Blazing a trail in Kilkenny

Ever since the Kilkenny design workshops were established in 1963, the county has been a centre for craft of all disciplines. Although the KDW no longer exist, its legacy lives on in the form of individual studios and co-operatives stretching from the city to smaller towns like Graiguenamanagh. In 2009, the Kilkenny craft trail was formed to promote the diverse range of crafts the county has to offer. Driving through the idyllic countryside, purple signposts indicate the whereabouts of various studios. As some of these locations are somewhat off the beaten track, a handy map can be picked up from any of the members.

Our trip to Kilkenny took us firstly to the Craft Council gallery in the city. On show was work by the recent graduates of the ceramic skills course. The twelve students who were exhibiting had just completed the two-year course in Thomastown under the tuition of ceramics legend Gus Mabelson. What struck us about the ceramics on exhibit was the degree of skill and design displayed by each of the students in their work. Highlights for us included Rosie Naughtons porcelain bottles, Sheenagh Green’s inlayed cups and bowls and Eoin Glavey’s wheel thrown functional tableware. The amount of those all-important red dots sitting alongside the work was testament to the commercial appeal of the ceramics.

Strolling around Kilkenny city, the impact of the 'R' word is hard to ignore, vacant retail units are evident on every street, however quirky shops and galleries seem to be flourishing! For those looking for something a bit different we can recommend the Little Ghost Gallery, Red Aesthetic & D&R Antiques. Of course once you go outside the city, the choice of handmade Irish crafts on offer through independant studios and galleries is endless!
Armed with our craft trail map we headed for Bennettsbridge to visit candlemaker Larry Kinsella who established Moth to a Flame in 1999. Housed in an old petrol station, this massive studio is where Larry immerses himself in creating candles of all shapes and sizes, all handmade on the premises.

What is fantastic about the craft trail is the opportunity for the customer to see the product being made which can then be bought from the craftsperson. We could go on about 'in this age of mass production…' but you get the message, we have been harping on about the subject for 2 years now.

Limited time wise on our Kilkenny trip, we could only take in one other highlight on the trail, this was the Cushendale mill in Graiguenamanagh. This family run business produce the most beautiful throws, blankets and scarves, it is difficult to leave empty handed. The family dog, Pip is generally on hand to offer advice on the diverse range of products on offer. The picturesque town of Graiguenamanagh makes for an ideal stop off on the trail with a whole host of  places to eat/drink/sleep. For an overnight stay, we would recommend the Waterside guesthouse, which you guessed it, is located on the riverside in the town.

The success of the Kilkenny craft trail is a credit to its organisers and all those involved. It is encouraging therefore to see the establishment of similar craft trails around the country, the most recent addition being Wexford. So now that we have these wonderful trails popping up around the country there seems to be one county left out of the list… DUBLIN!

2011 is the year of craft, so here's hoping Dublin gets a look in as a county which offers as diverse a range of crafts as any other.