LONG READ: The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree for this Tipperary family

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and in the case of the Ryan family's connection with Bulmers that expression certainly holds true.

The drinks company, which has been synonymous with Clonmel for generations, is celebrating 90 years of cider-making in the town this year.

At the heart of the anniversary are the people who have kept the business going for the best part of a century. Among the many local families whose lives are tied to Bulmers, the Ryans occupy a unique position in the company’s history.

Declan Ryan is the Regional Sales Manager. His grandfather Paddy planted the company’s orchards at Annerville in the 1950s while his father Denis worked in maintenance in Dowd’s Lane, the original town centre site of Bulmers, which was founded by William Magner in 1935.

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And the family’s connections with the company, spanning more than 70 years, don’t end there. Declan’s brother Stuart is the Packaging Team Manager in the production facility while their uncle, 91-year-old Michael Ryan, who lives in Clonmel, also worked at the plant.

“It’s amazing really,” says Declan. “Few brands can say they have that depth of history.

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“My grandfather Paddy Ryan, who lived in Kilsheelan, started in the business in the 1950s. He worked on the Bulmers farm for 20 years and was involved in planting the apple trees at Annerville. The staff packed the apples into bags and they were brought on trailers to Dowd’s Lane for the crushing.

“Dad (Denis) started with the company as a young man in the 1960s, working on the delivery lorries. He then emigrated to Manchester, where he worked for Kelloggs. He met my mother Eileen, who is originally from Faugheen (near Carrick-on-Suir) and they were married in Manchester, where my brothers PJ and Stuart and sister Denise were born”.

The Ryan family returned home in 1976, settling near Ballinure in the parish of Killenaule. That was when Denis rejoined Bulmers, working in maintenance at Dowd’s Lane.

Declan, meanwhile, was born in 1981, and trips to Clonmel and his father’s workplace are among his earliest memories.

“Clonmel was our trading town and our mother would go to town every Friday to do the shopping. I would visit dad in Dowd’s Lane and there was always a great smell of apples there, especially during the crushing”.

Another fond childhood memory that stands out are the family’s trips to the company’s annual sports days at Annerville.
“They were great days. There were sack races and running races for the children. You would get your athlete’s number and you had to hold onto it to get a free bag of sweets. There was also loads of free Cidona” says Declan.

Unsure of which career path to follow after he sat his Leaving Cert in 1999, Declan took a summer job at Bulmers, working on the production line.

“I liked the place and stayed there for the next few years”.

As the company started to expand, he was sent to Germany in 2002 to train for work on the new production line.

“The company was starting to evolve and gain a foothold in the cider-making industry, both nationally and internationally”.

With a keen interest in the sales and commercial side of the business, Denis secured a position in the Customer Service Department in 2003. Twelve months later he became a sales rep for Findlater Grants of Ireland, a wine company owned by Cantrell & Cochrane (C&C), Bulmers’ parent company, which marked the beginning of his career in sales.

As part of the sale of the business he left Bulmers and C&C for the best part of ten years. During that time he bolstered his reputation in the drinks industry and was heavily involved in the launch of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, as well as working for the Dalcassian wines and spirit company.

However, his heart was set on a return to the company where he began his working life.

“I saw that Bulmers were recruiting and I secured a sales role with the company in Dublin in 2016. I also worked in another sales job in Cork before taking up the post of Regional Sales Manager, covering the southern part of the country”.

Denis’ role brings him to many different areas. He also works closely with the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) and travels regularly to Glasgow to the Tennent’s lager brewery, which is also owned by the C&C Group.

“I enjoy the job. It has its challenges but they’re no different to any business”.

Bulmers has grown from its humble origins as a small cidery in Clonmel to a brand with international reach. Crafted from the same timeless recipe since 1935, Bulmers is made from a variety of Irish apples.

“Our traditional cider-making methods have never changed,” says Declan.

“We have always stuck to our values, which is important as a business. We will always continue to evolve while holding onto our heritage, with a big emphasis on sustainability, as well as our tradition of growing and harvesting apples.

“The challenge is to always keep moving forward but never moving away from our iconic and traditional cider-making methods”.

Declan saw Bulmers’ 90th birthday celebrations as an opportunity to reflect and appreciate the family’s tradition and heritage in the business.

Outside of his work, he has a keen interest in hurling and the GAA, having served as a former manager of the Killenaule senior hurling team, with whom he currently holds a coaching role.

He is married to Helena and the couple have four sons - Cian, Jamie, Alfie and Finn - who also line out with Killenaule.

“Bulmers has been a huge part of our lives. Dad worked very hard, from 6am to 6pm, five days a week, and it’s a huge part of his identity, one of which he is very proud.

“We are just one of the many families that Bulmers has been so good to”.

Denis Ryan, who is now 85, thoroughly enjoys the company’s annual Pensioners’ Party, which is a great opportunity to have lunch and a few drinks, meet up with former colleagues, and reminisce about times gone by.

“Bulmers is an anchor employer in the town and hopefully it will continue to be so for many more years,” says Declan.