Clonmel, Co. Tipperary - Factories - late 1800's

Hello - am researching from Canada. 

A branch of family lived in Clonmel from approximately 1879 - 1900 (Armstrongs - lived most of the time on Morton Street). The father (Simon) presumably worked in a retail store, as he was described as a "shopkeeper" (while living/working earlier in Cashel), or "merchant"  and/or "clerk" on different documents in Clonmel.

Simon died in 1896, leaving his wife Margaret and 8 children, ranging in age from 5 to 23.  Margaret and the 7 youngest children left Ireland and went to Leicester, England and appear in the 1901 Census; a son and four of the daughters were recorded as working in shoe or hosiery factories there. The eldest child (James) likely had already gone to England (Liverpool) prior to his father's death. Three years later, in 1904, all but the eldest son emigrated to Canada.

I am trying to verify an oral history recalled by a now deceased grandson of Simon and Margaret Armstrong.

The story has been passed down that, aside from the death of the patriarch, Simon, the other motivation for the family leaving Clonmel and going to Leicester, England, was that some of the older children worked in a nearby factory, and there was a major fire, thereby halting their employment.  I have seen one reference that the Sisters of Charity started night classes in their girls school in 1866 for those who worked at the local cotton factory during the day ... and also that a local cotton mill closed a decade later (1876) which prompted the Sisters to open a Lace School on Morton Street, to provide training for possible future employment.  The closure of this factory is too early to have been a place of employment for the Armstrong children (born 1873 - 1890). 

Questions:

 - were there any other factories in the area that some of the older Armstrong children might have been employed at? ... and are there any listings of employees that might have worked there from about 1889 - 1900?

 - were there any factories near Clonmel that burned down in the late 1800's?

If there were NO factories and/or fires as described in Clonmel  ... I am wondering if the story has become confused over time, and that alternatively the factory fire took place in Leicester, England - where the 1901 census confirms that Armstrong children were employed in factories - and that a fire there (and loss of employment) prompted the move to Canada.  

Thanks, in advance, for your help!  Hope you are all keeping safe and well on your side of the Atlantic!