By Monica O'Mullan (P6 St Mary's Primary School, Ballymena)

Gallahers is a cigarette, tobacco and cigar manufacturer. The business was founded by the late Tom Gallaher (who came from the Northwest of the province close to Eglinton), in the early 1900's.

They started producing, in a small way, tobacco products in Henry Street Belfast. In a few years they moved to a new factory in York Street. The business expanded and they built another factory just outside Ballymena, at Lisnafillan, Galgorm.

They then employed over three thousand workers, mainly women, in each factory. The firm having expanded, now became a limited company floated on the stock market and having shareholders.

Over the years things have changed with automation, there is now a much smaller work force. At present there is only one factory in Northern Ireland. The York Street factory in Belfast closed down leaving the Ballymena factory to produce all the products.

The work force has been reduced from six thousand to twelve hundred. This is due to automation machines replacing people. The machines run continuously around the clock producing more than ever with less people.

This continuous running of machines happens throughout most factories today. It takes less people employed to produce even more things than years ago.

Have you ever worked in Gallahers? Monica has explained how procedures are now much more mechanised - how have working conditions changed? Was there a great camaraderie between the workers?

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St Mary's P6 pupils are obviously proud of where they live. Pick a tower and click on it to read more of their contributions....

Slemish

Motte and Bailey

Pennybridge

Michelin

Headless Horseman

Gallahers

Ballymena today