caravan park is, would have been a hive of activity – they turned the sod in January, and the factory was up and running in June. And here we are, 130 years later, still talking about it!
'As I said at the first talk, my sole ambition is that everyone leaves the room having learned something new.
'I'm a person with an interest in history for whom Kynoch is my passion, and I'll try to keep the talk within an hour because, when I get started on Kynoch, you have to reel me in!'
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