My German family became the first clockmakers in Ireland

The elderly gentleman in the photograph is my grandfather, Leo P Ganter, arriving back from his annual holiday in Baden- Baden in Germany. It was some time around 1960. The photograph captures our annual trip to Dublin Airport to meet him. He is flanked by his two daughters, Ursula Barry and Maura Gayer, and a number of his grandchildren, including me.

In those days a trip to the airport was something to look forward to. It must have made my grandfather feel very special to have so many of his family come to meet him. In reality our interest was getting up on to the balcony to watch the few planes that were around at that time taking off and landing.

Leo Ganter was the son of Adolph, who left Furtwangen in Germany around 1856 to seek a better life in Ireland. Adolph married Catherine Morat, also from Furtwangen, and they set up home at 63 South Great George’s Street in Dublin. Adolph had qualified as a watchmaker (repairing watches and clocks) in the Furtwangen Clockmaking School. He set up a watchmaking and jewellery business on Essex Quay. They subsequently had seven children, four boys and three girls. Leo was the youngest of the four boys.

After Leo finished school on Synge Street, he went back to Furtwangen with his brother Fredrick to study clockmaking at the Hochschule Furtwangen University. After they qualified in 1895, they returned to Dublin. The business moved from Essex Quay to the original family home on George’s Street, and Ganter Brothers became the first clockmakers in Ireland. They made turret clocks for town halls, fire stations and many churches. They also manufactured wall clocks and grandfather clocks.

Although Leo was born in Dublin, he retained his family’s love for Germany and never missed his annual holiday cruising down the Rhine near Baden-Baden or walking in the Black Forest mountains.

I have great memories of those summer days out every year to see him off and greet him again on his arrival back.

Ganter Brothers closed for good in January 1987 as clocks became electrified and the art of commercial clock-making became a thing of the past.

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