KILDARE’S BEST CRAFT & DESIGN BUSINESSES SET FOR SHOWCASE 2026
Some of Co Kildare’s best up and coming craft and design businesses will be part of over 100 companies from
across Ireland who will get a chance to meet with buyers from all over the world as part of Local Enterprise
Showcase at the 2026 Showcase event in the RDS, running from the 18th – 20th January.
An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, the Local Enterprise Showcase, is a special area at Showcase that
houses a range of Ireland’s newest design talent. Co Kildare will be represented by the following craft
businesses at the LEO Zone this year:
A Little Bit of Scents (Susan Kelly) – features beautifully designed and hand-made natural soy wax
candles and scent-based products that transform everyday spaces into places of calm and inspiration.
Buff Barrier (Robert McNamee) – is an all-natural Irish skincare brand with a range of products designed
to protect and soothe active skin from friction and skin irritation.
Chubby Cherub Co. (Frances Johnson) – features a range of high-quality stationery, paper goods and
gifts with original illustrations from lettering artist and designer, Frances Johnson.
Local Enterprise Office Kildare has been working with the up and coming craft and design business owners
Susan Kelly, Robert McNamee and Frances Johnson on merchandising for their stands, marketing, and sales
techniques to ensure they maximise opportunities at the three-day event.
The event, which is a pinnacle event in the global design and crafts calendar, will open its doors to thousands of
buyers from across the world, including Ireland, the UK, USA, mainland Europe, Asia and Africa, generating
millions of euros of sales orders during the show. Showcase is presented on behalf of Design & Crafts Council
Ireland, with support from Enterprise Ireland in promoting the trade show internationally through their network of
offices overseas, and the Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
In 2025 there were thousands of national and international buyers in attendance at the event in the RDS and it is
expected this will increase again in 2026.
This year marks the biggest showing of Kildare craft businesses with the following established businesses also
taking part: Pickled Pom Pom, Kildare Candle Barn, Loinnir Jewellery, Pure Oskar, Sam agus Nessa, SIOG
Botanicals, Fiadh and Finn: Fine Art Keepsakes and Duck Blue.
Jacqui McNabb, Head of Economic Development, Enterprise, Retail and Tourism, Kildare County
Council believes “This is an opportunity like no other for up-and-coming craft and design clients like A Little Bit
of Scents, Buff Barrier and Chubby Cherub Co who are looking to make a breakthrough and join our established
clients. To be exposed to this many high-quality buyers in one place is an incredible opportunity for any business
starting out. If things go well at this event, a business could fill their book for the year and may well establish a
partnership that could extend longer than that and help them grow. While that won’t happen for every business,
just to be here, see other clients, get new ideas and develop their skills in marketing and sales will stand by them
going forward.”
Local Enterprise Showcase is one of several enterprise initiatives run by the Local Enterprise Offices across the
year to foster entrepreneurship and help small businesses to start and grow. Other events include Local
Enterprise Week, National Women’s Enterprise Day, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise
Programme and the Local Enterprise Village as part of the National Ploughing Championships. For more
information on the Local Enterprise Offices and the supports they can provide, please visit LocalEnterprise.ie
