Nostalgic video on Bass Brewery features memories of Portstewart man, the late Eddie Devenney

The late Eddie Devenney is one of the contributors to a special video created by a team from the former Bass brewery on the Glen Road in Belfast, which was also often referred to as Mountain Brewery, Ulster Brewery or Caffreys Brewery.

Participants from the company, including previous managing directors, Trade Union representatives, sales, engineering, clerical and operational staff, all combined to give an insight into the working of the company.

One of the main contributors, John Shanks, said: “In its heyday the Company employed around 600 employees and produced amongst its range of products, Tennents Lager, Bass Ale and Caffreys Irish Ale.

"It also provided employment to many contractors and sub-contractors, many of which were from the local area. It also had a significant presence in the Republic of Ireland through its sister Company Tennents Ireland Limited with various depots throughout the region.”

Bass also had a depot in Ballymoney which, John recalled, was located on the Dervock Road beside a cattle market before it moved to Ballybrakes Industrial Estate.

In the video, Portstewart man Eddie Devenney recalls his time with the company from beginning as a driver in Belfast to moving into sales before becoming area sales manager for North and East Antrim.

Recalling his first day on the job, Eddie told of how he had to go to Belfast to pick up a two-and-a half-tonne lorry to do deliveries around Coleraine.

"I didn’t know how to drive it and one boy shouted at me ‘you have to double clutch that to get it going’.

"Now the brewery was on a hill, so I thought if I could reverse in, get a load on, then I’ll be able to run her down the hill onto the Glen Road and hopefully by the time we have got to the Falls Road, I’ll have mastered how to handle the machine!

"So that’s how I learned how to drive that lorry – between the Glen Road and going down the Falls,” Eddie recalled fondly in the video.

Looking back on his years with Bass, Eddie said: “I really enjoyed getting up in the morning and going to work. I used to wonder how someone could get up in the morning, going to a job they didn’t like, it must be horrendous.”

Sadly Eddie passed away shortly after the compilation of the video. Contributor John Shanks said that Eddie “was such a character and is sadly missed”.

As well as the video, which came about thanks to former Bass Ireland employees Liam Kelly, Joe Morrisey and John Shanks, there is a small Bass Brewery museum inside the Portside Inn at Dargan Road in Belfast.

A get together of former employees, their friends and families has been organised in the Portside Inn on September 6 at 5pm. For information and to book for the “Get together” evening meal, please contact Portside Inn on 02890 771422. To register interest in any future events, please contact [email protected].

To view the video, click here or log onto YouTube ‘Bass, Memories of a Belfast Brewery, 1897 - 2004’