History – Dwyers of Cork

“We had heard, as so many others had done, of ‘Dwyers of Cork’, indeed, the name seems naturally to associate itself with the city.” – A Review of the Progress of Dwyers of Cork (1931)

We’re a new addition, with an old name, and one that we strive to live up to.

The name Dwyers is woven into the fabric of Cork, beginning in 1820 with the establishment by James Dwyer of a drapery, wholesale and haberdashery business at 26-29 Washington St. Over the next century, the enterprise grew into an empire that employed thousands, Dwyer and his descendents striding tall among the ‘merchant princes’ of the city.

At the heart of that empire was the original commercial location at 26-29 Washington St, which grew over the decades into a remarkable complex of warehouses and factories, covering several acres and connected via footbridges over neighbouring streets. Here were manufactured and sold items including hosiery, shirts, shoes and boots (under the pioneering Lee Boot Company name), while the business also expanded to other city locations, one being the famous Sunbeam factory in Blackpool.

Today that empire is but a memory, but the legacy of enterprise encapsulated in the Dwyer name lives on. As a new addition to the fabric of the city, Dwyers of Cork pays tribute to one of its most successful entrepreneurs in the very building that once housed his first business. With a focus on quality service, great food and a warm welcome our hope is to honour the spirit of James Dwyer into the future.

Visit Dwyers of Cork for a coffee and catchup, a meal to savour or a night of fun and dancing. We look forward to welcoming you.