Stories

Stories

Summer Specials

Summer Specials

  Posted by Anne-Marie Neligan in: Ninetynine, Portmarnock, Summer

It's been a scorcher of a week here in Dublin (sorry to all of you in the West). The team here in Irish Design Shop have been making our best efforts to enjoy the summer sun... lunch breaks at Dubhlinn Garden, picnics in St. Patricks Park and taking off to one of Dublin's 5 Blue Flag Beaches in the evenings (Balcarrick, Killiney, Portmarnock, Portane, Seapoint). This week I made several visits to my local and favourite beach, Portmarnock.

Portmarnock beach, also known as The Velvet Strand, boasts 5km of white sandy beach with spectacular views of Lambay Island, Ireland's Eye and Howth Peninsula. Park at the Golf Links Road car park, follow the path over the sand dunes and you'll find you'll find yourself away from the crowds, in lesser trodden terrain. Finish the day off with a 99 from the ice-cream kiosk near Portmarnock's Martello Tower.

To celebrate the fine weather, we will be offering our customers a series of online promotions throughout the summer. This Saturday and Sunday customers can avail of 10% off all purchases from our SUMMER section by using the code 'Ninetynine' at the checkout.

Summer Specials

Summer Specials

  Posted by Anne-Marie Neligan in: Ninetynine, Portmarnock, Summer

It's been a scorcher of a week here in Dublin (sorry to all of you in the West). The team here in Irish Design Shop have been making our best efforts to enjoy the summer sun... lunch breaks at Dubhlinn Garden, picnics in St. Patricks Park and taking off to one of Dublin's 5 Blue Flag Beaches in the evenings (Balcarrick, Killiney, Portmarnock, Portane, Seapoint). This week I made several visits to my local and favourite beach, Portmarnock.

Portmarnock beach, also known as The Velvet Strand, boasts 5km of white sandy beach with spectacular views of Lambay Island, Ireland's Eye and Howth Peninsula. Park at the Golf Links Road car park, follow the path over the sand dunes and you'll find you'll find yourself away from the crowds, in lesser trodden terrain. Finish the day off with a 99 from the ice-cream kiosk near Portmarnock's Martello Tower.

To celebrate the fine weather, we will be offering our customers a series of online promotions throughout the summer. This Saturday and Sunday customers can avail of 10% off all purchases from our SUMMER section by using the code 'Ninetynine' at the checkout.

Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice

  Posted by Clare Grennan in: Healing plants, Irish Folklore, Midsummer, Solstice

The Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year, and the shortest night. Celebrated in the Northern hemisphere on June 21st, the word solstice comes from the Latin solstitium, from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), reflecting the fact that the Sun appears to stop at this time. Originally a significant Pagan celebration with ancient shrines like Newgrange and Stonehenge built to align with the solstice, June 21st was later adopted by Christianity to celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. Traditions differ and vary between countries of the Northern hemisphere celebrating the longest day. In Pagan Ireland, people believed that certain plants had miraculous healing powers and they, therefore, picked them on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southwards again. In pockets of rural Ireland solstice is still marked by the lighting of bonfires on beaches, promontories and hilltops. 

Mugwort (Mongach Meisce):                                                                                                                                           Mugwort was traditionally believed to have strong powers of protection over evil. It was known in Europe as the Mother of Herbs, and has strong associations with Solstice and St. Johns Eve. Its powers were strengthened by smoking it over the bonfires which were lit to mark the festival. Wreaths and garlands of the smoked mugwort were hung over doors and windows to keep away all evil powers. If you are interested in finding out more about the folklore, myths and legends of Irish wild plants, Niall Mac Coitir's book on the subject is a must read! It is available through our online shop and in our Drury street shop. 

 

Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice

  Posted by Clare Grennan in: Healing plants, Irish Folklore, Midsummer, Solstice

The Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year, and the shortest night. Celebrated in the Northern hemisphere on June 21st, the word solstice comes from the Latin solstitium, from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), reflecting the fact that the Sun appears to stop at this time. Originally a significant Pagan celebration with ancient shrines like Newgrange and Stonehenge built to align with the solstice, June 21st was later adopted by Christianity to celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. Traditions differ and vary between countries of the Northern hemisphere celebrating the longest day. In Pagan Ireland, people believed that certain plants had miraculous healing powers and they, therefore, picked them on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southwards again. In pockets of rural Ireland solstice is still marked by the lighting of bonfires on beaches, promontories and hilltops. 

