A SHORT GUIDE TO
CRAFT AND DESIGN IN IRELAND Réamhrá ar cheardaíocht agus ar dhearadh Éireannach Featuring:
Travel Guide Fashion Jewellery Shopping Home
Réamhrá ar cheardaíocht agus ar dhearadh Éireannach
WELCOME / Fáilte In recent times people all over the world are seeking to buy and give objects that have more substance behind them.
“My practice as a ceramicist centres on the making of a diverse range of contemporary objects – from the functional to the sculptural.” Belfast’s Derek Wilson is a ceramicist whose reputation is growing in the design world with recent features in The Ceramic Review and Elle Decoration among others.
Brilliant design has always been essential but the story behind the making of the object is becoming more important; the choice of materials and technique, where something was made and who made it, all combine to add value, desirability and exclusivity. Contributors: Words:
Alanna Gallagher Brian McGee Design:
CodyDelahunty hello@codydelahunty.com Cover Illustration:
Peter Donnelly donnellyillustration.com
derekwilsonceramics.com
For more information about Irish craft visit giveirishcraft.com or email info@ccoi.ie
Crafts Council of Ireland
Castle Yard, Kilkenny, Ireland T: +353 (0)56 776 1804, F: +353 (0)56 776 3754 info@ccoi.ie www.ccoi.ie
This marriage of design, materials and craftsmanship is alive and well here in Ireland, which in 2013 is brimming with fresh thinking, contemporary design ideas and new approaches to making. This is a short guide to contemporary craft and design on our Creative Island. Enjoy!
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Réamhrá ar cheardaíocht agus ar dhearadh Éireannach
A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
Treoir Thaistil
TRAVEL GUIDE There are more than 2,700 craft studios in Ireland registered with the Crafts Council of Ireland. Many are open for visitors to experience the design and making process first-hand. Here is a snapshot of some of the most interesting places to visit and learn more about the provenance and authenticity of Irish craft.
DINE ON CREATIVITY
IRISH CRAFT STUDIO EXPERIENCE Take the scenic route and discover Ireland’s hidden craft corners. The Crafts Council of Ireland and Fáilte Ireland have joined forces to help holidaymakers find the best studio experiences in Ireland. The Irish Craft Studio Experience features 83 quality studios around the country and is available as a map online and in tourist offices. Look out for the road signs to help guide you on your way. discoverireland.ie/craftinireland
NORTH AND EAST EssenC Design Cavan Bear Essentials Cavan Falling Leaves from Fallen Trees Louth The Crock Louth Swallows Studio Monaghan Joe Laird Woodturning Meath Architectural Furniture Meath Thomas Diem Pottery Meath Seamus Cassidy Woodturner Meath
The Kilkenny Shop has a long tradition of supporting Irish crafts. The gallery style premises at Shanagarry Design Centre enjoys a dramatic coastal backdrop and there are studios onsite where you can work up an appetite for lunch by taking a painting class with Phil Davis or letting the kids explore arts and crafts with Anne O’Riordan. In the artisan cafe you can eat and drink from tableware made by local makers. Here you can buy potter Stephen Pearce’s signature Shanagarry collection or you can visit the potter’s showroom, only a stone’s throw away, and take a tour of the work rooms before repairing to nearby Ballymaloe House where you can enjoy first-class food served on the potter’s classic tableware. The Kilkenny Shop has a great regional spread so you can find a store near you.
