Irish Distillers, has announced the appointment of its
second new cooper in over 45 years.
Derek Cronin, who originally trained as a carpenter, has
successfully completed his four-year apprenticeship under Master Cooper Ger
Buckley.
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| New Irish Distillers Cooper: Derek Cronin |
Derek, from Ardmore Co Waterford, is only the second newly qualified cooper at Midleton Distillery in more than 45 years. Prior to joining Irish Distillers, Derek trained as a carpenter and spent seven years living in Australia honing his craft. Upon his return, he worked as a carpenter with PJ Hegarty & Sons in Cork before joining Irish Distillers as a General Operative in 2019. Eager to return to his passion of craftsmanship, Derek commenced his apprenticeship to become a cooper in 2020.
His apprenticeship provided him with the opportunity to
travel the world, spending time in Scotland, France and Spain working in a
number of cooperages broadening his coopering skills and knowledge.
Commenting on the news, Derek Cronin, said: "Having
trained and worked as a carpenter, I’ve always had a passion for craft and
working with tools. When I joined Irish Distillers, I was immediately struck by
Ger’s skill and knowledge and really admired his passion for the ancient craft
of coopering. It’s what inspired me to train as a cooper. It has been a
privilege to work so closely with Ger over the last four years, learning about
the craft and the history. I look forward to continuing to learn from Ger and
expanding my knowledge and skills.”
In his new role, Derek will be responsible for the repair
and maintenance of over 2 million casks on site in Midleton, as well as
participating in various coopering and cask related projects in the distillery.
Posted by Steve Rush