| Edenderry Community Development Association | ||
| A Community Association based in Portadown |
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History of Portadown Foundry  WELCOME TO THE PORTADOWN FOUNDRY WEB PAGE. The history of Portadown Foundry has been explored by Edenderry Cultural & Historical Society (ECHS)in a project thanks to a generous grant of £21k from the Heritage Lottery Fund(HLF) The grant was awarded in late 2009 and has been used to record and interpret the history of the Foundry which was at the heart of local industry for 139 years. Portadown Foundry manufactured linen machinery and parts for the local linen mills and also exported these to Africa. They made agricultural equipment, parts for the railways, built barges to facilitate the canal trade and serviced the First and Second World War campaigns. In its later life, its structural steel work was used in the construction of new hospitals, factories and government buildings throughout Ireland. At its peak it employed in excess of 100 people. The Foundry was of great significance to both the local community and Northern Ireland's wider industrial heritage. The culmination of over two years research work was delivered to the local and wider community by month long exhibitions hosted in the Millennium Court Arts and Edenderry Heritage Centres beginning 4th November 2011. The exhibitions told the story of the history of the Portadown Foundry by way of exhibits, photographs and DVD displays. Eric Dale OBE, Chairman of ECHS said "the exhibitions were well attended and recorded a very important part of our local industrial heritage which might have been otherwise lost forever." The book, "A History of the Foundry 1844-1983" by authors Cardwell McClure and Wilson Steen was launched in Oct 2012. A substantial audience attended and enjoyed the launch, at which Mayor Carla Lockhart officiated. For details of the book's availability and sources contact: cardwell.mcclure@btopenworld.com and Mob 07789550738. Details also on an attached picture. 
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