EAST CORK CALLING
kilkennyshop.com
NORTH AND WEST The Design House Donegal Handwoven Tweed Donegal Studio Donegal Donegal Donegal Craft Village Donegal An Clachán Donegal Buttermarket Courtyard Fermanagh Belleek Pottery Fermanagh Leitrim Design House Leitrim Ballytoughey Loom Mayo The Pinerack Mayo Foxford Woollen Mills Mayo Frances Crowe, Fibre Artist Roscommon The Claypipe Centre Roscommon Thomas Callery Ceramics Sligo Lynda Gault Ceramics Sligo O’Riain Pottery Sligo Rachel Quinn Ceramics Sligo The Cat & The Moon Sligo Benbulben Pottery Sligo Breeogue Pottery Sligo
EAST Cow’s Lane Designer Studio Dublin Rachel Swan Goldsmith Dublin Artworks Pottery Studio & Café Dublin Design Tower Dublin Djinn Jewellery Dublin Project 51 Dublin Barry Doyle Design Jewellers Dublin Irish Design Shop Dublin Celtic Roots Studio Westmeath Core Crafted Design Westmeath
SOUTH AND EAST SOUTH AND WEST Ballymorris Pottery Clare Gleeson Goldsmiths Clare Cronin’s Forge Cork Kinsale Pottery & Arts Centre Cork The Old Pottery Cork Ursela Tramski Kerry Lisbeth Mulcahy Weaving Kerry Kerry Crafted Glass Kerry The Blue Pool Gallery Kerry Kerry Woollen Mills Kerry Louis Mulcahy Pottery Kerry Goose Island Workshop Kerry Bombyx Mori Galway Alan Gaillard Stoneware Pottery Galway Ceardlann Galway Connemara Candles Galway Living Ginger Designs Galway Connemara Celtic Crystal Galway Bone Carving Studio and Gallery Galway
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Carol Smith Millinery Design Wicklow AMOC Jewellery Wicklow Hill Picket Studio Wicklow Geoffrey Healy Pottery Wicklow The Artisans of Russborough Wicklow Paul Maloney Pottery Wexford Creations by Annette Whelan Wexford The Potters Yard Wexford Ceadogán Rugs Wexford Kiltrea Bridge Pottery Wexford Felix Faulkner Jewellery Studio Waterford The Irish Handmade Glass Co. Waterford Ardmore Pottery & Gallery Waterford Cushendale Woollen Mills Kilkenny Karen Morgan Porcelain Kilkenny The Bridge Pottery Kilkenny Clay Creations Kilkenny Castle Arch Pottery Kilkenny Moth to a Flame Kilkenny Nicholas Mosse Kilkenny Jerpoint Glass Kilkenny Castlecomer Estate Yard Kilkenny De Bruir Design Ltd Kildare Basket Barn Kildare Treasure Kildare
CARLOW COOL Bunbury Boards is a very modern Anglo Irish story. The beautifully made hardwood boards are fashioned from trees that have fallen on the beautiful old 19th Century estate, Lisnavagh, where the Bunburys have been in situ for generations. William McClintock Bunbury’s board business has breathed new life into its woodlands and buildings, and is returning the estate to being the community employer it once was. Each Bunbury Board is individually stamped and coded. This code, when entered on their website, reveals the story of the tree from which the board was born, and what the Bunburys have done to replace that tree. bunburyboards.com
TALENT SPOTTER
Board
games
Rowan Gillespie’s statue of Yeats outside the Ulster Bank on Stephen Street is Sligo’s best known monument. A short walk across the Garavogue River takes you to The Cat & The Moon gallery, the north-west’s tribute to Irish craft and design. Founded by jeweller Martina Hamilton in 1989, the Castle Street premises is a great place to watch the goldsmith at work and survey the wide range of home-grown talent she has on display. thecatandthemoon.com
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Réamhrá ar cheardaíocht agus ar dhearadh Éireannach
A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
Treoir Thaistil
TRAVEL GUIDE CONNEMARA
WEST CORK
“If you go too fast, you miss what’s special about anywhere.”
WATERFORD MUST-DO
Southern belle
A one-stop shop of the best Ireland has to offer
Ardmore Pottery & Gallery is run by potterturned-retailer Mary Lincoln who set up shop in the sunny south-east town in 1983. As one of the country’s chief proponents of Irish craft and design, her establishment sells the work of some 150 makers with every product featured made in Ireland. You can visit her studio and see her functional tableware being thrown, fired and decorated on-site. Afterwards, repair to the gallery where an open fire is a fundamental part of the Céad Míle Fáilte experience. An afternoon spent browsing is thirsty work. Why not pay a visit to the nearby Cliff House Hotel? Snuggle under a blanket hand-made by Eddie Doherty in Ardara, Co. Donegal and drink in the spectacular views in one of Ireland’s chicest five-star boutique hotels. ardmorepottery.com
This is the sharp observation of basket maker Joe Hogan, who weaves his baskets using traditional natural willows grown at Loch na Fooey in Co. Galway. Take time to explore the hinterlands from where he reaps his raw materials. Try fishing on Lough Mask, one of the country’s top brown trout lakes or take the scenic route between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask into Connemara. joehoganbaskets.com
Trail blazer Explore Ireland’s many craft trails. Unearth Yeats’ country with the help of Made in Sligo; West Cork Craft reveals the region’s magic and MADE in Kilkenny introduces the county’s creative delights. As well as Sligo, Cork and Kilkenny, local craft trails have also been set up in Westmeath, Leitrim, Donegal,Galway and Kerry. Take to the road and follow an established craft trail or search online and pick one or two of the featured craft studios in the heart of the countryside.