Mugwort (Mongach Meisce):                                                                                                                                           Mugwort was traditionally believed to have strong powers of protection over evil. It was known in Europe as the Mother of Herbs, and has strong associations with Solstice and St. Johns Eve. Its powers were strengthened by smoking it over the bonfires which were lit to mark the festival. Wreaths and garlands of the smoked mugwort were hung over doors and windows to keep away all evil powers. If you are interested in finding out more about the folklore, myths and legends of Irish wild plants, Niall Mac Coitir's book on the subject is a must read! It is available through our online shop and in our Drury street shop. 

 

Harcourt Terrace

Harcourt Terrace

  Posted by Sadhbh Nathan

In collaboration with Fergus O'Neill, Irish Design Shop undertook a new project "The Notebook". Using patterns based on gate and railing designs from Dublin City Centre and suburbs to create a series of five notebooks. These beautiful designs were screen printed on linen and traditionally bound by Duffy Bookbinders. 

We decided to go on an adventure, visiting the inspiration for the design to find out the history of the area.  

Harcourt Terrace is a tranquil cul de sac in Dublin 2 with a colourful history. With its beautiful greenery and being so close to the canal, its tradition of attracting artistic individuals is understandable. Most notable of these artists is Sarah H. Purser. One of the first things you'll notice while walking down Harcourt Terrace is a plaque placed high on the wall of No.11 commemorating Purser, who lived there from 1887-1909.

Sarah Henrietta Purser lived and worked in her studio on Harcourt Terrace for 22 years. After Sarah's Father's flour milling business went into debt he emigrated to America in search of work, and with the help of her brothers, she trained in Dublin at the Metropolitan School of Art and in 1863 moved to France to continue her education at the Académie Julian. Sarah took it upon herself to start working as a means to support herself. Putting her training to good use, she became a portraitist, and by the 1880's Sarah's hard work began to pay off. She was exhibiting regularly in the RHA gallery and had a busy studio at No.11 Harcourt Terrace. Making a name for herself and enjoying her new found fame, she would often be commissioned by national figures, both famous and influential. These included Maud Gonne, WB Yeats, Edward Martyn and Douglas Hyde. Sarah worked mostly as a portraitist but was also associated with working with stained glass. In 1906, her depiction of King Cormac of Cashel was transferred into a stained glass piece for St. Patricks Cathedral, Dublin. 

On the 4th of January 1977, almost 70 years after Purser had been a resident of Harcourt Terrace, the National Museum of Ireland, received a call from Mrs. Eileen Ross. She had uncovered an old dilapidated well in her garden at No.8. Not only was the well an interesting discovery, but there were a number of impressive finds inside and around the garden. The most intriguing find according to Dr. Michael Wynne, from the National Gallery of Ireland, was pieces of waste glass, most of which was hand blown and some pieces were even flashed and decorated with pigments. He was quoted saying "The material dated to the late 19th century or early 20th century.", there had never been any recordings of a glass workshop in No.8 itself but "an explanation may be related to the fact that the portrait painter, Sarah Purser", who was known to have worked with glass, "operated a studio at the rear of No.11, Harcourt Terrace" between 1887 and 1909. Purser's paintings are part of the National Gallery of Ireland's collection, as well as private collections around the world.

News of the well raised huge intrigue with people. Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Irish aristocrat and revolutionary, was said to have been sheltered in a well in Jean Jasper Joly house on Harcourt Terrace, in 1798 while resisting arrest on a charge of treason. In the memoirs of Lady Fingall, she was quoted saying "When pursuit came near, he was hidden in the dried-up well in the garden". The street, known for its colourful artistic history also has an interesting Republican past.

In 1920, Mary Flannery Woods of Cumann na mBan, the Irish Women's Council, was said to have bought a safe house for Michael Collins on Harcourt Terrace. In this house was a special hidden cupboard built solely to hide arms and ammunition. It is unknown how long he stayed here but on Monday the 11th of July 1921 at a quarter to twelve, just shortly after British Troops had called a truce, armoured cars, tanks and patrols returned to their barracks. The heavy gates closed behind the British troops and in the streets of the city, people walked joyously. Michael was said to be sitting in his office at No.17 Harcourt Terrace, working.

Emmet Humphreys, a native of Co. Clare and moved to Dublin with his family in 1909. By the age of 15, he had already become a member of Fianna Eireann. Emmet was present at the Battle of Dublin in 1922. He and his men set up base in No.11 Harcourt terrace, Purser's former studio. On the 30th of June, himself and his men came under heavy attack. An armored car at the front directed machine gun fire into the house while snipers fired at the rear. In shock and completely outgunned they surrendered shortly after it had begun. In Survivors edited by Mac Eoin, Emmet recalls "It was a most ignominious surrender. I cannot recall that even one of us was able to fire one shot against the enemy".

