The Fenian Gun Company, Co. Offaly, Ireland 1968
Вставка
- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- A new business is making Fenian guns at a factory in Birr County Offaly.
The award winning Irish designed Fenian gun, a sliding action shotgun with interchangeable barrels and a unique breech opening is manufactured by the Fenian Gun Company in Birr, County Offaly
The Fenian gun, a vertical barrelled gun has a patented sliding action. It was invented by JK Kavanagh who comes from a long line of gunsmiths. Following a period living abroad, JK Kavanagh returned to Ireland to manufacture his gun.
With the aid of government grants, the company went into production from the old workhouse in Birr. At peak production, it is estimated 40 guns can be made per week, and the company has provisional orders from Europe and America.
The factory is currently stockpiling guns for testing and proof marking. A proof house is being set up by the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards in Glasnevin, specifically to deal with the products of the Fenian Gun Company.
Once proof marked, the Fenian gun can go on sale. It is expected to retail at 50 guineas, one fifth of the price of a similar gun made in England because,
The gun is engineered and very cleverly engineered at that, this means it can be turned out in almost mass production.
In March 1969 the Fenian gun was awarded the Gold Medal and the Plaque of Honour at the 17th International Exhibition of Inventors in Brussels, Belgium.
A ‘Newsbeat’ report broadcast on 28 November 1968. The reporter is Cathal O’Shannon.
It hung above the kitchen fire,
Its barrel long and brown,
And one day, with a boy's desire,
I climbed and took it down.
My father's eyes with anger flashed,
He cried: "What have you done?
I wish you'd left it where it was
That's my old Fenian gun!"
I fondled it with love and pride;
I looked it o'er and o'er,.
I placed it on my shoulder
And I marched across the floor.
My father's anger softened,
And he shared my boyish fun
"Ah, well," he said, "tis' in your breed,
Like that old Fenian gun !"
"I remember '67 well,"
He said, "when lads like you and me
All thought we'd strike another blow
To set old Ireland free.
But broken were our golden hopes;
I was long months on the run;
But it did good work for Ireland then -
That brown old Fenian gun."
"I was down there in Kilmallock -
'Twas the hottest fight of all
And you see" - he bared his arm
"There's the mark still of a ball.
I hope the young lads growing now
Will hold the ground we won,
And not disgrace the cause in which
I held that Fenian gun."
I placed it o'er the fire once more;
I heard my father sigh;
I knew his thoughts were turning back
On days now long gone by.
And then I vowed within my heart;
"I'll be my father's son.
And if ever Ireland wants my aid
I'll hold a Fenian gun."
That's years ago; I've grown a man,
And weathered many a gale,
The last long year I spent inside
A gloomy English jail.
I've done my part; I'll do it still,
Until the fight is won;
When Ireland's free we'll bless the men,
Who held a Fenian gun.
Brilliant I love it!!
Beautiful. Did you write it?
@@seosamhv no ,it's an old song. A favourite of mine.
It's called "The Old Fenian Gun" I'm unsure who actually wrote it. It's often attributed to a P O'Neill...but that's usually just a Republican nom de guerre.
There are some good versions out there.
@@jakenconor P O'Neill was the Provisional I.R.A's code word.
@@pauldunneska yeah Paul, like I said , it was used in different aspects of war. It was most often used in signing off on documents.
It was a well equipped workshop and they seem have made a quality product , I imagine those guns are collectors items now
This is news to me I never knew that guns were made in Ireland, Some time ago my brothers and I brought a friend out for a day's rough shooting, he did not have a gun so we lent one of ours, During the day things got quite so we drive into a very famous town, We happened to see a small gun shop, we went in and had a look around, it had several 2nd handguns for sale, I found a beauty of a double-barrel sidelock gun that was made in Wales, it was for sale at a bargain of a lifetime price, it was a perfect fit for me, I showed it to our friend, he loved it, I was hoping that he would not want it to buy it so I could get for myself, No he wanted this gun, I was the only one in our group who had cash money, I paid for the gun for our friend, and was refunded a few days later, he was one very happy man. I gave up shooting shortly after. I have worked for Holland & Holland gun company from time to time, with James Purdey & Sons those 2 companies make the best sporting guns but I have never forgotten that Wales made gun to this day
Thanks for sharing your interesting story.