For more details visit: madeinsligo.ie westcorkcraft.org madeinkilkenny.ie corecrafteddesign.com leitrimdesignhouse.ie ceardlann.com anclachangallery.com originalkerry.com
The cultural melting pot that is West Cork boasts a list of celebrity residents that includes actor Jeremy Irons, veteran Newsnight host, Jeremy Paxman and local boy turned chat show king, Graham Norton. The West Cork Craft & Design Guild reflects the wide range of nationalities who call the place home. English painter and ceramicist David Seeger, a contemporary of David Hockney, makes urns that offer art in three dimensions; Christina Roser’s Scandinavian roots and training manifest in her felt egg cosies, one of the region’s best value souvenirs while Rory Conner’s handcrafted knives, Robert Lee’s ceramics and Eleanor Calnan’s West Cork Irish Lace fly the flag for local talent. This region is also foodie heaven. John and Sally McKenna’s guides will take you on a smorgasbord of gastro pubs, producers and secret eateries that you’ll find impossible to resist. The Heron Gallery, in Ahakista, near Bantry or its sister premises in Schull on the nearby Mizen Peninsula, is another mustvisit. The work of artist and gallery owner Annabel Langrish depicts native Irish wildlife and has a timeless feel. A short drive east to Kinsale to check out the sartorial skills of Irish fashion label Charlotte and Jane is worth the diversion. westcorkcraft.org
KILKENNY – THE PURRFECT WEEKEND GETAWAY
Sweet home OF DONEGAL
A COASTAL DRIVE
Donegal may be All Ireland football champions but the county remains one of Ireland’s least visited. That is its unique selling point. The south of the county is fast becoming one of the country’s best-known craft corners. You can also explore gaeltachts galore.
Visit Donegal Natural Soap in Kilraine outside Glenties, a town that doubled as the fictitious Ballybeg in the film version of Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa. A short drive will take you over the Blue Stack Mountains to Ardara. Visit Studio Donegal in nearby Kilcar. A short distance from the village you can pay your respects to nature at the free-to-visit Slieve League’s sea cliffs, said to be the highest in Europe and the thinking man’s alternative to the Cliffs of Moher.
Image: Fáilte Ireland
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donegaldesignermakers.com
Kilkenny boasts the country’s best established craft trails with makers work also on show in cafes, bars and restaurants across the county. In the Marble City the pottery in the café at Zuni, for example, is from Rosemarie Durr in Castlecomer. Zuni’s wooden serving boards are made by Eddy Fogarty, another local craftsman. At Castle Yard visit the National Craft Gallery, the home of the original Kilkenny Design Workshops. Have lunch in the Design Centre served on plates by Ray Power of Castle Arch Pottery. In the north visit Castlecomer Discovery Park to check out its coal mining past and contemporary craft scene. Head south to Kilfane Glen and Waterfall, a romantic secret garden owned by potter Nicholas Mosse that is a delight to visit on a summer’s day. You can visit the potter’s studio in nearby Bennettsbridge. A leisurely 15-minute drive takes you on to Thomastown, a town that dates back to medieval times. Set on the banks of the river Nore, Grennan Mill Craft School is housed in an 18th Century grain mill. Its students learn the skills of pottery, textiles, woodturning and glass making. The Inn at Ballilogue Clochán, run by designer Pat McCarthy, is a chic hostelry to bed down for the night. madeinkilkenny.ie nationalcraftgallery.ie
THE CAT’S MEOW
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A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
FASHION / Faisean Ireland has brought the terms brogue and Aran to fashion’s vernacular. These items form part of our heritage but their DNA is evident in the work of contemporary Irish fashion designers who continue to weave the crafts skills of their forefathers into their creations.
KEEP IT SIMPLE Simple silhouettes let texture do the talking Photography: Barry McCall Styling: Catherine Condell
Irish knitwear big in Japan Less sells more in the Far East OFF DUTY EDGE Leopard print trilby, Shevlin Millinery; faux fur jacket, Jack Murphy; pale blue merino hooded sweater, Edel MacBride; mustard shorts, Edith at Fashion Hothouse; reversible patchwork bucketbag, Hanna Hats.
