9 great craft experiences in Ireland

The beautiful countryside of Ireland has been an inspiration for artists as diverse as Paul Henry and Daniel O’Neill, so if you want to stir your creative juices, it might be time to pick up a paintbrush. Set in a warm and cosy studio on The Gobbins clifftop, Audrey Kyle’s Économusée Workshop Experience offers the perfect place to learn some watercolour techniques while being surrounded by the dramatic Antrim coastline. Classes are small and one-to-one attention is guaranteed over the three-hour class.

The beautiful county of Wicklow on Ireland’s east coast is frequently referred to as the “garden of Ireland”. Lush valleys, heather-covered hills and brooding mountains typify a landscape that has attracted everyone from filmmakers to musicians. So where better to enjoy a little bit of artistic inspiration than at a scenic farm near the village of Newtownmountkennedy in the heart of the county? Windrush Farm runs Art in the Wild workshops with an artist and an ecologist, which involves wandering through a gorgeous nature reserve to gather materials followed by a workshop in which you can make an eco-friendly journal, a leaf-printed bag, and charcoal from willow. The perfect mix of culture and nature.

Ireland has a long history of crafting exquisite jewellery, and a visit to the Ór – Ireland’s Gold collection at the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street in Dublin will tell you all you need to know about our jewellery-making skills. If all that beauty inspires you, then a jewellery-making course might be in order. Small class sizes are a key to success and the jewellery-making workshops for beginners run by Lina Varna in Wexford town are ideal. With just three students, hands-on attention is guaranteed and you can either pick a piece of jewellery from the gorgeous jewellery designs created by Lina, or make your own design.

Weaving is an ancient Irish craft that is kept alive all over the island of Ireland by everyone from skilled artisans to community groups. It’s also a very rewarding craft to try for yourself. Dublin pottery company Arran Street East spread its wings into Schull’s remote and beautiful village in stunning West Cork a few years ago. Now, it runs regular pottery and weaving classes in this warm and friendly spot. Join locals and visitors weaving on looms and frame looms on a relaxed weekend afternoon and then nip across to Hackett’s Bar for a well-earned pint of the Black Stuff.

There’s been something of a woodturning boom on the island of Ireland over the past few decades, and skilled woodturners, including Fred O’Mahony, Max Brosi and Alan Meredith, are gaining attention for their amazing creations. Woodturning is a traditional skill that has existed in Ireland for centuries but was revived in the late 1960s and has been thriving ever since. Ambrose and Brid are woodturners based just outside Galway city and they run great woodturning workshops in their studio. The foundation course is a day-long event, with a maximum of four students and material and lunch all provided.

The beautiful County Cork village of Kinsale has lots for the creative person to enjoy, so it’s no surprise that many artists base themselves here. While the town is famous for its excellent food scene, it’s also a great place for arts and crafts. Want to try your hand at a spot of pottery? Well Kinsale Ceramics offer weekend pottery courses, which are great for meeting other budding artists as well as covering the basics of pottery including wheel throwing, coiling, slab building and sculpting.

Want to get off the beaten track and try something different? Jeanette Keenan is a basketweaver who runs classes on willow weaving at Bluebell Lane in the beautiful Ring of Gullion with woodland walks and a visit to a Celtic Iron Age roundhouse included. There’s been a revival of basketweaving on the island of Ireland as part of a trend that sees some of the island’s traditional indigenous craft items becoming fashionable in interiors, and baskets are one of the most popular. These half-day introduction to willow weaving classes are perfect for beginners, and at the end of the session, you’ll have your very own piece to take home with you.

Step inside the restored stone-built building dating from the 1830s and you’ll find yourself enveloped in the perfect goldsmith’s workshop. This is Gobbins Crafts where experienced jewellery-maker Heather runs workshops on fine metalworking in copper, silver and gold. It’s a gorgeous rural location with beautiful views out across the Irish Sea to Scotland and feels more like a farm than a jewellery destination thanks to a pair of honking African Geese and a cluster of rescue chickens. And if you’re not happy with your finished piece of jewellery, don’t worry, you can comfort yourself by browsing the range of jewellery on display which is available for purchase.

The meditative quality of craft is fully explored in this beautiful spot on the Ards Peninsula in Northern Ireland. With a strong history of flax spinning and embroidery specific to the area, Kiri Cottage offers a perfect way to connect with the past – a spinning workshop, where you learn to spin on a modern spinning wheel. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes are available on the day, but best of all, you’ll be able to take away a ball of wool that you’ve spun yourself. An unforgettable experience.