Harcourt Terrace is an idyllic avenue with a rich and memorable past.

You can find the gate that inspired Fergus's Notebook at No.1 Harcourt Terrace.

Click here to see more images of our trip to Harcourt Terrace

Harcourt Terrace

Harcourt Terrace

  Posted by Sadhbh Nathan

In collaboration with Fergus O'Neill, Irish Design Shop undertook a new project "The Notebook". Using patterns based on gate and railing designs from Dublin City Centre and suburbs to create a series of five notebooks. These beautiful designs were screen printed on linen and traditionally bound by Duffy Bookbinders. 

We decided to go on an adventure, visiting the inspiration for the design to find out the history of the area.  

Harcourt Terrace is a tranquil cul de sac in Dublin 2 with a colourful history. With its beautiful greenery and being so close to the canal, its tradition of attracting artistic individuals is understandable. Most notable of these artists is Sarah H. Purser. One of the first things you'll notice while walking down Harcourt Terrace is a plaque placed high on the wall of No.11 commemorating Purser, who lived there from 1887-1909.

Sarah Henrietta Purser lived and worked in her studio on Harcourt Terrace for 22 years. After Sarah's Father's flour milling business went into debt he emigrated to America in search of work, and with the help of her brothers, she trained in Dublin at the Metropolitan School of Art and in 1863 moved to France to continue her education at the Académie Julian. Sarah took it upon herself to start working as a means to support herself. Putting her training to good use, she became a portraitist, and by the 1880's Sarah's hard work began to pay off. She was exhibiting regularly in the RHA gallery and had a busy studio at No.11 Harcourt Terrace. Making a name for herself and enjoying her new found fame, she would often be commissioned by national figures, both famous and influential. These included Maud Gonne, WB Yeats, Edward Martyn and Douglas Hyde. Sarah worked mostly as a portraitist but was also associated with working with stained glass. In 1906, her depiction of King Cormac of Cashel was transferred into a stained glass piece for St. Patricks Cathedral, Dublin. 

On the 4th of January 1977, almost 70 years after Purser had been a resident of Harcourt Terrace, the National Museum of Ireland, received a call from Mrs. Eileen Ross. She had uncovered an old dilapidated well in her garden at No.8. Not only was the well an interesting discovery, but there were a number of impressive finds inside and around the garden. The most intriguing find according to Dr. Michael Wynne, from the National Gallery of Ireland, was pieces of waste glass, most of which was hand blown and some pieces were even flashed and decorated with pigments. He was quoted saying "The material dated to the late 19th century or early 20th century.", there had never been any recordings of a glass workshop in No.8 itself but "an explanation may be related to the fact that the portrait painter, Sarah Purser", who was known to have worked with glass, "operated a studio at the rear of No.11, Harcourt Terrace" between 1887 and 1909. Purser's paintings are part of the National Gallery of Ireland's collection, as well as private collections around the world.

News of the well raised huge intrigue with people. Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Irish aristocrat and revolutionary, was said to have been sheltered in a well in Jean Jasper Joly house on Harcourt Terrace, in 1798 while resisting arrest on a charge of treason. In the memoirs of Lady Fingall, she was quoted saying "When pursuit came near, he was hidden in the dried-up well in the garden". The street, known for its colourful artistic history also has an interesting Republican past.

In 1920, Mary Flannery Woods of Cumann na mBan, the Irish Women's Council, was said to have bought a safe house for Michael Collins on Harcourt Terrace. In this house was a special hidden cupboard built solely to hide arms and ammunition. It is unknown how long he stayed here but on Monday the 11th of July 1921 at a quarter to twelve, just shortly after British Troops had called a truce, armoured cars, tanks and patrols returned to their barracks. The heavy gates closed behind the British troops and in the streets of the city, people walked joyously. Michael was said to be sitting in his office at No.17 Harcourt Terrace, working.

Emmet Humphreys, a native of Co. Clare and moved to Dublin with his family in 1909. By the age of 15, he had already become a member of Fianna Eireann. Emmet was present at the Battle of Dublin in 1922. He and his men set up base in No.11 Harcourt terrace, Purser's former studio. On the 30th of June, himself and his men came under heavy attack. An armored car at the front directed machine gun fire into the house while snipers fired at the rear. In shock and completely outgunned they surrendered shortly after it had begun. In Survivors edited by Mac Eoin, Emmet recalls "It was a most ignominious surrender. I cannot recall that even one of us was able to fire one shot against the enemy".