LOUTH LUXE
“Japan recognises the idea of slow fashion and the use of good fibres and strong design.”
Edmund McNulty’s less-is-more designer knitwear for men is inspired by the colours of his native Donegal. “It is not enough to only design clothing,” says McNulty whose collections sell very successfully in Japan where buyers appreciate his innovation and hand-crafted finish. “You must also have an understanding of the business of fashion,” says Edmund who is now based in Drogheda, Co. Louth. Japan is a “very sophisticated” market. It accounts for 50 per cent of his business. “Japan recognises the idea of slow fashion and the use of good fibres and strong design.” edmundmcnulty.com
Island EDGE WESTPORT CO. MAYO
Carraig Donn is 100 per cent Irish owned and operated. Its manufacturing plant, dispatch centre, online store and central warehouse are all operated from their Co. Mayo headquarters, located on Lodge Road in Westport. The business, which started in the 1960s on Inis Mór, is Ireland’s largest home-based knitwear manufacturer. Its ability to contemporarise the classic Aran sweater and adapt it to modern wardrobes has revitalised this classic knit. County Derry-born, London-based, Irish fashion designer, JW Anderson’s use of the knit in his collections has also helped drive new interest from high fashion. carraigdonn.com
WEEKEND LAYERING
DOCTOR WHO DANDY
WRAP UP WARM
Merino wool and alpaca blend round neck sweater, oversize kid mohair striped scarf, both Edmund McNulty; red cord trousers, Magee.
Vintage-style high sided red beret, Wendy Louise Designs; tufted wool coat in black with royal blue accents, made-toorder, Heli Designs.
Olive coloured crombie coat, Helen McAlinden Weekend Collection; red hooded cableknit sweater, Aran Crafts; silk patterned scarf, Lisa Ryder; cashmere and lambswool dress (worn underneath sweater) Lisa Shawgi; red patent leather Áine bag, Ana Faye.
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Réamhrá ar cheardaíocht agus ar dhearadh Éireannach
A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
FASHION / Faisean
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JEWELLERY / Seodra Adornment is a practice that is as old as our Celtic past. While the well-known historic designs of our heritage continue to inspire today’s gold and silversmiths, the hand-made creations of this generation of craftspeople are influenced by contemporary design and making. New technologies also feature as jewellery design and making adapts to the 21st Century landscape. DUBLIN WORKROOMS
Growing the next GENERATION Boutique style LABELS TO LOVE The Design Centre in Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, a Georgian mansion that has been transformed into a boutique shopping centre, just off Dublin’s Grafton Street, is home to some of the nation’s best home-grown fashion labels. Must-buys include Claire O’Connor clothing and vintage-inspired Bonzie Designs. designcentre.ie
Crafting the
Photographer Peter Love is the brains behind Fashion Hothouse, a CMT (cut, make and trim) practice situated in a listed building that offers up-and-coming fashion designers access to the Irish rag trade’s best back room staff; including pattern drafters, cutters and samplers. They also have partner companies offering photography services, online and social media marketing campaigns and website set-ups, that can help fledgling names gain exposure.
FUTURE KILKENNY SKILLS SCHOOL Since it launched in 1993, the Crafts Council of Ireland’s Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills and Design Course has garnered a strong reputation of nurturing Ireland’s next generation of jewellers. The two-year intensive course specialises in the tradition of precious metals and gemstones, covering design, quantity production techniques and manufacture. Da Capo’s Lee Harding and Sé O’Donoghue both trained at the school. Birr native Cathal Barber, who collaborated on a piece that was presented to Michelle Obama on the occasion of her state visit to Ireland in 2011, is another name to watch who was educated at the school.
fashionhothouse.com
PROJECT RUNWAY Project 51 is an Irish designer boutique and collective located on Dublin’s South William Street. Their ever-changing roster of labels includes makers working in the studio space to the rear of the shop. This set-up means that designers can get direct feedback from their customers, with many clients getting involved in the design process- especially if they have commissioned something custom made. Check out Jennifer Rothwell’s signature prints.
