WORKERS coming off the late shift in Packard Electric at 9.45 p.m. yesterday were shocked at news of the plant's imminent closure.
They were angry at not being told formally of the closure and they had no idea of their fate until reporters and photographers arrived at the gate.
"We are devastated", said Ms Maureen O'Brien, who has been 15 years in the factory.
"We had expected that the place might close but we never thought it would happen this way. Bad news always seems to come here when a bank holiday is near.
"All the troubles in the past were on bank holidays. We have given everything to this place."
Ms Chris Flood said: "We knew something was going to happen but not this way... I am in total shock, I really am."
Ms Bernie Moore, a SIPTU shop steward, said when she heard the news she tried to get confirmation.
But there were no senior management around to give her any information.
She knew the story would not have been on the television if it was not true. "I had to tell the shift workers that it was going to close. It was terrible."
She said there was only one person in the personnel department and he knew nothing.
The workers had a meeting in the canteen and she told them the news.
They were shocked by its swiftness and angry that they had not been told officially. The workers had put up with enough in recent times and they were entitled to better.
Ms Moore said that she and 10 other workers would stay the night in the factory.
They would all be reporting for work in the morning. They had not been told not to.
"We want information from the management ... We are disgusted at the way this whole thing has been done."
She added: "There has never been a dull moment in this place in recent times." She would advise staff to turn up for work in the morning.
While she had suspected a closure, the manner in which it had been done came as a complete surprise.
Two other shop stewards heard of the closure on the 9 p.m. television news and rushed to the factory and talked to the workers in a brief meeting in the canteen.
Afterwards, the workers - mostly women - left the premises. Many were upset and did not want to speak to reporters.
All were angry and confused.