Clara is mainly an industrial town, and most of it history and development has been strongly influenced by industry. While the level of industrial manufacture in the town today may not be as significant as it has been in the past, it still plays an important role in local employment and the economy of the town. The current industrial base in Clara ranges from food rocessing, to production of medical equipment, to plastics manufacturing,  
to automobile conversion and upholstering. Together these industries employ something in the region  
of 400 to 500 people. 

 The river Brosna, which flows through the heart of the town played a significant part in Clara's early industrial development, it provided a vital natural resource, water. The origins of industry in Clara can be traced back to the early 19th century, when Clara is recorded as being a town of considerable trade. This included the following, 

A Brewery  

The manufacturing of tobacco, soap, and candels  

A tanyard   

The weaving of cotton and linen

However, with the completion of the Tullamore canal also came the demise of most of the above, with the exception of cotton and linen weaving.  
This flourished as a cottage based industry and later developed into the more familiar factory type manufacturing environment.  
Around this time another significant industry emerged in the town, that of the Flour Mills. This employed many people from the Clara area and the sorrounding districts, and flourished for a good number of years.  
Although the flower mills have long since ceased production, there is still much evidence of its existance in the town.  
Notably the large buildings at the entrance to the town from Ballycumber, and as you leave Clara in the  
Tullamore direction. 

About 1825 the flour Mills were bought by a Robert Goodbody, an so began another significant part of Clara's industrial history.  
The Goodbody's were an English family, that first came to Ireland  in the mid 1600s, although not to Clara. Later, in the mid 1800s,  after buying the Clara flour mills, they expanded their industrial operations and established a  jute manufacturing plant.  
This developed into quite an extensive industry and at its peak employed over 1000 workers. It was this that created much of the foundations for Clara as it is today.  
In fact, the location of the jute manufacturing operation, called Clashawan, became synonomous with the town of Clara. At that time Goodbody's employed most of the local population, with the exception of those involved in their own agriculture or business activities.  And, as Clara was not much more than a village in these times, it also attracted many workers from sorrounding districts and townlands.  
As well as providing employement in the area, the Goodbody's also provided housing for some of the employees, particularily in the areas known as high tullamore and the terrace. 

The Goodbody's were a large family and owned many fine houses in the area of Clara, all of which are still in use today.  
In fact, for its size and population, Clara probably has more than it's share of fine mansion style houses.  
Because of their jute manufacturing operations and their numerous fine houses, the Goodbody family occupied an elite and influencial position in the life of Clara and its residents. However, in the later part of the twentieth century the newer generations  of the Goodbody family became involved in other professions and  moved away from Clara.  
This was the beginning of the end of this era in Clara. The flour mills have long since ceased production, and the jute manufacturing plant was  sold in 1984. Following this, the remaining members of the  Goodbody family moved away, and as is inevitable with the passing  of time, many of the original family members who ran the flour and jute processing operations have also passed on. However, Clara's newer industries have taken over and some are expanding into quite sizeable operations.

CLARA, a market and post-town, and ecclesiastical district, King's county,and province of Leinster 6 miles from Tullamore and 81 miles from Dublin; containing 7743 inhabitants, of which number. 1149 are in the town.    

This place is situated on the river Brosna, near the Grand Canal, and on the road from Tullamore to Athlone. The town contains 228 houses, most of which are neatly built, and the inhabitants are amply supplied with timber, fuel, and water.    

The district, which forms part of the union of Ardnorcher, comprises the parishes of Kilmanaghan and Kilbride-Langan, forming the perpetual curacy of Clara, in the diocese of Meath, and in the patronage of the Incumbent of Ardnorcher.   
The church, a handsome edifice, was built about 60 years since; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners lately granted  
£212 for its repair.  
The glebe-house was built in 1812, by aid of a gift of £450 and a loan of £50 from the late Board of First Fruits.   
The income of the perpetual curate is £92. 6. 11. per annum, arising from 10 acres of glebe, a stipend of £55. 7. 81. per annum. paid by the incumbent of Ardnorcher, and £18 per annum from Primate Boulter's augmentation fund.    

In the R. C. divisions the district forms part of the unions of Kilmanaghan and Clara; the latter also comprising the parishes of Ardnorcher and Kilbride-Langan, and containing  
two chapels, one at Horseleap, and the other at Clara, where preparations are in progress for erecting, in a handsome style, St. Bridget's Abbey, as a new R. C. church, on an eminence  
overhanging the town. 

About two miles north from Clara is the extensive bog of Kilmaleady,  which in 1821 burst its bounds and flowed for nearly a mile and a half down an adjoining valley.  
Its further progress was arrested by judicious measures, but not till after it had covered about 150 acres, of which from  60 to 80 were buried under a superincumbent stratum  of bog from six to  ten feet in depth.