Adorned
project51.ie
DIVINE DUBLIN-MADE DESIGNS
jewellerycourse.ie
I want to be
Yvonne Ryan is an Irish designer who launched her fashion jewellery collection, Eve Ella in 2005. In 2012 she debuted her eponymous fine jewellery line at Arnotts and Loulerie. The Unicorn Collection comprises designs that are “mini sculptures that can move”, the designer explains. yvonneryan.ie
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Jeweller Ann Chapman runs Stonechat Jewellers in Dublin’s Westbury Mall. The designer also stocks some of Ireland’s rising jewellery stars including Des Doyle, Marion Woodburn and Michael O’Dwyer. stonechatjewellers.ie
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A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
SHINE ON
JEWELLERY / Seodra
Fine jewellery and fashion names to covet
Photography: Neil Hurley Styling: Eleanor Harpur
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FORGE A RELATIONSHIP WITH MAUREEN LYNCH Goldsmith Maureen Lynch describes her signature style as “sophisticated simplicity”. Her new Forged collection marks 21 years in business. maureenlynch.ie
DECORATIVE ART
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“My designs have a strong sculptural aesthetic,” explains Portlaoise-based goldsmith Helena Malone. Visit her at her town centre studio.
Success overseas KILKENNY PRIZEWINNER Goldsmith and Manager of the Crafts Council of Ireland’s Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills and Design Course in Kilkenny, Eimear Conyard, won best guest artist award at the 36th Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show in November 2012. Her paredback balanced designs use precious metals and semi-precious stones and are practical enough for everyday wear. As a result of her win she will be showing at Chicago’s SOFA Art and Design Fair in November 2013 through the Snyderman gallery. eimearconyard.com
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ANIMAL MAGNETISM Tasmanian born, Dublinbased Angela Cuthill makes fun and affordable fashion jewellery under the label Artysmarty. Her animal motif necklaces are beloved by fashion girls. Artysmarty is sold in museum shops like The Tate and the National Gallery of Ireland.
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artysmartyshop.com
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Julie Danz and Vincent Tynan are the design team behind Juvi Designs, a collection of statement necklaces, rings and bracelets that celebrate the natural beauty of semiprecious stones. juvidesigns.com
BE INDEPENDENT 01 Garrett Mallon Jewellery Designs 02 Rosarybeads.ie 03 Maureen Lynch Jewellery 04 Saba Jewellery 05 LAF Designs 06 Breda Haugh 07 Enibas 08 Juvi Designs 09 Elena Brennan Jewellery 10 Declan Killen Goldsmith 11 Artysmarty 12 Claddagh Design 13 Enibas 14 Martina Hamilton Collection 15 Juvi Designs
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Breda Haugh uses age old goldsmithing techniques to craft her collections which are inspired by Irish design and history, and meant to be worn by independent women. bredahaugh.com
Chic Shopping GLITTERING LIGHT
Arnotts department store’s recently launched jewellery hall showcases the work of many talented Irish designers including Martina Hamilton (see page 3), Juvi Designs, Yvonne Ryan and Button & Co, who all offer adornment options that are imagined, designed and made in Ireland. arnotts.ie
NEW NAME TO COVET JLB Jewellery, made by Dublin-based goldsmith Janice Louise Byrne, is a new name to covet. The finely detailed work of her Caillte collection won her the Showcase Product of the Year award in 2012. jlbjewellery.ie
THE MASTER No trip to the Marble City is complete without a visit to German-born Rudolf Heltzel’s Patrick Street establishment. A designer whose work is shown and collected internationally, Heltzel set up and led the trail-blazing gold and silver studios at the Kilkenny Design Workshops in 1966. His son Christopher has taken charge of the day to day management of the business. rudolfheltzel.com
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A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
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Siopadóireacht
SHOPPING
Champions of Ireland
A new crop of innovative retailers is joining the ranks of more established players to bring beautiful Irish-made crafts to the consumer instore and online. Selected interesting players include the following:
DUBLIN DUO LOVES DESIGN Founded in 2008 by jewellers Clare Grennan and Laura Caffrey, the Irish Design Shop champions the best in homegrown ceramics, woodwork, textiles, jewellery and furniture. The duo is credited with kickstarting the pride Irish consumers now feel in buying Irish-made work. Their second shop location popped up in the RHA Gallery as a temporary space in March 2011. Twenty two months later they’re still there. Their accompanying online store provides an international shop window for Irish design. irishdesignshop.com
