• What do you make?

I make jewellery. For the past two years, along with my partner in crime Clare, I have been producing a range of jewellery, Names, that we believe reflects both of our skills and personalities in equal measures. We have designed two collections so far, with another micro collection in the pipelines at the moment.

• Could you tell us a little bit about your studio? Favourite thing about the space and how do you get into the mindset of making?

Our studio is just above Irish Design Shop, so we share our time between the shop and the studio. Sometimes it can be difficult to change over from shop mindset to studio mindset, tidying up the workbench is always a good starting point, and we always have a to-do list on the go to refer to. It’s a great space with really good light and a great view of all of the comings and goings on a bustling Drury Street. We share the space with six other jewellers so there’s always someone around to chat to.

• What is your favourite tool and why?

I have quite a few favourite go-to tools, one file that I prefer to all of the others, a nice new calipers that’s great for measuring and marking, but my mini rawhide mallet is probably my favourite. It’s made of rolled up animal hide, so you can use it to shape metal without marking it like you would with a metal hammer, but this one has a little weight inside it, so it gives an extra bit of power behind it, it’s small but mighty!

• Can you describe the making process and inspiration behind your Muriel bangle?

The Muriel bangle is one of my favourite pieces from our second collection ‘Homespun’. It kind of brings together a lot of the ideas in the two collections. The combination of the solid and hollow forms sit really nicely side by side or apart, and move freely around the solid round bangle.

The two moving components were originally formed in wax on the lathe and then cast in solid silver, the casts are cleaned up before being threaded onto the round wire which has been shaped into a round bangle. The bangle is then soldered closed and the whole piece sanded and polished to show off our trademark contrasting matte and polished finishes. The work is all very hands on and the designs are heavily influenced by traditional jewellery skills, used in a way to produce modern, contemporary shapes.

• What led you to choosing this craft as a profession? What do you love most about it?

I started in art college full sure that I would be studying either painting or possibly textiles. In first year we had to try out a few courses and for some reason, I tried out metalwork, that one week trial totally changed my mind. I was fascinated by the things you could do with metal, how something so solid can be so malleable. I love that with metal, most things are repairable. With ceramics and glass, if it breaks you cannot really fix it, with metal you can almost always fix whatever goes wrong.

For a better look at Laura and Clare's stunning jewellery collection "Names" you can shop or simply have a browse here.

Three years ago we had a chat with our good friend Alex Synge about the idea of producing an annual wall calendar for Irish Design Shop. After a bit of playing around with what we might do we shelved the idea until last year when we produced our first calendar with The Project Twins. This 2015 calendar was so popular, that we decided to make it an annual project, and enlist the talents of a leading Irish designer, illustrator or artist to come up with the artwork and theme. 

So finally, this January we sat down with Alex again and started to plan a calendar for 2016, and we think it has been worth the wait. The concept behind this Calendar of Constellations was all Alex's idea. His amateur interest in the night sky has turned into a project which reaches far beyond any of our expectations.

The calendar comprises 13 beautiful lithographic prints of the constellations. Printed one colour, silver ink on black stock, each month includes informative descriptions of what might be on view in the night skies above Ireland at that time. These 300mm square prints are perforated to be kept long after the month has passed. We have enlisted our framer Conor to create a bespoke limed ash frame to fit the perforated images perfectly. Also, a limited edition tote bag has been produced which will be available to purchase along with the calendar and handmade frames from Thursday November 5th. 

A couple of weeks ago we packed up half of the shop and dragged it across the river to Al Higgin's studio, to photograph our newest products as well as this year's Christmas offerings, which we'll keep to ourselves for now!

This was our first photo shoot with Al, having been recommended to us by our last photographer Philip White. We had seen some of his work before, including the beautiful shots he took for Bean and Goose chocolate, and Teeling Whiskey as well as his portrait of the guys in Designgoat.  Clare spent the morning with Al, arranging these beautiful displays and drinking strong coffee. We are so happy with how they turned out we wanted to share them with you.

