97 Irish Design and Craft Businesses Target International Buyers

The small craft and design businesses, representing 22 counties in Ireland, have all been supported by their Local Enterprise Office, making it possible for them to sell to international retail buyers from more than twenty countries such as the US, France, Japan, China and Italy.

Liam Heavey, of Green Angel

Liam Heavey, left, of Green Angel, supported by Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, with Vincent Reynolds of the Local Enterprise Offices. 


Showcase at the RDS runs from January 24th to 27th and is the first major trade event of the year, organised by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland and promoted internationally by Enterprise Ireland. The dedicated Enterprise Zone in the balcony area, co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices, has become known as the home for emerging designers and craftspeople in recent years.

A wide range of creative sectors will be represented by the Enterprise Zone this month, such as ceramics, knitwear, jewellery, interiors, skincare and giftware. Announcing the plans for 2016, Kieran Comerford, Chair of Local Enterprise Offices in the Local Authorities Network said: “Many of the 97 small businesses within the Enterprise Zone are new start-ups or first-time exhibitors, making their debut in 2016. Thanks to practical business support through the Local Enterprise Offices, these companies are well-placed to secure substantial international orders during Showcase, helping to grow their order books, their export markets and their job creation prospects.”

Jamie Monaghan

According to figures from Indecon*, well over 5,000 people work in the craft sector in Ireland with plenty of opportunities for small companies to grow and for new enterprises to start-up.

Karen Hennessy, Chief Executive of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland, said: We are delighted to be working once again with the Local Enterprise Offices in introducing Irish and international buyers to the latest exciting products from emerging Irish designers and makers at Showcase.  This annual trade show, which is now in its 40th year, is active in promoting Ireland’s well-recognised strengths for design and creativity to buyers from Ireland and over 20 countries around the world.  I would like to commend and thank the Local Enterprise Offices for supporting small craft and design businesses in participating in the Enterprise Zone at Showcase.  The exhibiting companies represent the wealth of creative talent in Ireland today and this dedicated area at Showcase plays a critical role in helping emerging Irish entrepreneurs develop their business and expand their client base.”

Kieran Comerford of the Local Enterprise Offices also highlighted the year-round supports that are available to design-focussed businesses, helping them to grow and expand. He said: “As well as making it possible for designers and craftspeople to exhibit at trade events, such as Showcase, there are lots of other supports available to the craft and design sector locally. These include financial assistance, microfinance loans, trading online vouchers, mentoring, business advice clinics and training programmes, which are all available through the Local Enterprise Offices.”

The Enterprise Zone is located in the Balcony Area of the RDS Main Hall at Showcase, which is open to trade buyers from Sunday, January 24th to Wednesday, January 27th. Further information around the Enterprise Zone at Showcase is available here and through www.showcaseireland.com.

Designers and Makers Exhibiting within the Enterprise Zone at Showcase in the RDS (Jan 24th – 27th  2016)

Supported by the Local Enterprise Offices in the Local Authorities Network

 Shirley Copperwhite of Shirley Copperwhite Designs

Presenting a scarf to President Micheal D. Higgins and Sabina Higgins at the 2015 Showcase event was Shirley Copperwhite of Shirley Copperwhite Designs (supported by Local Enterprise Office Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown). 

From the County of Carlow

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Carlow

JEWELLERY

Bolina

F15

Carlow

HOME & GIFT

Rara Photography

F14

 

From the County of Clare

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Clare

HOME & GIFT

Sealed with Irish Love

F68

Clare

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Celtic Fusion Design

F69

Clare

HOME & GIFT

Airmid Natural Irish Skincare

F70

Clare

HOME & GIFT

Avokado & Co

F71

 

From the County of Cork

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

 

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Ocean Bloom

F78

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Loominations Irish Custom Throws

F79

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Little Red Skincare

F80

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Little Green Dot

F81

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Craftek

F82

Cork County and City

JEWELLERY

Angela O’Keefe Jewellery

F83

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Waters + Wild

F84

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Olive Murphy Designs

F85

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Aurora Natural Skincare

F87

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

O’Dea Irish Art

F88

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

Seymours Irish Biscuits

F89

Cork County and City

HOME & GIFT

My Stones

F90

 

From the County of Donegal

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Donegal

HOME & GIFT

Donegal Pottery

F24

Donegal

HOME & GIFT

Irish Furniture Store

F25

 

From the County of Dublin

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Dublin City

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Lorna Gaffney White Design

F35

Dublin City

HOME & GIFT

LouLouBelle Design

F36

Dublin City

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Aria-V Jewellery

F34

Dublin City

HOME & GIFT

Wild by Water

F33

Dublin City

HOME & GIFT

Lainey K

F37

Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown

HOME & GIFT

Shirley Copperwhite Designs

F4

Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Melanie Hand Design Jewellery

F5

Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown

HOME & GIFT

Killiney Arts

F6

Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown

HOME & GIFT

Clonlea Design

F7

Fingal

FASHION & JEWELLERY

James Joyce Jewellery

F20

Fingal

HOME & GIFT

Berry Be Beauty

F21

Fingal

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Tracy Gilbert Design

F22

Fingal

HOME & GIFT

Fab Cow Design

F23

South Dublin

HOME & GIFT

Green Angel

F1

 

