Old Bakery display leaving visitors bowled over

A spectacular floral display using old industrial mixing bowls from the former Spicers Bakery in Trim is proving very popular with both locals and visitors.

The spectacular installation at Athboy Gate features the giant old mixing bowls filled with flowers and a display in the history of the bakery.

Trim Tidy Towns and Meath County Council are responsible for the work and the bowls were donated by Alan Mulligan of Mulligan Fencing who now owns the old bakery and is redeveloping it.

Brian Heffernan of Trim Tidy Towns explains that the display is made up of eight large industrial mixing bowls.

“We saw the mixing bowls, as we were peeking through the fence, rusting away at the back of the derelict site at Market Street and asked Alan if we could have them - which he gladly agreed to do - especially given that his cousin, Dermot Mulligan is a Tidy Towns volunteer.

“After we received them, we didn't know what we were going to do the bowls. We knew that they would be excellent planters and we loved that they came from Spicers, but we were at a loss with what to do with them and that's where Anthony Conlon, Robert Bradley and the outdoor staff of Trim Municipal Council came on board.

“They came up with a beautiful design feature and the idea of an information piece about Spicers,” says Brian.

The council also installed the bowls, giving the Athboy Gate Junction, where the display is located, a massive floral lift. Many of the residents around Athboy Gate worked in Spicers as did Anthony Conlon's mother.

Claire Butterly who lives nearby is absolutely delighted with the display as nearly all her family worked in the old Spicers Bakery.”Im absolutely thrilled with it. Nearly my whole family, including myself worked in it.

“My grandfather and all his brothers worked in Spicers. My grandfather was a confectioner and my father worked there, as well as my two brothers.

“It is part of our heritage. The whole family is thrilled to see it. There is a photo displayed with a lot of workers from the 1970s and my brother Kieran is in it.

“Robert Bradley has now taken a photo of him beside the big bowl, 40 years later,” she said.

Brian Heffernan says the display is a wonderful addition to the town and is a great example of business (Mulligan Fencing), community volunteers (Trim Tidy Towns) and the Council coming together for the betterment of local communities.

Alan Mulligan said ; “ My wife Clare and I are delighted to have donated the bread mixing bowls from the old Spicers Bakery along with the wooden flower beds to Trim Town Council . Tony , Robert and the lads have done a fantastic job with giving the bowls a second life and we think that they add character to the area along with keeping some of the bakery heritage in the town especially for many of the former bakery staff living in the area.”

Alan and Clare Mulligan purchased the site a number of years ago through their Mulligan Group of companies. The old bakery had been lying idle for a long time and was damaged beyond repair by a fire in 2010. Demolition works began on the old bakery in November of last year and were completed this Spring. The first phase of development which was due to start just before lockdown is to include a restaurant along with four large apartments and extensive restoration of the existing building on Market Street. The second phase is to include six large mixed retail units and 24 apartments.