The title of this documentary is taken from a headline in the Irish Press announcing the opening of a hat factory in Galway in 1938. Established by Jewish refugees Les Modes Modernes employed approximately 250 throughout the 40s and 50s. It continued to operate on a smaller scale until 1972.
Employees from the 40s describe the working conditions and speak of the economic impact of the factory in a town where employment opportunities were scare.
The circumstances whereby refugees came to the west of Ireland are outlined along with some insight into their personal lives during the war years and an account of reactions to their presence. 
 The final section concerns one man's solo effort to keep the Galway hat trade going. His daughter tells that story. 

Produced and narrated by Mary Cunningham.

Contributors

Workers from the 1940’s:  Veronica Joyce O’Toole,  Margaret Long Casserly (recently deceased)  

Daughters of workers:  Heather Gardiner, Paula Scully.


Historians:  Dr Trisha Oakley Kessler, Dr John Cunningham 

Content voiced by: Brenda Foy, Eimear O’Meara, Margaret Molloy, Liam Cunningham, Brian Hanney, Miriam Hanney, Trish Mannion.
 

Music:    Yeti Music "Ghost Piano"       https://uppbeat.io/browse/artist/yeti-music
                    Musictown "Irish Jig".              https://pixabay.com/music/search/irish%20jig/
                   JuliusH  "50s Swing Music"  https://pixabay.com/music/vintage-50s-swing-                                                                                             music-13480/


Sources:   Dr Trisha Oakley Kessler. ‘Rethinking Irish Protectionism: Jewish Refugee                               Factories and the Pursuit of an Irish Ireland for Industry.’ In Irish                                                    Questions and Jewish Questions: Crossovers in Culture (2018)  
                   

                      Rachel Phillipson-Levy. Memoir: An Odyssey Revisited.                                                                          http://migs.concordia.ca/memoirs/levy/levy_1.html 

                     Eileen O’Faoláin.  ‘Galway Hats’ in The Bell  (1941)


                     George Clare. Last Waltz in Vienna, Pan Books (2007)