You can see more of Al's work on his website or his instagram page

Our ghostly tale takes place on one of Dublin’s oldest streets, in one of the great houses which date back to the 17th century. The much over-looked, modern day Aungier street with its assortment of cafes, shops, bars and offices disguises a rich medieval past, hidden beneath contemporary shop fronts and facades. Conservation works are quietly taking place above ground floor units, restoring and protecting these great houses. 9/9a Aungier street, which houses a jewellers and estate agent on its ground floor is of immeasurable importance, being Dublin’s oldest residential building.

Concealed behind an inconspicuous blue door, a rickety staircase leads to the upper levels, where the layers of time are slowly being stripped back to reveal the very bones of this magnificent house. Faded wallpaper of various designs, one pasted over another, floor markings from past partitions & tiny nail holes in the walls from where pictures hung, speak of the former residents of this 350 year old atmospheric building. It was while researching the past occupants, that I came across a tale of haunted happenings and strange disturbances in an Aungier street mansion from the year 1853.

Two medical students by the names of Tom and Richard took up abode in the untenanted 9/9a Aungier street* which served as the perfect residence while completing their studies. It was not long before both began experiencing uneasy nights and disturbed sleep in the scantily furnished residence. Every second night, Richard awoke from frightening visions of an abominable figure which would move from the window towards the foot of his bed. Attempts to dispel these visions by way of a tonic before nightfall proved unsuccessful, and it was not long before Richard discovered Tom was experiencing equally uneasy nights.

One night, for a wonder, I was sleeping soundly, when I was roused by a step on the lobby outside my room, followed by the loud clang of what turned out to be a large brass candlestick, flung with all his force by poor Tom Ludlow over the banisters, and rattling with a rebound down the second flight of stairs; and almost concurrently with this, Tom burst open my door, and bounced into my room backwards, in a state of extraordinary agitation.

Overcome with anxiety and fear, poor Tom was unable to speak of the hideous vision which so unmanned him. The following morning, Tom had made the decision to visit his father while Richard sought alternative accommodation, both concluding moving out of the haunted dwelling was necessary.

A week elapsed before alternative quarters were secured on Digges street, in which time poor Richard was haunted by nightly occurrences of heavy footsteps descending the medieval staircase from the gloomy loft. Thankful of Tom’s return, Richard relayed his week of fearful nights over breakfast in the mansion before moving their belongings to their new residence.

Having recovered from his own night of horror in the Aungier street house, Tom decided to disclose the details of his vision to his good friend:

Without a start or fearful sensation of any kind, I waked gently, but completely. It was, as you have good reason to remember, long past midnight--I believe, about two o'clock. When sleep has been deep and long enough to satisfy nature thoroughly, one often wakens in this way, suddenly, tranquilly, and completely.

 "There was a figure seated in that lumbering, old sofa-chair, near the fireplace. Its back was rather towards me, but I could not be mistaken; it turned slowly round, and, merciful heavens! there was the stony face, with its infernal lineaments of malignity and despair, gloating on me. There was now no doubt as to its consciousness of my presence, and the hellish malice with which it was animated, for it arose, and drew close to the bedside. There was a rope about its neck, and the other end, coiled up, it held stiffly in its hand.

"My good angel nerved me for this horrible crisis. I remained for some seconds transfixed by the gaze of this tremendous phantom. He came close to the bed, and appeared on the point of mounting upon it. The next instant I was upon the floor at the far side, and in a moment more was, I don't know how, upon the lobby.

 "But the spell was not yet broken; the valley of the shadow of death was not yet traversed. The abhorred phantom was before me there; it was standing near the banisters, stooping a little, and with one end of the rope round its own neck, was poising a noose at the other, as if to throw over mine; and while engaged in this baleful pantomime, it wore a smile so sensual, so unspeakably dreadful, that my senses were nearly overpowered. I saw and remember nothing more, until I found myself in your room.

"I had a wonderful escape, Dick--there is no disputing that--an escape for which, while I live, I shall bless the mercy of heaven. No one can conceive or imagine what it is for flesh and blood to stand in the presence of such a thing, but one who has had the terrific experience. Dick, Dick, a shadow has passed over me--a chill has crossed my blood and marrow, and I will never be the same again--never, Dick--never!"

