Allman, Dowden & Co

Allman, Dowden & Co, Watergate Street, Bandon, Co Cork, Ireland.

Founded c.1800 and acquired by Allman, Dowden 1865. Acquired by Beamish & Crawford Ltd. 1914.

There is a plaque marking the site of the brewery, established in 1800 by George Cornwall.

It was the Watergate Bottling Stores until 1967 and is planned to be redeveloped.

From Brewery history Number 91

The Bandon Brewery was already over 100 years old when it was taken over in 1865 by Allman & Dowden & Co. Like most of the other Cork breweries its trade was a tied one. The brewery traded locally in porter selling 300-400 barrels per week. It ceased brewing in 1907.

Note: The tied house system adopted by the great majority of British breweries was quite popular in Cork but to a much lesser extent in the in the other counties. The nature of this free trade was no doubt of benefit to those concerns who had the ability to distribute their beers over many regions. The railway system benefited four breweries in Ireland, namely, Guinness Dublin who had spur links to the Great Southern and Western Lines, Macardle, Moore & Co. Ltd and the Great Northern breweries at Dundalk were located directly on the Great Northern Line itself, equidistant from their Dublin and Belfast markets.

In Bandon the distiller and brewer there, Messrs Allman and Dowden, had its rail link on the West Cork line including a linking spur that crossed the river to serve both production centres.

Only one malting company to the knowledge of this author was linked to a rail system, i.e. Roche Maltings located in Enniscorthy.

An assortment of images of the brewery

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•