The first William Candler came to Ireland with Oliver Cromwell. His son served in the Williamite wars (1690-91) and was given property which included Kilbline Castle. Later he moved to callan, Co. Kilkenny were he was allowed to lease a large tract of land from Agmondesham Cuffe, Earl of Desart. He lived in West Street with his wife and six children. He was a staunch Protestant so that when his son Daniel fell in love with a Catholic girl he was disinherited and sent into exile in America with his Catholic wife.
They settled near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and became Quakers. They were successful in life and it was their great, great, great grandson Asa Candler (1851-1929) who became the sole proprietor of Coca Cola in 1891. Up to then it had not been very successful but he added his own secret ingredient to the drink and in 1892 set up his own Coca Cola Company by Charter of the U.S.A. Court. His company became very successful and he remained President until 1916 when he was succeeded by his son Charles. It became too large for sngle family control and so it was sold in 1919 for $25,000,000.
Inspired by the Callan connection the local Coca Cola Distribution Company have been providing a Bursary, each year for a number of years of £400 towards voice training of a school pupil who wins the Thomas Moore Singing Competition. The competition is confined to schools in Counties Kilkenny and Carlow.