Tyrone Crystal
Encyclopedia
Tyrone Crystal was a crystal manufacturing company in Dungannon
, County Tyrone
in Northern Ireland
.
Glass making in Tyrone has a history going back as far as 1771, when Benjamin Edwards
founded a company in county Tyrone
, Ireland
. Tyrone Crystal was set up two hundred years later in 1971, by Father Austin Eustace to create employment in the Dungannon area of County Tyrone. There was not a lot of employment in the area at the time and nobody in the area knew anything about making crystal. Therefore an advertisement was put out in a national newspaper to find someone who could train people in the area. Luckily enough two Austrians (a master blower and a master cutter) were hiking across England and read the advertisement and came over to train the employees. Trainees began practising on glass jars and bottles until they became skilled enough to make crystal on their own and they set up a glass blowing shop in Dungannon.
In 1988 the company was awarded an ISO 9000
for quality; the youngest glasshouse in Ireland or the U.K. to gain the recognised standard. A new factory, built in 1990, is also a tourist attraction. Tyrone Crystal acquired Tipperary Crystal in 2000 as part of an investment plan that spent £500,000 on a new visitors' centre that opened in 2001.
The company was acquired by businessmen Peter Maginnis and Nigel Blackburn in 2006.
Since 2005, Tyrone Crystal has manufactured the trophy for the Canadian Grand Prix
.
On the 11th March 2010 it was confirmed that the company is to cease operations at its Dungannon factory with the loss of 31 jobs. The factory closed on the 12th of March.
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Glass making in Tyrone has a history going back as far as 1771, when Benjamin Edwards
Benjamin Edwards
Benjamin Edwards may refer to:*Benjamin Edwards , American merchant, U.S. Congressman for Maryland*Benjamin W. Edwards , American pioneer, early colony organizer in Texas*Benjamin S...
founded a company in county Tyrone
Tyrone
The name Tyrone can refer to:*County Tyrone, a county in Northern Ireland, roughly corresponding to the ancient kingdom of Tír Eogain*An Earl of Tyrone*A small steam train which runs between Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland-Places:...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Tyrone Crystal was set up two hundred years later in 1971, by Father Austin Eustace to create employment in the Dungannon area of County Tyrone. There was not a lot of employment in the area at the time and nobody in the area knew anything about making crystal. Therefore an advertisement was put out in a national newspaper to find someone who could train people in the area. Luckily enough two Austrians (a master blower and a master cutter) were hiking across England and read the advertisement and came over to train the employees. Trainees began practising on glass jars and bottles until they became skilled enough to make crystal on their own and they set up a glass blowing shop in Dungannon.
In 1988 the company was awarded an ISO 9000
ISO 9000
The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
for quality; the youngest glasshouse in Ireland or the U.K. to gain the recognised standard. A new factory, built in 1990, is also a tourist attraction. Tyrone Crystal acquired Tipperary Crystal in 2000 as part of an investment plan that spent £500,000 on a new visitors' centre that opened in 2001.
The company was acquired by businessmen Peter Maginnis and Nigel Blackburn in 2006.
Since 2005, Tyrone Crystal has manufactured the trophy for the Canadian Grand Prix
Canadian Grand Prix
The Canadian Grand Prix , abbreviated as gpc, is an annual auto race held in Canada starting in 1961. It has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967...
.
On the 11th March 2010 it was confirmed that the company is to cease operations at its Dungannon factory with the loss of 31 jobs. The factory closed on the 12th of March.