@@johnryan7932 You are most welcome
Does anyone have one of those guns made in Birr?
Given that "You saw it first" and your friend didn't have the money on him - well, you'd have been in your rights to swoop in. The fact that you didn't, and indeed, lent (loaned?!) your friend the money shows you to have been a true mate to your friend... and for the gentleman you are!
I can't help wondering whether he ever found out..?
You may want to edit that ‘2nd handguns’ part.....
Fantastic Fenian gun production and govt.- supported testing. Wish the shop was still open- or the blueprints available.
The business would be strangled by red tape and "The won't someone please think of the children" Brigade.
not to forget those that will criticise before anything has happened
@@Finderskeepers. And who never actually do anything themselves.
"He sold 'The Fenian' (...) in a small way, in Cheltenham".
Yes... The emphasis being on 'small way', with a name like *that!*
Coming soon, specially for the home market... *'The Tan'!*
I doubt there would have been a large problem with the name. It would have been taken as a reference to The Ulster Cycle and the Tain rather than the 19th century Fenian Brotherhood.
@@deanwright7611 yeah..I'm sure they had forgotten about the" black and tans " by then.
It's not like they are still singing songs about em
Didn't realise there was guns being made here as late as the sixties. I'd love to get my hands on one if these pieces. Probably will need to get a mortgage to get one at this point...
Seriously impressive setup, didn't realise guns were even made in Ireland..
There were a few small companies making firearms in Ireland. The most notable being Trulocks of Dublin
John Rigby & Company Dublin and Wilkes & Harrison Dublin were famous back in the day
@@patrickf2671 Rigby is still a name being used in the USA as a prestige brand ...I think the name was purchased.
Ireland once use to build every thing from battleships to airplanes, a simple firearm is hardly surprising.
Theres a lot of guns made in Ireland and some people dont always appreciate that to this very day .
Just an English well wisher here of74 summers, a lovely ode for patriotic wish and I get torn one way and another to what is best and for whom!? I truly wish peace upon you all and hope there may a day you may reunite whilst setting aside your differences and learning to tolerate a little of what you’re not so keen on, all round! All the very best, I still need to visit north and south and have always wanted a pint o f the dark stuff in Dingle! Cheers
Niiice hope you make it to Dingle Nigle, best of luck☘️☘️☘️
James Tracey Thanks for that,I’ll try to look you up and buy one for your kindness too! Cheers
We need this same industrial culture resurgence, a interest in manufacturing in the UK, the UK is the 8th biggest manufacturer, the industry $554 billion.
How many Fenian guns survive!
There is one for sale in the upcoming Holt's auction, I believe.
There's a reason they never took off, the ejection of spent cartridges and circumference of barrels..The pressure and heat/force of shot alone rendered them dangerous. Hence the single pump action and slandered double barrel..(Great content, also not denying Mans ability to redesign)
Don't know enough to comment in the technical side, but a great idea. And in birr. Nothing like it now I don't think
Still a number of gunsmiths doing repairs and modification, no manufacturing that I know of.
It needs a strong locking mechanism not to fly open
@@myview5840 No more than any other twelve bore and chamber pressures are very low in shotguns anyway so they don't have to be that strong in the great scheme of things.
@@AnthonyHandcock In fact, homemade slam shotguns are safe enough to shoot. Darne and Charlin shotguns are as safe as any other design.
Right I’m off to 3D print a Fenian
Oh please do :-)
Can't believe Gun Jesus hasn't covered this one yet.