DUBLIN SHOWCASE
The Design Department
Arnotts department store in Dublin is leading the way in presenting Ireland’s craft and design to a wider audience. The Irish Craft Collection, in the department store’s gift department, showcases the best in contemporary Irish craft and design quality work that is imagined, designed and made in Ireland. Each gift tells the unique and authentic story of its maker. The store’s regular ‘Meet The Maker’ events introduce the art of fine craftsmanship to department store shoppers. arnotts.ie
THE POWER OF THE
POP-UP DUBLIN’S FAIR CITY On Nassau Street, beside Trinity College, visit Kilkenny Shop for a great array of Irish craft products. Around the corner on South Frederick Street, Design Yard stocks contemporary fine jewellery and craft from top Irish designers. Nearby, in the heart of Temple Bar’s cultural quarter, Cow’s Lane Designer Studio is a treasure trove of handmade Irish art and design. designyard.ie, kilkennyshop.ie cowslanedesignerstudio.ie
The pop-up shop is a new way to sell Irish craft and design. From Design Corner, an annual boutique situated in Dun Laoghaire, to the Merrion Square pop-up design shop, they allow small makers to connect directly with people who might not be aware of the hidden talents that Ireland has to offer. Dublin’s luxury retailer Brown Thomas will be featuring several pop-ups of Irish craft and design through the year. brownthomas.com craftinireland.com
DUBLIN MUST-SEE Jonathan Legge is a creative consultant based in London. He previously worked as a project designer at Studioilse, the atelier run by former Elle Decoration editor and Soho House New York designer, Ilse Crawford. He is a founder and creative director of the Irish e-commerce company, Makersandbrothers.com, a curation of everyday design and Irish craft. Legge also holds regular pop-up shops at his shed cum shop - a charming, riverstone floored, corrugated iron clad shed in Deansgrange, Co. Dublin. makersandbrothers.com
DUBLIN METAL MANIA Cold Lilies is an online boutique that sells contemporary, design-led jewellery for your inner magpie. It features the work of established artists such as Úna Burke; whose celebrity fans include Lady Gaga, Daphne Guinness and Rihanna; Merle O’Grady and Melissa Curry as well as the talents of up-and-coming Chupi Sweetman-Pell, Muireann Walshe and Loulou Grenelle. coldlilies.com
MAKE & DO
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A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
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Teaghlach
HOME Home is where the hearth is. Irish product and furniture designers take elements of our past and have reinvented them for modern living, all the while celebrating our materials, culture and heritage.
WICKLOW WONDERS With their contemporary Aran Beag lamp collection, husband and wife team Cillían and Lisa Johnston introduced interioristas to the Aran stitch. The lamp, available in square, rectangular and circular formats, is now an Irish design classic. Cillían’s latest addition to this range is a series of coat hooks, pictured, that employ the same traditional motif.
WEXFORD’S WOVEN CHARMS Husband and wife team Denis Kenny and Fiona Gilboy run Ceadogán Rugs, a small Irish company that specialises in producing contemporary gun-tufted rugs and wall hangings. Their Mainie Jellett collection remains one of this artisan company’s unique selling points. In the 1930s Jellett, one of Ireland’s leading early 20th Century painters, created a collection of Cubist rugs. The couple decided to bring the artist’s works to life and in 2005 launched their Mainie Jellett collection which can be ordered in 100% wool or a silk and wool blend. These pieces look especially dramatic when wall hung. ceadogan.ie
cillianjohnston.com
Aran knit gets a makeover
Hooked on classics
ART
for floors & walls
DESIGN LABEL CLIMBING NEW HEIGHTS
ROCK ON IN DUBLIN
NEW STONE AGE IN MEATH
Cian Corcoran and Ahmad Fakhry are the creative talents behind Designgoat, a small Dublin-based design company making a name for themselves internationally, thanks in part to their participation in A Place To Gather at London Design Festival in 2012. As a consequence their shelving unit featured in style bible, Wallpaper in December 2012.
Rocker Lane Workshop recycles floorboards used during the building boom into modern furniture designs. Big Phil is a rocking chair that is named after the only Dubliner who ever looked cool in leather britches, Thin Lizzy front man, Phil Lynott.
