Today sees the public opening of the new Shirt Factory bar in the upstairs of Tinneys Bar. Located on Patrick Street, Derry, The Shirt Factory is a venue celebrating the city’s unique industrial heritage while specialising in premium cocktails in a vintage setting.
The doors will open at 5pm and the bar will operate from Thursday to Sunday.
The Shirt Factory enjoyed an incredibly successful media launch, in which women who worked in the shirt factories enjoyed observing the artefacts within the new space and a tailored menu honouring Derry’s garment making legacy.
The manager of The Shirt Factory, Caolan McClafferty, is a London-trained mixologist with 10 years experience in hospitality management, marketing and public relations.
Caolan is very excited and honoured to bring such a vital piece of Derry’s history back into the community.
Patrick Durkan, owner of the Shirt Factory, said: “ The fact that Derry no longer has a shirt industry makes it all the more important for us to mark the role of the shirt factories and their workers in the city’s history.
“The cocktail lounge has particular resonance for me as it allows us showcase memorabilia from the factories, including artefacts from the Bayview Factory which was owned by my grandfather Edward Tinney.
“The Shirt Factory memorabilia includes a specially commissioned mural painted by local artists Jude McCandless and Liam Bradley, depicting the iconic image of factory girls in front of Tillie & Hendersons and a wall image of factory workers by Print Chameleon.
“Boasting vintage furniture in a parlour setting, The Shirt Factory brings something different to our hospitality sector. We offer seasonal cocktails, mocktails, a Prosecco menu, and an exciting range of gins and shorts”.
Mary White, from the Factory Girls group, said: “The Factory Girls are delighted with The Shirt Factory. Not only is it a beautiful place to enjoy good company, it’s somewhere we can bring our friends and family to reminisce over a wee drink.
“We really like the cabinet which celebrates the social and personal life of factory girls through the ages, it really does bring back some cherished memories”.
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