What a good idea
I remember a news report on English TV back in the late 60s. They interviewed
the designer and showed the gun . I’d more or less forgotten about it till now.
I don't think that over and unders were that unique on this date. The narrator may have got a bit carried away. Still unique to Ireland and probably a fab collectors item now.
Up and over, not a great gun though you’d still come back with Ducks
It was unique because of the sliding breech.
It never took off due to the popularity of the AK47....
I used this type of shotgun in Bretange in France, same design.
A Darne or a Charlin?
Extremely interesting!! Does anyone know the history of this company? in terms of when they stopped producing these guns etc.?
Fantastic content brother , great to hear cathal o Shannon's voice , have you got access to the TV series thow shalt not kill ? With cathals brilliant narrating ? I watched it as a child and loved it. My uncle was a sound engender for rte , mostly nature documentrys with emon de butler the "hands" series on rte and a few Irish movie's eat the peach , man about dog , Remington steel and some more I can't remember . I'm sorry for bothering you it's just your content is amazing to me.
Shirt and tie in the workshop. Good grief.
Wouldn't you like to look your best if you know the film crew were coming to record you at work? It is a safe bet that the tie was left at home the following day!
Parts without dialogue are eery, a bit like a Lynch film.
What a joy to see craftsmen at work. Today it would all be done by robots. Terrific name for a company, does it still exist?
No.
I bet it wasn't much of a hit with the Unionists!!
Fine shotguns are still made by hand.
@@raftonpounder6696 & Winchester
looks like such a happy place to work..... ?
Not the only slide action shotgun, there's a French made one.
Yes, the DARNE. A very old design too.
And Charlin
A Gun Maker Left Ireland In The 1920's
yea, I can understand why
Very interesting video
The Old Fenian Gun above the turf fire in Dan O'Donnell's thatched cottage
Early 70’s The Irish Government gave British PM Harold Wilson a Fenian Shot Gun
as a present .
@nova Ha Ha - yep he was just as nasty as all the rest they occupied #10
You idiots. Wilson was sympathetic to Ireland. Was probably what cost him his premiership.
You could try educate yourselves rather than splurge your ignorance over the internet like a couple of apes...
The old Feinian gun
🤝
1:43 he's really enjoying making them guns 👊
and nobody with a mask or even a pair of gloves ! :)
Or safety glasses. It was the Era before Helth and safety became the norm
That safety equipment needed to come in, there was too many injuries, some of them life changing! 🤔
@@James_BAlert I can well imagine !
Loved the fact that blokes in a machine shop wore a collar and tie in 68 My old farmer Neighbour would put his tie on to go to town Swinging sixties missed some of those lads
@@paddymickiemickie8221 me too ! that type of Irishman is almost gone unfortunately..
Interesting and informative
Stockpiling guns - arra sure what 's the worst that could happen?
Ireland pre EEC had a lot more clever little indigenous businesses like these
The world pre globalisation had "a lot more clever little indigenous businesses like these".
I live in Bulgaria now - we still have all the old business you used to see in the Uk and the rest of the west. But they will go - sadly...
@@piccalillipit9211 You couldn't make a rubber dog shit these days without ending up in court of patent infringement.
@@robert6106 Made me laugh, but it's so true.
Hahaha yeah. Let's go back to the piss poor country we were back then 🙄
we still do, open your eyes a bit, may be go get your eyes tested!
This is the oldest episode of "How It's made I've ever seen"
It's a shame that Irish gunmaking is all but dead after Rigby,Kavanaugh and the rest were considered to be outstanding in their art and craft..I own two Kavanaugh revolvers one a Webley Government target and the other a Pryse type.The name Fenian Gun Co. would have pretty much killed sales in the U.K Perhaps they should have stuck with the honored name Kavanaugh.
I was in the gun trade in London and never heard of these guns, I can see obvious problems with the design ( which no one else copied )
Not a pair of safety specs or a guard on a machine, to be seen. Those chains were an accident waiting to happen !
