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Martin Ryan wrote an article in the Limerick Leader headed "Limerick Farm costs £1000 an acre". It read "a staggering £990 per acre Irish has been paid for agricultural land in Co. Limerick"
A survey of 225 workers in the plant carried out by a junior member of the personnel department identified five main areas of discontent among the manual employees
The health and safety standards adhered to in the plant is another aspect of the Ferenka story. A front-page article in the Limerick Chronicle dated April 13th 1974, reads "Largest Medical Unit at Ferenka". It reads as follows; "the unit headed by Dr Stephen Flynn includes six fully qualified nurses ensuring a twenty-four-hour service for the fifteen hundred employees of Ferenka Ltd"
Another aspect of the Ferenka Story was the kidnapping of the Managing Director Dr Teide Herrema by Eddie Gallagher and Marian Coyle. On the day of the kidnapping, another unofficial strike was in progress at the troubled Ferenka plant. When word came through it was thought that "some of the workers had nabbed him". However, this soon proved not to be the case, and the picket was immediately called off. According to one source ", if anything outside of Tops of the Town united the workforce, I think the Herrema kidnapping was probably one of the main reasons that we tried to get things together."
Dr Herrema was freed. Dr Flynn recalled: "On his release, he did not go to the Curragh Camp, but instructed his driver to take him straight to the Dutch Embassy, as he felt he didn't need medical attention. Again it was a very misty night". Dr Flynn continued "I remember driving up late at night to the Curragh Camp with special instructions to identify yourself, etc." However, as Dr Herrema was not there, Dr Flynn was directed on to the Embassy.
The decision to close was announced on the evening news. The company cited substantial losses suffered by Ferenka, aggravated by the recent strike. And prior repeated work stoppages, plus the loss of confidence in the possibility of achieving a workable solution, had forced this decision on them