Harcourt Terrace is an idyllic avenue with a rich and memorable past.

You can find the gate that inspired Fergus's Notebook at No.1 Harcourt Terrace.

Click here to see more images of our trip to Harcourt Terrace

Warp & Weft

Warp & Weft

  Posted by Anne-Marie Neligan

As part of my college course, I have a class called 'Materials and Fibres.' Last week, we headed west to see how fabric is produced here in Ireland. We visited two companies we happen to stock here in Irish Design Shop; John Hanly weaver's in Ballyartella, Co. Tipperary and Ekotree, a knitwear company based in Killaloe.

The first stop was Hanly's. Established in 1893, the company is now in it's 4th or 5th generation, Brian Hanly our charismatic tour guide and current owner, couldn't quite remember. The tour starts outside their factory, where Brian gives us a brief history of the Hanly's and their business. Noticing we are shivering he wraps up his tale quickly and scolds us for not wearing our woollens. Inside, it's loud, very loud. We huddle in close to hear Brian's tour over the hum of machines. He informs us today is a quiet day as they don't have as many machines running! Yarns are being spun around a massive drum, to form the warp for a series of scarves, before being brought to the loom. At the loom, the rapier adds in the weft rows of the weave at lightening speeds, making 250 to 300 insertions per minute. Once off the loom, any imperfections are mended by hand before being sent to Scotland to be finished by specialist companies who wash, dry and brush the fabric, allowing Hanly's to maintain an entirely dry production process.

- The warp drum, where five scarves are repeated and prepared for the loom.

Over the years, the focus of the company has changed. Originally they produced only tweed fabrics. Now with increasing competition from cheap manufacturers abroad, the focus has shifted to producing high-quality scarves and blankets. 

After lunch, we headed for the picturesque village of Killaloe, on the banks of the Shannon. Here, we meet designer and maker Diarmuid Neilan. Diarmuid is most interested in the process and the quality of yarns used, for the production of his knitwear brand; Ekotree. He uses a mix of yarns including alpaca, lambswool merino, cashmere and a regenerated wool when creating his high-quality knits. Designs are machine knitted on site, on a double bed knitting machine, allowing him to create volume and body in his scarves. Machines have been programmed to produce fully fashioned garments, meaning there is zero waste. Scarves are then washed in an industrial washing machine, which lightly boils the yarn to eliminate the scratchy feeling so commonly associated with wool. Everything has been considered, trialled and timed to make sure that the process is as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. 

 

- Ekotree's studio in Killaloe, Co. Clare.

Next on the agenda for Ekotree, is to expand his range and invest in a fine gauge knitting machine, to create a range of summer knits, which we can't wait to see. 

Products from both John Hanly and Ekotree can be purchased in-store, with a few selected items available online.

For more images check out our facebook page.

Warp & Weft

Warp & Weft

  Posted by Anne-Marie Neligan

As part of my college course, I have a class called 'Materials and Fibres.' Last week, we headed west to see how fabric is produced here in Ireland. We visited two companies we happen to stock here in Irish Design Shop; John Hanly weaver's in Ballyartella, Co. Tipperary and Ekotree, a knitwear company based in Killaloe.

The first stop was Hanly's. Established in 1893, the company is now in it's 4th or 5th generation, Brian Hanly our charismatic tour guide and current owner, couldn't quite remember. The tour starts outside their factory, where Brian gives us a brief history of the Hanly's and their business. Noticing we are shivering he wraps up his tale quickly and scolds us for not wearing our woollens. Inside, it's loud, very loud. We huddle in close to hear Brian's tour over the hum of machines. He informs us today is a quiet day as they don't have as many machines running! Yarns are being spun around a massive drum, to form the warp for a series of scarves, before being brought to the loom. At the loom, the rapier adds in the weft rows of the weave at lightening speeds, making 250 to 300 insertions per minute. Once off the loom, any imperfections are mended by hand before being sent to Scotland to be finished by specialist companies who wash, dry and brush the fabric, allowing Hanly's to maintain an entirely dry production process.

- The warp drum, where five scarves are repeated and prepared for the loom.

Over the years, the focus of the company has changed. Originally they produced only tweed fabrics. Now with increasing competition from cheap manufacturers abroad, the focus has shifted to producing high-quality scarves and blankets. 