From the County of Galway

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Galway

HOME & GIFT

Turnstone Pottery

F74

Galway

HOME & GIFT

Friends and Family Trees

F75

Galway

HOME & GIFT

Michael Vignoles Bodhrans

F76

Galway

HOME & GIFT

Pippablue

F77

 

From the County of Kerry

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Kerry

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Kerry Woollen Mills

F10/F11

Kerry

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Made4U

F12

Kerry

HOME & GIFT

Muckross Bookbinding

F13

Kerry

FASHION & JEWELLERY, HOME & GIFT

Amélie Gagné Studio

F13

 

From the County of Kildare

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Kildare

HOME & GIFT

The Bog Oak Sculpture

F48

Kildare

HOME & GIFT

Breaking Ground Enterprises Ltd

F48

Kildare

HOME & GIFT

Joanna Doyle

F48

Kildare

HOME & GIFT

Nature’s Glow

F48

Kildare

HOME & GIFT

KT Metal Design

F48

 

From the County of Laois

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Laois

HOME & GIFT

Edyta ART

F58

Laois

HOME & GIFT

Rose and Alice

Handcrafted Soaps and Gifts

F58

From the County of Leitrim

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Leitrim

HOME & GIFT

Leitrim Pottery

F41/F42

Leitrim

HOME & GIFT

The Leitrim Design House

F41/F42

Leitrim

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Jean Whitfield Jewellery

F41/F42

Leitrim

HOME & GIFT

Jo Gray Collections

F41/F42

Leitrim

HOME & GIFT

Roy Humphreys Woodturning

F41/F42

 

From the County of Limerick

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Limerick

HOME & GIFT

Cill Seannaig Coillteach

F64

Limerick

HOME & GIFT

Brid O'Kane

F64

Limerick

HOME & GIFT

Homeland Candles

F64

Limerick

HOME & GIFT

Ballyhoura Ceramics

F64

Limerick

FASHION

Daiva's Textiles

F64

Limerick

JEWELLERY

Fergus Grant-Stevenson

F64

Limerick

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Susan McCarthy Designs

F64

Limerick

HOME & GIFT

Moon River Chocolates

F64

 

From the County of Louth

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Louth

JEWELLERY, HOME & GIFT

Orla Barry Art

F8/F9

Louth

HOME & GIFT

Finca Skin Organics

F8/F9

Louth

HOME & GIFT

Duinn Designs

F8/F9

 

Form the County of Mayo

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Mayo

HOME & GIFT

Celtic Slang

F26

Mayo

HOME & GIFT

The Mood Designs

F27

Mayo

HOME & GIFT

Rainbow Stained Glass

F28

Mayo

HOME & GIFT

Padraig McCaul Images

F29

 

From the County of Meath

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Meath

HOME & GIFT

Big Red Kitchen

F16

Meath

HOME & GIFT

Noreen Walshe

Art & Photography

F17

Meath

HOME & GIFT

Soilse Candles

F18

Meath

HOME & GIFT

Colette Gough Craft

F19

 

From the County of Monaghan

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Monaghan

HOME & GIFT

Cooper Handcrafted Furniture

F91

Monaghan

HOME & GIFT

Painted Clans

F92

 

 

From the County of Offaly

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Offaly

HOME & GIFT

Mojo Creations

F61

Offaly

FASHION

Rita Daly Designs

F63

 

From the County of Roscommon

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Roscommon

HOME & GIFT

Naomh Padraig Handcrafts

F47

Roscommon

HOME & GIFT

Vera Gaffney

F73

Roscommon

HOME & GIFT

Ogham Wishes & Bog Buddies

F72

 

From the County of Sligo

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Sligo

HOME & GIFT

Nature Saponified

F45

Sligo

HOME & GIFT

Colm Brennan Woodturner

F46

Sligo

HOME & GIFT

Katie + Maud

F46

Sligo

HOME & GIFT

Ian Carty Ceramics

F43

 

From the County of Tipperary

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Tipperary

HOME & GIFT

Jane Ryan Fashion Illustration

F30

Tipperary

HOME & GIFT

Johnny McCarthy Woodturning

F31

Tipperary

HOME & GIFT

Deborah Hickey Ceramics

F32

 

From the County of Westmeath

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Westmeath

JEWELLERY

MW Jewellery

F55

Westmeath

HOME & GIFT

Jeanette Everson

Handmade Ceramics

F56

 

From the County of Wexford

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Wexford

HOME & GIFT

Pauline Quigley

F38

Wexford

FASHION

Kymaia

F39

Wexford

FASHION & JEWELLERY

Liwu Jewellery

F40

 

From the County of Wicklow

Local Enterprise Office in Local Authority

Category

Exhibitor Name

Stand N°

Wicklow

HOME & GIFT

The Crafty Bird

F51

Wicklow

JEWELLERY

Amoc Jewellery

F52

Wicklow

HOME & GIFT

Hairy Fruit Art

F53

Wicklow

HOME & GIFT

Geraldine Leonard

F54