The handmaid, a local woman, was present for Tom’s recollection, and by its conclusion was quite unnerved. "It's often I heard tell of it," she now said, "but I never believed it rightly till now” She relayed the story of a former dweller in the house, a man by the name of Judge Horrocks, infamous for sentencing numerous souls to death by hanging. This most unpopular, and hateful judge came to his own unpleasant end, in the very house in which they stood, and was found hanging from the banisters in the great stairwell some years earlier.

In this cold light of day, Tom and Richard packed the remainder of their belongings, relieved to be leaving the haunted residence, the cause of immeasurable fear and torment.

“And so, we all sallied out together, each of us breathing more freely, I have no doubt, as we crossed that ill-omened threshold for the last time.”

To read the full tale of the haunted residence on Aungier street,follow the link here.                                                                    *Although it is unconfirmed this ghostly tale occurred in 9/9a Aungier street, Nicola Matthews (Dublin Civic Trust) assures us it is most probably the location, as the character and layout of the interior relates to that of 9/9a.

Top image courtesy of the Irish Georgian Society.

Being a Kerry woman myself it’s not too surprising to hear I’m not too well informed on my history of Dublin. We stock a lot of pieces in Irish Design Shop depicting landmarks of Dublin and I noticed much confusion from customers around the name of the iconic Poolbeg Generating Station and its chimneys, with many calling it the Pigeon House. I decided to do a bit of research and set things straight.

A tale of thievery, murder and love in Dublin bay...

The Pigeon House surprisingly wasn’t named after the bird, but was named after John Pidgeon the caretaker of a storehouse used by the builders of the Great South Wall. Completed in 1795, it took nearly 30 years to build the nearly 4 mile long wall, extending out to sea from Dublin Port. From the storehouse John Pidgeon and his family sold food and refreshments to hungry passengers crossing the channel. ‘Pidgeon’s House’ became so popular that John and his son Ned would pick up Dubliners at Ringsend, row them down as far as the Pigeon House for food and drink and then back to the village after.

One night the house came under attack by four men armed with sabres. A fight broke out in which Ned was injured and lost all use of his hand. The thieves took all of the family possessions. The Pidgeon’s were so popular that once word spread of the attack, locals started a collection to reimburse their losses. Some days after the attack John and Ned took their boat out fishing. John’s hook got caught on something, he slowly reeled in the line only to discover it was the body of one of the attackers. A second body was washed ashore a few days later.

The following winter John and his wife passed away leaving Ned and his two sisters to fend for themselves. After Ned’s injury he was unable to row and was forced to hire oarsmen. He caught one of the oarsmen in possession of a knife that had belonged to his father. Ned and another boatsman captured the oarsman and brought the prisoner to Dublin, where he confessed to throwing the two men overboard after a fight broke out over dividing the hoard on the night of the raid.

Ned died soon after, leaving his two sisters to fend for themselves. With no other form of income they decided to row the family boat themselves and bring Dubliners to dine at the Pigeon House. It was unheard of at the time for women to row, so their venture became quite popular amongst the men of Dublin. One wintery October evening the two sisters were waiting for visitors outside their home when all of a sudden a violent storm arose. The sisters took shelter until the storm calmed and noticed something out at sea. They rowed their boat only a short distance out to find two men and a child clinging to a plank. The women rescued them and nursed them back to health. One of the men was the captain of the ship and the other was an American man and his child. His wife had passed away and he was coming to Ireland to place his child in the care of relatives. However, there was a happy ending and he fell in love with one of the sisters, and they made a new life together in America. He even found a wealthy partner for her sister.

(story adapted from The Dublin Penny Journal) 

In 1793, after the last of the Pidgeon’s left, the Pigeon House Hotel was constructed to accommodate the increasing cross-channel passenger traffic. It was repurposed as an army barracks in 1798 with the increasing threat of a French invasion. The redbrick power station on the site, the skeleton of which still remains today, began operation in 1903. It was finally decommissioned in 1976. The modern Poolbeg Generating Station and it’s chimneys on a nearby site were completed in 1971 and the famous chimneys puffed their final plume of smoke in 2010. To this day the old buildings of the generating station remain colloquially known as the Pigeon house.