After lunch, we headed for the picturesque village of Killaloe, on the banks of the Shannon. Here, we meet designer and maker Diarmuid Neilan. Diarmuid is most interested in the process and the quality of yarns used, for the production of his knitwear brand; Ekotree. He uses a mix of yarns including alpaca, lambswool merino, cashmere and a regenerated wool when creating his high-quality knits. Designs are machine knitted on site, on a double bed knitting machine, allowing him to create volume and body in his scarves. Machines have been programmed to produce fully fashioned garments, meaning there is zero waste. Scarves are then washed in an industrial washing machine, which lightly boils the yarn to eliminate the scratchy feeling so commonly associated with wool. Everything has been considered, trialled and timed to make sure that the process is as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. 

 

- Ekotree's studio in Killaloe, Co. Clare.

Next on the agenda for Ekotree, is to expand his range and invest in a fine gauge knitting machine, to create a range of summer knits, which we can't wait to see. 

Products from both John Hanly and Ekotree can be purchased in-store, with a few selected items available online.

For more images check out our facebook page.

A Christmas Carroll

A Christmas Carroll

  Posted by Laura Caffrey in: Christmas time, Christmas Tree, Glenealy, Irish Farming

Over the years I have bought my Christmas tree from a variety of places, a shopping centre car park, from the scouts and from the side of a road. The experience at Glenealy Christmas Tree farm in Co. Wicklow is a whole other story. James Carroll and his brothers Dave and Andrew have created a really special experience on the plot of land they took over from Coillte a few years ago.

Just outside the tiny village of Glenealy there are about ten acres of randomly planted Noble and Nordmann Fir trees, where young and old can ramble between large overgrown trees and tiny two year old ones to find their perfect Christmas Tree. On arrival, James, who's furniture we have been stocking since 2010, welcomed us and introduced us to the three skittish Shropshire sheep (Sunday, Hazard and no.3) who are a new addition, hired to keep the grass tidy between the trees, as this particular breed has no interest in fir trees. We then went on a tour of the shed where we met James' brother Dave who offered to post our letters to Santa and gave us a bit of a tune on the old grand piano next to a model sleigh. 

The highlight of the day was the stroll through the land, where James talked us through the wildlife that roams the land, a friendly fawn had eaten the bulk of the Willow he had planted earlier this year. The brothers have great plans for how to use the land outside of Christmas time - Easter egg hunts and Halloween hauntings are among the ideas currently being hashed out.

Delighted with our choice of tree, James swiftly cut it down, drilled it, wrapped it up, and stuck it in the back of the car. On the way out Deirdre, a neighbour of the Carroll's reminded us to take some of her holly with us in return for a donation towards one of the four charities she is supporting.

You can buy a selection of James' work in our shop on Drury Street.

A Christmas Carroll

A Christmas Carroll

  Posted by Laura Caffrey in: Christmas time, Christmas Tree, Glenealy, Irish Farming

Over the years I have bought my Christmas tree from a variety of places, a shopping centre car park, from the scouts and from the side of a road. The experience at Glenealy Christmas Tree farm in Co. Wicklow is a whole other story. James Carroll and his brothers Dave and Andrew have created a really special experience on the plot of land they took over from Coillte a few years ago.

Just outside the tiny village of Glenealy there are about ten acres of randomly planted Noble and Nordmann Fir trees, where young and old can ramble between large overgrown trees and tiny two year old ones to find their perfect Christmas Tree. On arrival, James, who's furniture we have been stocking since 2010, welcomed us and introduced us to the three skittish Shropshire sheep (Sunday, Hazard and no.3) who are a new addition, hired to keep the grass tidy between the trees, as this particular breed has no interest in fir trees. We then went on a tour of the shed where we met James' brother Dave who offered to post our letters to Santa and gave us a bit of a tune on the old grand piano next to a model sleigh. 

The highlight of the day was the stroll through the land, where James talked us through the wildlife that roams the land, a friendly fawn had eaten the bulk of the Willow he had planted earlier this year. The brothers have great plans for how to use the land outside of Christmas time - Easter egg hunts and Halloween hauntings are among the ideas currently being hashed out.

Delighted with our choice of tree, James swiftly cut it down, drilled it, wrapped it up, and stuck it in the back of the car. On the way out Deirdre, a neighbour of the Carroll's reminded us to take some of her holly with us in return for a donation towards one of the four charities she is supporting.

You can buy a selection of James' work in our shop on Drury Street.