Eric Byrne, one half of Hennessy & Byrne, is a second generation master stone mason with over twenty years experience working with indigenous Irish stone. He transforms Connemara marble, Kilkenny limestone and Wicklow granite into napkin rings, cheese boards, cake and salad servers and giftware that, by the very nature of their materials, have become a touchstone to ancient Ireland. Eric recently produced a marble table for the EU presidential rooms in the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels.
rockerlaneworkshop.com
wearedesigngoat.com
hennessyandbyrne.com
CO. MAYO THROWS
Greg Whelan’s contemporary designs at Irish Linen House have been picked up by the buyers at Manhattan institution, Barneys New York. The embroidered table runners come with coordinating placemats and napkins that are woven in 100 per cent Irish Linen. While the designs are inspired by Celtic art and mythology, they offer diners a thoroughly modern tablescape.
Foxford Woollen Mills, which was founded by a Sister of Charity in 1892, is situated on the River Moy. In 1999 a new design team revitalised the mill’s collections which now include bed linen, throws, scarves and a baby range. The mill was modernised in 2007. Their quality products are sold all over the world including Paris, New York and Tokyo.
irishlinenhouse.com
foxfordwoollenmills.com
MODERN IRELAND
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A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
Réamhrá ar cheardaíocht agus ar dhearadh Éireannach
SHELF LIFE
HOME MALTHOUSE DESIGNERS: (L to R): Textile and product designer Rosemary Ryan; Textile designer Jennifer Slattery; Niamh McNeela and Daria Lisowska of Seek Design; lighting designer Aislinn Lynch; lighting designer Kathryn Payne; Andy Burdock of Sticks Fine Furniture; Shane Wilson (standing) of Locker13
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Homewares and collectibles by Ireland’s top talent
Photography: Cyril Byrne at The Irish Times
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Photography: Neil Hurley Styling: Eleanor Harpur
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A FROTH OF NEW TALENT
Talent brewing
The Malthouse Design Centre is a hothouse for new creative talent. Architect and RTÉ’s Room To Improve presenter Dermot Bannon has based his practice there. Established independents include Locker 13 and Jennifer Slattery Textiles. Take a look at furniture designer Tricia Harris’ feminine creations. Look out for feltworker Jamie Lewis’ Ovis stool was one of the highlights of Showcase 2013 – Ireland’s Creative Expo, as was Donna Bates’ milking parlour light which formed part of the Showcase Design Challenge.
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malthousedesigncentre.ie
WEAVING TRADITION Cushendale Woollen Mills has been in operation in Graignamanagh, Co. Kilkenny since the mid 1800s. Philip Cushen, whose forefathers founded the mill all those years ago, oversees every step of the process. The raw wool from Irish producers is washed in pure water supplied by the river Duiske. The yarn, fibres and fabrics are all dyed in-house. The wool is carded and spun to create a yarn strong enough for weaving or knitting. The woven fabric is then washed, felted, dyed or brushed to give the desired fabric effect. The finished product is sold through the mill shop or distributed to wholesalers and retailers. cushendale.ie
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NEW HORIZONS Horizon Furniture run by Fergal O’Leary makes contemporary designs that exude craftsmanship. His Mary Jane chairs are one of this signature styles and feature in the installation of Irish craft and design at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels marking Ireland’s Presidency of the EU. horizonfurniture.ie
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01, 08 Sarah McKenna Ceramics 02 Jenny Kelly Pottery 03 Paul Maloney Pottery 04 Irish Linen House 05 Amanda Murphy Ceramics 06, 11, 18 Jerpoint Glass 07 RebornArt 09 Klickity 10 Kerry Crafted Glass 12 Clare Jordan Ceramics 13 The Irish Handmade Glass Company 14 Living Ginger Designs 15 Hennessy and Byrne 16 Bunbury Boards 17 Tom Callery Ceramics 19 Castle Arch Pottery
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A short guide to craft and design in Ireland 2013
GIVE IRISH CRAFT
An online resource for lovers of Irish made products Landscape photography:
Eoghan Kavanagh, Skyline Gallery
skyline.ie
THE ONLINE CRAFT SHOWCASE Browse an amazing selection of beautiful jewellery, ceramics, home, textiles and other gift ideas from hundreds of makers and shops that sell their work. Every item featured on the site is made in Ireland. The site was set up by the Crafts Council of Ireland to connect consumers directly with makers and shops that promote Irish craft and design. giveirishcraft.com