Birr? I think that might be where my grandfather helped blow up the barracks??
Against the Famine and the crown
☘
40 guns a week seems a bit optimistic given the production methods they were using.
It's a semi-custom facility without CNC equipment, something that at the time was prohibitive to any small manufacturer.
Seeing how it’s old history, not a guess, I would say 40 guns per week is dead on.
Hope they slipped a few of these across the border to Crossmaglen. "Those famous fighting men from Crossmaglen" .
Nah we had armalites lad, did the job rightly
What I have read is they were crude and handled poorly. Even the most ardent Republican would strain his finances for a better quality English gun than a free Fenian.
Am I allowed today to design a gun , open a factory to produce and get them proof
I'd imagine insurance costs would be prohibitive.
some people in the USA have made operational 3D printed handguns. search youtube.
No proof house in Ireland but there is some in UK.
I have had competition rifles built to my specs here and abroad with off the shelf components .
There are gunsmiths in Ireland but you need to be careful who you engage, because to be a gunsmith in Ireland you only need a dealer license you don't have to have any engineering qualifications or a qualification as an armouer or gunsmith.
The political correctness and woke in society today has almost destroyed the sporting shooting community in Ireland and elsewhere in the world but there are many people in every community in Ireland sporting shooting.
The best place to learn anything gun related is the USA but every European country has a long history of sporting firearm history that continues to this day.
@@3158David Don't know where you are in Ireland, but I can recommend Gordon Newell of Hollow Farm Shooting Grounds Comber Co Down for any gunsmithing needs..............has sorted out a number of issues for me over the years............hair trigger, loose action etc, on different guns. And a gentleman to boot.
As long as it can't fire or look like a gun. Lol
One to sell, one for the RA… lol
Gives it a few hits of a hammer fir good measure
Yes, i seen that, not even a copper or hide hammer, a steel one, good god.
Which way do you point it?
Would be cool to use.
Did the Irish Sharp shooter champion Rick O’Shea test the guns for the company ? 😂
Think it was Eammon 🤔
Taket me home!
Classic... Whos father left the country in the 20s.... I wonder why?? Then the son set up making guns in Cheltenham and returned to Ireland with a government grants ... I bet he did??
This may well be the most Irish comment on youtube.
now it's intel sheds
Who else thought this was an IRA gun factory?😁
Wonder did any bank robbers test them out when sawn off? 😳
Yet another perfect example of the fact that Brits and Americans are two peoples separated by a common language. I found it impossible to understand a single thing the narrator said.
The narrator was Irish not British.
I thought he spoke perfect English? Even by American standards.
Irish and was in the r.a.f during ww2
Part of that common language is not calling Irish people British (but also not calling them not British if they’re from the north).
@@allisondoak9425 What you say is most true, but in this particular case rather irrelevant. English spoken in Britain, Scotland, and Ireland makes up a language group which is dramatically different from the English spoken in North America by us in the U.S. as well as in Canada. In either language group it is not proper to call us Canadian or to call the Canadians citizens of the U.S. Yet we are almost indistinguishable from one another when we speak. I certainly do not think of the Irish as British, whether or not they are from the six counties. However they can be every bit as incomprehensible as the British when they speak. There are a few exceptions to that. English spoken in parts of rural Ulster sounds quite right to me because it sounds very much like English spoken in East Texas, perfectly understandable to me. Also, the English spoken in Galway, which is quite distinctive, is probably the best and most understandable English spoken over in your part of the world.
Ah Britain before we exported all our trade and imported the 3rd world... we need to go back
near enough .....
There was a farmer I knew who made guns for the loyalists during the "troubles' in N. Ireland. He got away with it for about 6 years until some scumbag reported him, but his guns were for shooting the enemy.....
He was the scumbag fella
Aren’t they all made for shooting the enemy?