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Erris and Tara Toys
Company History
| Date |
Event |
| 1938 |
Gaeltacht Services Division, a department in the Irish government, set up and funded Gaeltarra Eireann to support a toy industry which would create new jobs in rural areas of Ireland. The soft toy factory, based at Elly Bay, County Mayo adopted the trade name Erris Toys.
Some discussions at the Finance Committee on 24 April 1941 can be found on the Gaeltacht Services website. |
| 1953 |
Trade name changed from Erris Toys to Tara Toys (not to be confused with the Tara Toy Corporation, a US company founded in 1977) |
| 1969 |
Production transferred to Crolly, County Donegal under a new company called Soltoys |
| 1979 |
Soltoys ceased business |
Erris and Tara Bears
Initially the company tended to produce "traditional" bears (golden mohair, jointed) resembling those made in Britain. During World War II the company, relatively unaffected by the war and still able to produce toys, prospered. Tara produced novelty bears such as Freddie the Laughing Bear, produced in 1953, whose mouth opened and closed by means of a lever at the back of his head and Tara the Tuneful Teddy. However, in the 1970's, in order to compete with foreign imports, lesser quality materials were used such as plush rather than mohair and bears were unjointed.
| Erris Bear* |
Tara Laughing Bear |
Tara Bears* |
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* photos courtesy of Lynne Marie Furniss
Erris and Tara Bear
Identification
- Some bears, dating from 1938 to 1949, may have this rare Gaelic label showing "Bréagáin lorruis: Déantús Na Gaeltachta" meaning "Erris Toys: Made in the Gaeltacht" label, sewn on foot pad or into the foot pad seam
- Bears made after the declaration of the Republic, in 1949, had labels showing "Made in Republic of Ireland" sewn into the foot pad seam
- Arms: curved, often taper to point
- Feet: round and stubby
- Claws: no claw stitching
- Pads: made of felt or rexine
- Eyes: plastic eyes introduced approx 1958
- Nose: often triangular. Later bears had vertically stitched black nose in triangular shape with single long stitch extending down from each top corner
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