On Monday 20th May, Mayor Cllr. Richie Molloy presided over the film premier of Charles Bianconi, which was directed and produced by Oliver Fallen and Bailey and Blake Productions. The project was supported by the Heritage Office, Roisin O’ Grady and funded by The Heritage Council. The keynote speaker was the former Director of the National Museum of Ireland. Also, in attendance was Mary Cahill, former Antiquities Keeper, National Museum of Ireland, Donal Ryan President Clonmel Archaeological & History Society, PJ O’ Meara Cahir Archaeological Society and Marie McMahon Curator Tipperary museum of Hidden History.
Background to the Bianconi Film
The story of Bianconi is an example of an immigrant who changed his country dramatically by thinking outside the box, and in doing so created a network of transport that would fundamentally change the way business was carried out in Ireland, and especially rural Ireland. He did that from his base in Clonmel and never forgot the generosity of that town and made it his home till he died. The video uses the words of people who met him, and also of his daughter who wrote, at the behest of her father, the definitive account of his life, as well as interviews with local historians and expert academics to help uncover the amazing story of Charles Bianconi and his very colourful and distinctive 'carts' as he called them. He is probably the first to use a franchise system in his Bianconi Inns, he introduced a system of punctuality with schedules, and he is also probably the first to use advertising and distinctive branding in transport in Ireland.
There are so many other strands to his story, how he connected to the fight for Catholic emancipation, how he is one of those responsible for the first Catholic University, and many more achievements He was admired not just in this country, but all over the UK - several attempts were made to entice him over to sort out their transportation, and also by the government of his birth - Italy. A former twice mayor of Clonmel, he is, and should be, an inspirational figure in business thinking, in making the most of opportunities, and thinking ahead, and in that way should inspire anyone in his adopted town to succeed in business, even when people may tell you it will never work! It is an amazing story that is finally encapsulated in these short videos sponsored by Tipperary County Council Heritage Office and created by Bailey and Blake Productions.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
